गुरु पूर्णिमा

Guru Purnima 2027 falls on Sunday, 18 July, the full moon of Ashadha. It is the day to honour the guru, the teacher who removes darkness (“gu”) with light (“ru”), and it is also Vyasa Purnima, the birthday of the sage Veda Vyasa, who is traditionally credited with dividing the Vedas, composing the Mahabharata and compiling the Puranas. Students, disciples and spiritual seekers across India and beyond offer gratitude to their teachers on this day.

Guru Purnima 2027 date

Guru Purnima 2027 is on Sunday, 18 July 2027 (Ashadha Purnima). In 2026 it fell on Wednesday, 29 July. A penumbral lunar eclipse falls on the night of 18 July 2027; it is faint and, by tradition, carries no sutak.

Why Guru Purnima is celebrated

Tradition holds that Vyasa was born on Ashadha Purnima to the sage Parashara and Satyavati. Because he arranged the single Veda into four, he is called Veda Vyasa, “the divider of the Veda”, and he is regarded as the first guru of the Vedic tradition, which is why the day carries his name. The Bhagavad Gita, which forms part of his Mahabharata, is itself a dialogue between teacher and student.

The yogic tradition adds that on this full moon Shiva, as Adiyogi, the first yogi, began teaching the seven sages (Saptarishis), becoming the Adi Guru. Buddhist tradition remembers it as the day the Buddha gave his first sermon at Sarnath. Each story points to the same truth: knowledge reaches us through a teacher.

How Guru Purnima is observed

• Guru puja: disciples visit their guru or ashram, wash or touch the guru’s feet, and offer flowers, fruit and gifts.
• Vyasa puja: monastic orders worship Vyasa and begin Chaturmas, the four-month rainy-season retreat.
• Study and silence: many read the Gita or their tradition’s texts, meditate and fast.
• Thanks to teachers: students honour school teachers, music and dance gurus and parents as first teachers.

The meaning of Guru Purnima

Guru Purnima is a day of humility and thanks. The full moon, which shines with light it receives from the Sun, is an apt image of a student who reflects the teacher’s light. See the year’s festivals on the Hindu festival calendar.

Frequently asked questions