Festival · Sage Vyasa

Guru Purnima

A day to honour teachers and gurus, on the full moon of Ashadha. It is also called Vyasa Purnima, after the sage who compiled the Vedas.

Guru Purnima 2027
Sunday 18 July 2027
New Delhi

For New Delhi, Sunday 18 July 2027

Purnima tithi

Begins
6:49 pm, 17 July
Ends
9:15 pm
Sunrise
5:35 am
Sunset
7:20 pm
Moonrise
7:22 pm
Moonset
Not this day

Worked out for your city. Panchangs can differ by a minute or so.

Full panchang for this day →

How it is kept

Customs vary by region and family

  • Thank and honour your teachers
  • Visit your guru or an ashram
  • Read from scripture

What it remembers

Guru Purnima is the full moon of Ashadha, the day to honour the guru: the one who removes darkness, as the word is often read. It is also Vyasa Purnima, the birthday of the sage Vyasa, who arranged the Vedas and composed the Mahabharata. Students touch their teachers’ feet, disciples gather at ashrams, and the four months of Chaturmas begin around it.

Vyasa, the first guru

Veda Vyasa was born on this full moon to the sage Parashara and Satyavati, on an island in the Yamuna. He divided the one Veda into four so that people could learn it, composed the Mahabharata and the Puranas, and taught them to his disciples. Every guru is said to sit in Vyasa’s seat, the Vyasa peetha.

Shiva, the Adi Guru

The yogic tradition tells that Shiva, sitting silent in the Himalaya, at last turned south on this full moon and began to teach the seven sages, the Saptarishi. He became Dakshinamurti, the teacher facing south, and this day the first in which the teaching passed from guru to disciple.

The Buddha’s first sermon

Buddhists keep the same full moon as Asalha Puja: the day the Buddha gave his first sermon at Sarnath to his five former companions, setting the wheel of the teaching in motion. Jains mark it as the day Mahavira took his first disciple, Gautama Swami.

Eklavya’s offering

The Mahabharata tells of Eklavya, a forest boy whom Drona refused to teach, who learnt archery before a clay image of Drona and surpassed Arjuna. When Drona asked for his right thumb as the teacher’s fee, he gave it without a word. The story is told on Guru Purnima for the devotion of the disciple, and for the questions it leaves about the teacher.

Honouring the guru

The day is kept by thanking those who taught you, in whatever form. Families and ashrams keep it in many ways; follow your own tradition where it differs.

  1. Bathe early and wear clean or white clothes. Many fast until the guru puja, or for the day.
  2. Visit your guru, a teacher, or an ashram. Touch their feet or bow, and offer flowers, fruit and a gift, guru dakshina.
  3. If your guru is not living or far away, place their image, or an image of Vyasa or Dakshinamurti, and worship it with a lamp, flowers and sandalwood.
  4. Worship the guru’s sandals (paduka) where the tradition keeps them: wash them with water and milk and offer flowers.
  5. Read from the Gita, the Guru Gita or your guru’s teaching, and chant the Guru Stotram: Gurur Brahma, Gurur Vishnu, Gurur Devo Maheshwarah.
  6. Thank your teachers at school and at home, and parents, who are held to be the first gurus.
  7. Many begin a vow for Chaturmas, the four months of the monsoon, on or near this day.

What you need

  • Flowers, fruit and sweets to offer
  • An image of your guru, or of Vyasa or Dakshinamurti
  • A lamp, incense and sandalwood paste
  • A gift for your teacher (guru dakshina)
  • The Gita or the Guru Gita to read from

Across India

Ashrams and maths

Satsang, the guru’s darshan and the paduka puja; the Shankaracharya maths and many ashrams draw thousands of disciples.

Schools and music

Students thank their teachers; in Hindustani and Carnatic music the day is kept by disciples for their gurus, with performances in their honour.

Maharashtra

Gurupournima: the Sai Baba temple at Shirdi and the Datta temples hold their great festivals.

Nepal

Guru Purnima is Teachers’ Day in schools, with students offering garlands and sweets.

Buddhist India and Sri Lanka

Asalha Puja, the Dharma Day of the first sermon, with offerings at Sarnath and the start of the monks’ rains retreat.

Jain tradition

The start of Chaturmas, when monks and nuns stop wandering and stay in one place through the rains.

When it falls

Purnima of Ashadha. Kept on the day this tithi holds at sunrise.

These are the usual rules. A few days can differ by a day in your tradition, so check with your temple.

Guru Purnima in the coming years

New Delhi, India time

  1. 2027Sunday 18 July 2027
  2. 2028Thursday 6 July 2028

Questions

When is Guru Purnima in 2027?

Sunday 18 July 2027, in New Delhi. In a few places it can fall a day apart, so the date above is worked out for your city.

When does Guru Purnima fall?

Purnima of Ashadha. Kept on the day this tithi holds at sunrise.

How is Guru Purnima kept?

Families thank and honour your teachers, visit your guru or an ashram and read from scripture. Customs vary by region and family.

Who is honoured on Guru Purnima?

Sage Vyasa. A day to honour teachers and gurus, on the full moon of Ashadha. It is also called Vyasa Purnima, after the sage who compiled the Vedas.

Why is Guru Purnima also called Vyasa Purnima?

It is the birthday of Veda Vyasa, who arranged the Vedas into four and composed the Mahabharata and the Puranas. He is honoured as the guru of gurus, and every teacher is said to sit in his seat.

Who is the guru on Guru Purnima?

Anyone who has taught you: a spiritual teacher above all, but also schoolteachers, music teachers, and parents, who are held to be the first gurus. The day is kept by thanking them.

Is there a puja muhurat on Guru Purnima?

No special muhurat is set; the guru is honoured through the day while Purnima holds. The page shows when Purnima begins and ends for your city.