Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday greeted people on “Guru Purnima,” describing it as a day to give thanks to all outstanding teachers who have guided and inspired humanity.
“Greetings on Guru Purnima. This is a day of expressing gratitude to all exemplary Gurus who have inspired us, mentored us and taught us so much about life. Our society attaches immense importance to learning and wisdom. May the blessings of our Gurus take India to newer heights,” PM Modi tweeted.
The Prime Minister also expressed his best wishes on the occasion of “Ashadha Purnima,” a special day for Buddhists.
“Greetings on this auspicious Ashadha Purnima occasion. We recall Lord Buddha’s excellent teachings and affirm our dedication to achieving his enlightened vision of a just and compassionate society,” he said.
The Buddha is believed to have delivered his first sermon on this day after attaining enlightenment. The prime minister also posted a video clip that included his previous remarks paying tributes to the Buddha.
The custom of Guru Purnima honours all of the intellectual and spiritual Gurus who are enlightened or evolved beings who are willing to impart their knowledge based on Karma Yoga. It is celebrated as a festival in India, Nepal and Bhutan by Hindus, Jains and Buddhists.
The purpose of this celebration is typically to honour one’s personal spiritual masters or teachers. It is celebrated on the day of the Full Moon (Purnima) in the Hindu month of Ashadha, which runs from June to July.
The festival was revived by Mahatma Gandhi to pay tribute to his spiritual guru, Shrimad Rajchandra. It is also known as Vyasa Purnima because Veda Vyasa, the sage who wrote the Mahabharata and assembled the Vedas, celebrates his birthday on this day.