Guru Purnima
Religious holiday falling on the full
moon(purnima) in the lunar monthof
Ashadh( June–July). Guru Purnima is a
day of respect and reverence to one’s
guru, a word that has historically indi-
cated a religious preceptor, but is used
now for any teacher, adviser, or mentor.
In the dharma literature, a young man
is to spend his adolescence as a member
of his guru’s household, receiving room,
board, and instruction. In return he ren-
ders to his guru obedience and loyalty.
On Guru Purnima, a guru’s students are
directed to enshrine and worshiptheir
guru as a deity, giving their guru gifts
and fees, according to their means.
Modern Hindus celebrate this day in
various ways, depending on the type of
guru they have. Although some religious
preceptors are enshrined and wor-
shiped, this practice is not always per-
formed. However, modern Hindus still
celebrate this day by paying particular
honor and homage to their teachers.
This day falls on the full moon, which is
associated with completion and perfec-
tion—the same qualities that gurus are
considered to have. This day is also
known as VyasPurnima, since the sage
Vyasawas renowned as a great guru.
Gurutalpaga
(“going to the guru’sbed”) In the dharma
literature, which outlined rules for reli-
gious duty and appropriate behavior,
Gurutalpaga was one of the four great
crimesthat made one an outcast from
society. This particular offense was com-
mitted by having sexual relations with
the wife of one’s guru or religious
teacher. Since the disciple is considered
a member of the guru’s family and must
treat the guru with reverence and loyalty,
this was obviously a serious breach of
trust. Since these disciples are adoles-
cent men and many of their gurus may
have had wives much younger than
themselves, such proximity could have
easily generated serious temptation and
required a strict prohibition to maintain
appropriate relationships. The gravity of
this offense can be seen by the penances
prescribed for its expiation (prayash-
chitta). According to the dharma litera-
ture, the offender could either tear off
his genitals, or embrace the red-hot stat-
ue of a woman while lying on a red-hot
iron bed. In either case it was expected
that this expiation would result in his
death, although the texts always note
that death blots out the offense.Guruvayur
Sacred site (tirtha) in the Thrussoor dis-
trict in the southern Indian state of
Kerala, a short distance inland from the
Arabian Sea. Guruvayur is most famous
for a temple to the god Vishnu, wor-
shiped in his form as Krishna, and the
temple’s main image is of Krishna as a
young boy just past toddler age.
According to the temple’s charter myth,
the image at Guruvayur was originally at
Krishna’s mythic kingdom in the city of
Dwaraka, on the Arabian Sea in the
northern Indian state of Gujarat. When
Dwaraka was destroyed by floods, the
image was saved from destruction by
Guru, the planet Jupiter, and Vayu, the
god of wind. These two deitiesbrought
the image to Kerala, and in their honor
the place was named Guruvayur.
Guruvayur’s mythic charter also
describes the site’s power to heal ail-
ments such as rheumatism and leprosy.
This healing power is a great attraction
in modern times, not only for people
with rheumatism, skin diseases, and
other afflictions, but also for childless
womenseeking children and pregnant
women seeking an easy delivery and a
happy child.Gyan Vapi
(“well of knowledge”) A well that is the
sole part of the original Vishvanath
temple in the city of Benares. The tem-
ple’s name refers to the god Shivain his
form as Vishvanath, “Lord of the
Universe,” and was one of the most
sacred Hindu sites in medieval India. In
1669 the armies of the Moghul emperorGyan Vapi