Amrita Vidyalayam Celebrates Guru Poornima, 2008

God - the presence behind the world, the cause and spirit of the whole of existence. God is the universal sustaining power, in supreme command over every minute packet of time and space. Omnipresent and omnipotent, framing the laws of universe.

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God is an experience, and hence, intangible. It is difficult to grasp and love such an abstract power without manifestation. God is a concept hard to comprehend and envision, let alone develop devotion and love for. But when a human form enshrines the same Divinity in the physical form, we can through this familiar medium, understand the purpose behind our own creation and strive to find the path towards deliverance and freedom.

Thus, when God descends into a human form, he becomes a guide, the Guru, the dispeller of darkness. Guru is nothing but manifested God. This perhaps is the most comprehensive and satisfying definition that can be given for the word.

Guru Paduka puja; Students performing pada puja to their parents, AV - Ahmedabad.

Scriptures advise us to revere and follow these exalted souls, who, though elevated from the mundane human level of consciousness to that of the universal consciousness, step down to lend a hand to those still groping about in the dark.

To understand and love their physical presence as the manifestation of the Divine would in itself suffice to make a lifetime of fruitful existence. The Guru’s physical body is just an extension of the Divinity’s might, and as such, is worthy of the utmost devotion and reverence. The Guru’s mere presence invokes in the disciple a stillness of mind and an immense calm, during which one can see their own self, pure and untainted as the one universal consciousness. All the waves of questions and doubts in the mind subside forever with this tangible experience of God.

Forever indebted to you.... Children busy doing puja, AV - Koilandy.

In reverence and gratitude to the continuous and Great Lineage of Gurus, the Full Moon Day in the month of July/August is observed as Guru Poornima. This is a very sacred day on which special worship is performed to the Acharyas, who, through their Infinite Compassion come down to impart the knowledge of the Self through a long and continuous line of Acharyas (Guru Parampara) to all the Seekers of the Self.

Instilling in children the awareness of the un-payable debt that each one of us has towards the Guru is one of the main motives in observing the Guru Poornima celebrations in Amrita. On this day, the Guru paduka pooja, symbolizing the worship of the Guru’s sacred feet, is performed in each of the Amrita Vidyalayams.

Arati…. Overflowing hearts…. Parents embracing their children at the end of Pada Puja, AV - Koilandy.

For any being born in this world, the first and foremost of teachers are its parents. But in the rapid and swift waves of daily life, rare indeed is it that one gets the occasion and ambience to express the love and gratitude one feels for these selfless souls; for whom the whole of world is centered around their children; who are with the child in mind and form, in each of the child’s smallest happiness and sorrow. Recognizing this, on the day of Guru Poornima, Amrita gives each child an opportunity to offer their gratitude and prayer to their parents by performing pada-puja.

For this one day, the parents and children reflect and celebrate the bond they share. Frequently many a good thing in life is lost due to the insufferable reason of not giving thought to them, of not valuing them. In this fast world, we incur such losses regularly in relationships, opportunities and moments of beauty and love with our near ones.

Praying for Grace....

The activities in Amrita on this day, allow the children to reflect over the relationships they are gifted with. On this day parents and children alike, consider the fundamental bonds that we often take for granted.

Education at Amrita is not about just facts and scores. By observing these time-tested traditional customs, Amrita aims to instill in each child perspectives that allow them to value and cherish their relationship with their parents, and with all their Gurus.