At least 10,000 people between the ages of four to 84 gathered at the Allen East Center in Texas to recite the Bhagavad Gita on the occasion of Guru Purnima together. The event was organised by Yoga Sangeeta Trust America and SGS Geeta Foundation.
The recitation was held in the presence of renowned spiritual saint Pujya Ganapathy Sachidananda ji on Monday, July 3, according to information ANI gathered from the Avadhoota Datta Peetham Ashram in Mysuru. It is an International Spiritual, Cultural and Social Welfare organisation. The website says of Pujya Ganapathy Sachchidananda, “His Holiness Parama Pujya Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji is the Founder Pontiff of Avadhoota Datta Peetham at Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Ashrama in Mysore, India. Sri Swamiji is renowned for His Meditation music and He is considered a divine guide who promotes the ancient Vedic traditions.” It adds, “Sri Swamiji’s universal vision and deep compassion for the upliftment of the mankind has inspired the Peetham to run a vast variety of programs, activities and projects towards enrichment of human life.”
Guru Purnima is a traditional Hindu celebration dedicated to gurus, or spiritual masters. The day falls on the first full moon after the summer solstice, in the Hindu month of Ashad (July to August). The occasion is celebrated in India, Nepal and Bhutan by Hindus, Jains and Buddhists. People offer devotion and gratitude to their gurus on this day, and earn their blessings.
As per Yogapedia, “Since gurus are often regarded as a link between seekers and the divine, Guru Purnima is seen as a sacred day, in which gurus are revered like Gods. The tradition originated as a celebration of the great sage Maharshi Veda Vyasa, who is believed not only to have been born on this day, but also to have begun writing the Brahma Sutras on Guru Purnima. Vyasa also edited the four Vedas and wrote the 18 Puranas, the Mahabharata, and the Srimad Bhagavatam.”
Hindus celebrate Vyasa on this day, but Buddhists, on the other hand, mark it as a day that the Buddha presented his first sermon. “In the yogic tradition, Guru Purnima celebrates the day that Shiva became the first guru and began transmitting yoga to the Saptarishis,” Yogapedia says.
