This is about Guru Poornima observance for the year 2009.
1) For those living in USA, Canada, West Indies, and other countries in the American continent (to the West of Atlantic Ocean), Guru Poornima falls on July 06th, 2009.
2) For rest of the world, Guru Poornima pooja is on July 07th, 2009.
This Guru Poornima is an auspicious day to Honour one's Gurus (either Deeksha Gurus or vidhyaa Gurus) or Guru Paramparaa in general. Honouring scholars of religious knowledge to the extent of one's capacity, donating copies of Puraanas to pious persons, donating for the cause of vedic education, honouring pious individuals who are adhering to dharmic way of life (like wearing tuft, reciting holy works regularly, and adhering to restrictions to diet so that their tapasya for the welfare of the Universe is not deficient in any way) etc. are some of the meritorious deeds you can do on that day.
Generally Guru Paramparaa is meditated from Lord Naaraayana Himself, Sage Vyaasa, down to one's respective Gurus. In mantra traditions, the Guru Paramparaa is from Lord Medha Dakshinamoorthi, Lord Hayagreeva, Sage Agasthya, Sage Vyaasa, Aadi Shankara, 18 Mahaa Siddhas, down to one's own Guru lineage. Vyaasa Pooja is done on this day even by ascetics (in fact for ascertaining the seniority of sanyaasis, the no. if vyaasa Poojas done by the sage is the factor; this does not apply to Aamnaaya Gurus/ Peetaadhipathis who are considered JagatGurus and hence considered senior to others by Accepted Protocols). Students of astrology and other vedic subjects should meditate on Sage Veda Vyaasa who compiled vast compedium of vedic knowledge into various branches for the ease of learning of we-people of the kali yuga. As our memory and intelligence are traditionally considered to be less when compared to those of persons who lived in the earlier yugas, Sage Vyaasa in accordance with Divine Will classified the vedas into 4 so that we can master at least one veda each and the vast compendium of knowledge of oral traditions of the past were codified into Puraanaas for our easy understanding! If you have a copy of any Puraana or Mahabharata with you, kindly recite at least some verses from them on that day in Honour of the Great Maharishi Vyaasa.
Those who cannot do elaborate poojas for Shri Vyaasaa as per tradition can recite this (which is in the Prelude portion to Shri Vishnu Sahasranaamam)...
vyaasam vasishtha naptaaram shakteh pautramakalmasham
paraasharaatmajam vande shukataatam taponidhim
(Meaning: We Salute Shri Vyaasa who is the Great Grandson of Sage Vasishta, the Grandson of Sage Shakti, the Son of Sage Paraasharaa, and the Father of Sage Sukhaa!)
This year, Sudarshana jayanthi also falls on Guru Poornima day and we intent to perform Sudarshana homam for Universal welfare on that day.
Note: Though there is a penumbral eclipse of Moon on July 7th, 2009, it is not considered major enough to warrant abstaining from religious rituals as is customary during eclipses. The Jagat Guru Aachaaryas of various aamnaaya mutts are going ahead with Vyaasa pooja on July 7, 2009, and hence we are also following them in observing vyaasa pooja on July 7th, 2009. This is for information of members who might be confused as to whether vyaasa pooja and other vedic rituals can be done on July 7th, 2009 due to the penumbral eclipse.
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