[It is hallowed tradition to dedicate every spiritual rendering in recitation or script to the auspicious divinities of all creative effort: We begin by remembering Shri Ganesh, the auspicious deity presiding as the origin of all Creation, including literature and the Arts, with the power to illumine our thoughts; the next deity is Shri Sharada, also known as Saraswati, who rests on the tongue as the source of inspiration behind subtle and refined sound, to bring forth all classical and new creative works that contribute to universal enchantment; and then, we seek the Grace of Shri Guru, which alone makes any of this possible.] Guru Purnima is one of the most auspicious festivals celebrated throughout the length and breadth of India. It is celebrated on the occasion of the Full Moon in the month of Ashadh according to the Hindu lunar almanac, usually falling in July each year. Guru Purnima is also known as Vyas Purnima, in honour of the learned Sage Vyas, who organised the structure of the Vedas, the fountainhead of all ancient learning. The supreme godhead Brahma brought forth the Vedas from his head and transmitted them to the Sage Narada, who in turn passed them on to Vyas for editing and teaching. He thus came to be known as Rishi Veda Vyas. He also authored many philosophical works, in addition to the major historical rendering (itihas) of Mahabharat. Entrusted with this onerous task, the Sage is said to have invoked Shri Ganesh, the deity of learning and arts, who agreed to assist in writing the great manuscript, on the condition that Vyas did not pause in his dictation! Vyas in turn instructed the deity not to pause in his effort in case he did not understand something, but to simply proceed with the writing. Thus were composed the original 6,00,000 verses of the great epic poem. The Story of Rishi Vyas Rishi Vyas was the grandson of the great sage Vashishtha, and the grandfather of the protagonists of the Mahabharat war, the Kauravas and the Pandavas. Sanjay, a trusted courtier of King Dhritarashtra, born in a humble weaver family, became a conscience keeper of sorts to the blind and aged king. Vyas gifted Sanjay with divine vision, so that he could witness and describe the great war in the battlefield of Kurukshetra to Dhritarashtra, while sitting in the latter’s palace in Hastinapur. Sanjay is thus the only witness, besides Arjun, to the divine oratory of Krishna and the rare display of His Divine form in the midst of the battle of Mahabharat, as reported by him in the Bhagvadgita. The full name of the rishi is Krishna Dvaipayana Badarayan Vyas. He was called Krishna because he was dark complexioned; Dvaipayana, because he was born on an island (dveep) in the River Yamuna; and Badarayan because his hermitage was in the Badri forest region of the Himalayas, on the banks of the River Saraswati. He is one of the immortal rishis. Vyas was born out-of-wedlock to the sage Parashar, and Satyavati – the young daughter of a lowly boatman. Parashar was a gifted sage, law-giver and astrologer who formulated many fundamental principles based on external observation and meditation. The venerated old rishi was travelling in a boat one day, when he suddenly realised that the time was most auspicious for the conception of a genius who was destined to bring forth great learning upon earth. His eyes fell on his lone companion, the boatman’s comely daughter Satyavati, who was ferrying him across the river. Satyavati was born in the stomach of a fish, adopted by the boatman who found her after he had cut open the fish. The smell of the fish clung to the beautiful girl, so that she came to be known as ‘matsyagandha’ – of a fishy odour! She agreed to submit to the amorous advances of the old sage on three conditions: Nobody must witness their love-making; the sage must grant her a boon to rid her of the fish odour; and her virginity must be later restored. Parashar created a dense fog around the boat with his yogic powers to meet the first condition, granting her the second boon so that the fishy odour was replaced by an alluring fragrance, and her virginity was restored after giving birth to Vyas. Later, Parashar left with his son, while Satyavati returned to her foster father, the boatman. Vyas Purnima The event of Vyas Purnima marks the formal beginning (or resumption after holidays) of studies each year for the students of Sanskrit and scriptures in traditional pathshalas, initiated with the worship of the Rishi Vyas as the archetypal teacher and scholar. It also marks the beginning of the chaturmas vrat of the sannyasi renunciates, a special four-month period of observing sacred vows involving fasting and dietary restrictions. During this period the wandering sadhus remain in one location, to give the benefit of their power and wisdom to householder devotees through satsangs. There is an interesting legend about how this day came to be earmarked for honouring the guru. Vyas divided the vedas into four distinct compilations of inspired sacred verses. Until then, they were an immense mass of verses in an unstructured form of shrutis, verses that were received and maintained in the sound form rather than in script. Upon completion of his work of organising and editing the Vedas, the Gods in heaven sang praises of the Sage, showering him with flower petals. This happened to be the Full Moon day in Ashadh, commemorated as Vyas Purnima. It is said that even after the satisfactory completion of all his great works of learning, also including the eighteen Purans or scriptures, the visionary sage (drashta) was left feeling uneasy and dissatisfied, with his unhappiness increasing on every passing day until finally, the Sage of sages Narada appeared before him. There is an axiom that ‘when the disciple is ready, the guru appears’. This axiom is also at the root of the term ‘Datta’ for the guru, since ‘datta’ means one who arrives or appears. Narada instructed Vyas to sing praises of Hari (Vishnu). He asked Vyas to spread bhakti, or devotion, through teaching his students to sing simple lyrics extolling the glory of God. When Rishi Vyas followed this counsel, his heart burst with the surging love of Hari, and he attained immediate God realisation. At last his distress was relieved, being replaced with genuine bliss and contentment. The day his guru Narada appeared before him was also the occasion of Full Moon in Ashadh!

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