Festival Calendar

Guru Purnima 2026

Name: Guru Purnima 2026
Start: 2026-07-29
End: 2026-07-29
Location: India

Honouring the guru, on the full moon of Ashadha — Vyasa Purnima.

Guru Purnima 2025 Guru Purnima 2027

Guru Purnima 2026 date

Wednesday, 29 July 2026

Tithi: Ashadha Purnima

Tithi window: 06:21 PM, Tuesday, 28 July 2026 → 08:07 PM, Wednesday, 29 July 2026

See the full panchang for Wednesday, 29 July 2026

Today's Panchang

Kashi reference · computed live

Tithi: Saptami; till 20:47
Nakshatra: Ashwini; till 21:21
Yoga: Shula
Karana: Vishti
Sunrise: 05:26
Sunset: 18:41
Moon sign: Aries
Sun sign: Cancer

Muhurat & timings

Kashi/IST · astronomically computed

Sankalp (sunrise)05:23
Sunset18:45
Fasting window (tithi)2026-07-28 · 18:21 → 20:07
Parana (tithi ends)20:07

The significance of Guru Purnima

Guru Purnima falls on the full moon of Ashadha and is the day for honouring the guru — the teacher who removes darkness, for gu is said to mean darkness and ru the one who dispels it. It is a day to acknowledge, in a formal and grateful way, everyone from whom one has received true knowledge.

It is also called Vyasa Purnima, kept as the birthday of Veda Vyasa — the sage who divided the one Veda into four, composed the Mahabharata and the Puranas, and is honoured as the first and archetypal guru of the tradition. To bow to the guru on this day is to bow through one's own teacher to the whole unbroken line of teaching that reaches back to Vyasa.

The full moon of Ashadha also opens Chaturmas, the four months of the monsoon in which ascetics traditionally halt their wandering and settle in one place to teach. Buddhists keep this day as well, as the day the Buddha gave his first sermon at Sarnath — the turning of the wheel of the teaching.

Historical background

Guru Purnima is also Vyasa Purnima, kept as the birthday of Veda Vyasa — who divided the one Veda into four, composed the eighteen Puranas and the Mahabharata, and is honoured as the adi-guru, the first teacher of the tradition. Around this the day grew into the universal honouring of the guru. Buddhists keep the same full moon as the day the Buddha gave his first sermon at Sarnath, setting the wheel of dharma turning; Jains mark it as the day Mahavira took his first disciple. For centuries it has also opened the ascetics' Chaturmas, the four-month rains retreat of study by the guru's side.

Scriptural references

The day rests on the guru-parampara of the Upanishads and the Guru Gita, which exalts the guru as the doorway to the divine — 'gurur brahma, gurur vishnu'. Vyasa's own works — the four Vedas, the Puranas and the Mahabharata that carries the Bhagavad Gita — are the scriptural foundation the day honours.

Guru Purnima puja vidhi

1Bathe and wear clean clothes, and take the sankalpa to honour the guru.
2Worship Vyasa and the parampara — the line of teachers — invoking them with respect.
3Where the guru is present, offer flowers, a garland, fruit, cloth and dakshina, and touch the feet.
4Where the guru is not present, worship the Guru Paduka or the guru's image in the same way.
5Recite the Guru stotra and the mantra honouring the teacher.
6Resolve upon a course of study or practice, and receive or recall the guru's instruction.
7Perform the aarti and share prasad; those keeping Chaturmas begin its observances.

Mantra

गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णुः गुरुर्देवो महेश्वरः। गुरुः साक्षात् परब्रह्म तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः॥

Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishnuh Gurur Devo Maheshwarah, Guruh sakshat Parabrahma tasmai Shri Gurave namah

The guru is Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara; the guru is verily the supreme Brahman itself — to that guru, salutations.

Vrat rules

The day is kept through worship of the guru and of Vyasa rather than through fasting, though some take only satvik food.
Disciples visit their guru, offer respect and dakshina, and seek blessing.
The Guru Paduka or the guru's image is worshipped where the teacher is not present.
Study, recitation of scripture and the resolve to learn are taken up on this day.
For those beginning Chaturmas vows, the observances of the four monsoon months are commenced.

Common mistakes to avoid

Thinking 'guru' means only a religious teacher — the day honours anyone who dispels darkness, a teacher, a mentor, a parent.
Reducing it to a formality; the heart of the day is gratitude and the renewal of one's discipline, not just a gift.
Overlooking that Buddhists and Jains keep the same full moon with their own great meaning.
Forgetting that it opens Chaturmas, a season traditionally given to study and restraint.

The vrat katha of Guru Purnima

Veda Vyasa was born to the sage Parashara and Satyavati, and is counted among the immortals of the tradition. The one Veda, vast and undivided, had grown too great for any single memory to hold as the ages declined; Vyasa divided it into four — Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva — so that it could be preserved and taught, and for this he is called Veda-Vyasa, the arranger of the Veda.

He went on to compose the Mahabharata, dictating it, tradition says, to Ganesha, and to set down the eighteen Puranas. Because he gathered, ordered and handed on the knowledge that all later teachers draw upon, he stands as the guru of gurus. Guru Purnima, kept on his birthday, honours him first, and through him every teacher in whom his work of preserving and passing on knowledge continues.

Guru Purnima timeline

Dawn — a purifying bath
Disciples bathe early and prepare offerings for the guru; many keep a fast or a light satvik meal.
Guru puja / pada-puja
The guru's feet (or the guru's image or padukas, where the guru has passed) are worshipped, and offerings and dakshina are given.
Vyasa puja & study
Vyasa is honoured, scriptures are read, and the guru gives teaching; disciples renew their vows of practice.
Start of Chaturmas
For sadhus the day opens the four-month rains retreat, spent in study and stillness by the guru's side.

Famous places & temples

Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh

Where the Buddha gave his first sermon; Buddhists keep Guru Purnima (Asalha Puja) here and at Bodh Gaya with special reverence.

Ashrams & maths across India

The day's true home is the ashram — disciples gather at the feet of their guru for pada-puja, offerings and blessings.

Kashi & Vyasa shrines

Vyasa Purnima is kept with Vyasa puja along the Ganga and at seats of learning.

Shirdi, Dakshineswar & guru seats

The samadhis and seats of revered gurus draw great crowds of disciples on this full moon.

Interesting facts

◆It is Vyasa Purnima, the birthday of Veda Vyasa — the sage who divided the Veda, wrote the Puranas and composed the Mahabharata.
◆On the same full moon the Buddha gave his first sermon at Sarnath, so it is a shared festival of Hindus, Buddhists and Jains.
◆The Guru Gita's line 'gurur brahma, gurur vishnu, gurur devo maheshwara' — the guru is the trinity itself — is the day's keynote.
◆It opens Chaturmas, the four sacred months when wandering ascetics settle to study by their teacher.

Common questions

When is Guru Purnima celebrated?

On the full moon (Purnima) of the month of Ashadha, at the start of the monsoon — the fifteenth day of the bright fortnight. For this year's date, see the date shown above.

Why is Guru Purnima also called Vyasa Purnima?

It is kept as the birthday of Veda Vyasa, who divided the Veda into four, composed the Mahabharata and the Puranas, and is honoured as the archetypal guru of the tradition. Honouring the guru today is honouring the whole line of teaching reaching back to him.

How is Guru Purnima observed?

Disciples honour their guru — offering flowers, dakshina and respect, and touching the feet — or, where the teacher is absent, worship the Guru Paduka or image. Vyasa and the parampara are worshipped, and a resolve to study or practise is taken up.

What does the word guru mean?

By the traditional derivation, gu means darkness and ru the one who dispels it — the guru is the one who removes the darkness of ignorance. Guru Purnima is the day to acknowledge those from whom one has received true knowledge.

Festival days follow the classical attribution rules — udaya (sunrise), pradosha (evening), nishita (midnight), madhyahna or aparahna vyapini as each festival prescribes — computed for Kashi/Varanasi (IST). Regional observance can differ by a day in some years.