KATHMANDU: Guru Purnima, also known as Teachers’ Day, is being observed across the country today with reverence and gratitude toward teachers and mentors.
Falling on the full moon day of Ashad (Ashad Shukla Purnima in the lunar calendar), the festival holds deep spiritual and cultural significance as a day to honor gurus—those who impart wisdom and guide others on the path of knowledge.
In Hindu tradition, gurus are venerated for initiating the Gayatri Mantra during rites of passage such as bratabandh, teaching reading and writing, and chanting Vedic hymns during rituals. The word guru is derived from Sanskrit: gu meaning darkness and ru meaning light—symbolizing the one who dispels the darkness of ignorance with the light of knowledge.
Teachers are considered divine figures, akin to the trinity of Hindu gods—Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the preserver), and Maheshwar (the destroyer)—and are held in the same regard as parents.
Schools, colleges, and various institutions are marking the occasion with special programs to honor teachers and recognize their invaluable contributions.
Today also coincides with Vyas Jayanti, the birth anniversary of the revered sage Ved Vyas, who is credited with composing the 18 Puranas, 18 Upapuranas, and organizing the four Vedas. His teachings promote the humanistic principle: Paropakara punyaya, papaya parapidanam—meaning virtue lies in helping others, while harming others brings sin.
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