Happy Full Moon or Guru Pūrṇimā (Each Full Moon in each Lunar month have a name assigned to the Nakṣatra, the Fixed Star).
This Guru Pūrṇimā or Full moon occurs in the Lunar month of ‘Asadha’ celebrated on 21 July 2024. This is a highly auspicious and important full moon in the Hindu Almanac, as it signifies a day to honour our teachers, Gurus, mentors, spiritual guides in our life. What exactly is a Guru? In Sanskrit, one of the oldest languages on the planet and indeed the most sacred, Gu-ru, literally translated, means “remover of darkness or ignorance.”
The concept of Guru is a vital one in the Vedic Cosmology and in India since times immemorial. Why is the Guru given so much importance? The answer may lie somewhere between the deep connection between Astrology or Jyotisha (Indian Vedic Astrology) and the means of living and surviving on this planet.
You see Lord Shiva is one of the very first Guru or as we say the ‘Adi Guru’ who is equated to pure consciousness or the Brahman. Imparting all kinds of knowledge, the same Adi Guru or Sh
iva takes on the form of a teacher called Dakṣiṇāmūrti Shiva.
Lord Dakṣiṇāmūrti grants entire knowledge of the universe and other multiverse to the Saptaṛṣi – the Seven seven great sages in Indian Mythology. They have attained a semi-immortal status, as in exceedingly long life span due to their Yogic powers and they are the givers of the Great Vedas, epics like Mahabharata and Ramayana, by their sheer intuitive intelligence and power of their penance to Dakṣiṇāmūrti.
| Seven Seers/ Sages Saptaṛṣi | Born from | Planetary Signification
Father of |
Indicator | Astronomy
Stars |
John Bayer Scheme |
| Marici | Soul | Sun | Identity, Self | Dubhe | Alpha |
| Vasistha | Breath | Saturn | Longevity | Merak | Beta |
| Angiras | Mouth | Jupiter | Consume | Phecda | Gamma |
| Atri | Eyes | Moon | Mind, Vision | Megrez | Delta |
| Pulastya | Ear | Mercury | Karma | Alioth | Epsilon |
| Pulaha | Navel | Venus | Creation | Mizar | Zeta |
| Kratu | Hand | Mars | Energy | Alkaid | Eta |
| Narada | Lap | Ketu (South Node) | Grasp | ||
| Daksa | Toe | Rahu (North Node) | Illusion | ||
| Dhruva | Polaris Fixed Star – Seat of the Meditator
Credit – Brhat |Nakṣatra by Pt Sanjay Rath from Brhat Nakshatra |
||||
The all revolve around Dhruva, the pole star, which resides in the constellation Ursa Major (Big dipper).
Sages are integral part of all Vedic Literature, and it is because of these Sages that the lineages of the human beings came into existence. As the blood of the Rishis is running within us in every single human being. We all belong to the lineage of one Sage or so, often indicated by the planet in the 12th house.
For example, the Sage Vasistha, is the great Sage for all matters related to Saturn and is often associated with the Western civilization. He was also the teacher/Guru to Lord Sri Rama, the main protagonist in the epic, The Rāmāyaṇa. Rāmāyaṇa is indeed one of the oldest epics on this planet.
The knowledge of the Vedas imparted by the Sages including Jyotisha, called the Veda Chakshu – eye of the Vedas, helps to understand our Karmic script of lifetimes and help burn them. And we as human beings, our core singles most goal is about raising our consciousness. Which entails being spiritually focused and, in the process, ‘burning’ a lot of our Karmas that have been built up over lifetimes by ourselves (rather our ‘Atma’ or soul) or by our misdeeds in previous past lives. After all, it is only Humans, who have this privilege of pursuing a seeking of self-knowledge, as you don’t see your beloved cat meditating or dog actively practicing mindfulness!
It is the philosophy of Advaita – Non-Dualism, which is based on the textual exegesis of the Upanishads, the Brahma Sutras, and the Bhagavad Gita. This is instrumental in our self-knowledge and spiritual progress. And it gets passed down in the Advaita Guru Paramparā, the Advaita version of the Guru–shishya (Teacher-disciple) tradition.
Historically, Adi Shankara is regarded as its most influential teacher. This influence goes back to medieval times, when Advaita Vedanta came to be regarded as the central philosophy of the post-Vedic religions, and its philosophy influenced several Indian religious and philosophical traditions.
Even till this day, the Lineage of Śankara bhagavatpāda upholding the Advaitic (Non-dualistic philosophy) which underpins the Vedas, has been passed to his four disciples who formed Mathas or Ashrams at the four corners of the Indian Subcontinent.
Of particular mention is the Great Sage Lineage of Parāśara and the author of many ancient Indian texts. He is accredited as the author of the first Purana, the Vishnu Purana, before his son Vyasa wrote it in its present form. He was the grandson of the sage Vasishtha and referred to as Trikālajñāni – The scholar knowing the three kinds of time – past present and the future.
The main significator for lineages is Ketu, or the south node of the Moon. Its natural sign is Pisces, where it finds completely rules as that is his work. Pisces Meena is the sign of Venus’s exaltation and Jupiter’s own home. Saturn rejoices in this sign. So, we can see that the Natural 12th house Pisces has so many associations, of lineages of our ancestors leading to the Sages, Venus’s exalted unconditional ‘sea’ rejuvenating powers of knowledge and Jupiterian wisdom and knowledge transmitted through the ages, via the lineage.
This coming month we have sign Pisces and its trines (cancer and Scorpio) really activated as Rahu is indeed in this sign and Saturn is in the end of Aquarius, both making aspects on Aries and Scorpio. Both ruled by Mangal Mars, these signs are going to continue feeling the brunt of Mars, Saturn and Rahu, without a doubt. Anyone with Moon, Ascendant or Sun, are going to feel the intense heat and turbulence created by the Malefic. Year 2024 (whatever half a dozen months left of it) is also ruled by Mars and so, these signs need to be extra vigilant and manage and control the heat/tempers and maintain steady balance.
What Signs Does it Occur?
Typically, Guru Pūrṇimā occurs around when the Sun transit sign of Gemini or early Cancer, encompassing any of the fixed stars of Ardra, Punarvasu or Pushya. While the Moon, naturally being opposite signs and |Nakṣatra, mainly Mula, Purvasadha and Uttarasadha. There are deep meanings to these constellations in the signs of Gemini-Sagittarius or Cancer-Capricorn axis.
Jupiter and Mercury are naturally associated with the Guru-Shishya (disciple) tradition as it is natural that this full moon has these dynamics.
Occasional year, as it is in this year, Moon and Saturn are dispositors of the Sun and Moon respectively, bringing forth karma, (as it is Saturn) survival and problems surfacing at a collective level which the common man will face. Saturn also signifies Authority and serving the Government and may pose as a conflict when it comes to masses and Government.
Jupiter or Bṛhaspati, is the eternal Guru of the Devas Gods and is the finest advisor and the most beneficent in the entire pantheon. He is termed as the Jiva karaka – significator of living beings, as without Jupiter we would have no intelligence, no grace of cosmic connection through the Sages and our well-being would be at stake. Without a doubt Jupiter or Bṛhaspati is the single most benefic planet in the entire pantheon. With next in line or at par is Venus.
Jupiter or Bṛhaspati is the Guru to the Devas Gods while Venus is the Guru to the demi-Gods Asuras. Indeed, they are remarkably different nature, yet they are the ‘Guru’ of their own domain. Jupiter or Bṛhaspati as a Guru is associated with great and wisest counsel, Viveka – ability to use your intelligence discriminately and not just toe the line, wealth, treasury, spouse/husband, children, Teachers and Gurus, the fat in our body amongst various things, Brahmins and learned scholars.
While Venus or Shukra’s domain is relationships, relating, luxuries and wealth, security, rejuvenation and regeneration, aesthetics, body cleansing, clean water and the male semen as Shukra is the key Ojas or chi in our body.
Shukra or Shukracharya was given the life enhancing and death conquering mantra – the Mṛtyuñjaya mantra. As per the Skanda Purana, Chapter 48 – Śukreśvara (Śukra-īśvara) from Section 1 – Prabhāsa-kṣetra-māhātmya
Īśvara (A form of Lord Shiva) said –
1-3. It dispels all sins. It is not far off, and it has been created by Śukra himself. At this holy spot, thanks to the power of Rudra, he obtained the Vidyā (secret formula) called Sañjīvanī. The wise one performed a very severe penance for a thousand years and propitiated the Odd (three)-eyed Lord. He then attained the status of a planet. (Thus, Venus came to be known as Śukra)
Hence, Śukra or Venus, she/he has come to be linked to rejuvenation, creativity and power of procreation. We often say, in the Vedic remedies, that if you are going through ailments related to the lymphatic system or immunity disorder, various kinds of cancer or even impurity in blood etc, it is Venus that one must turn to. And of course the chanting /listening of the Mṛtyuñjaya Mantra will work magic.
Any affliction in the 7th house, by natal placements as well as transits, is also work with the above.
This is the great Mṛtyuñjaya Mantra (death-defying formula)
ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे सुगन्धिं पुष्टिवर्धनम्
उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान् मृत्योर्मुक्षीय मामृतात्॥
oṃ tryámbakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhíṃ puṣṭi-vardhánam
urvārukam íva bandhánān mṛtyor mukṣīya mā ‘mṛtā́t
Meaning:
Om, We Worship the Tryambaka (the Three-Eyed One), who is fragrant (as the Spiritual Essence), increasing the nourishment (of our Spiritual Core). From these many Bondages (of Samsara) like Cucumbers (tied to their Creepers), may I be Liberated from Death (Attachment to Perishable Things), So that I am not separated from the perception of Immortality (Immortal Essence pervading everywhere).
Thus, the great Rishis Sages hold a torch to light up our pathway through the knowledge of the Star, Nakṣatras and the Planets.
Some Karma is hard and tough to get rid of that we must go through with it, while some we have a lot more flexibility and through some penance, discipline, hard work and expanding our knowledge we can overcome it.
ओम् तत् सत्,
