Vyasa Puja

Vyas Purnima is celebrated on the full moon of Ashadha month. Maharishi Ved Vyas was the first preacher of the Vedas and the author of epic Mahabharata. He was a great scholar and sage. He is considered as the first intellectual guru of the humanity.

Vyasa Puja 2023

Significance

Sage Vyas's real name was Krishna Dvaipayana Vyas. He was the son of Maharishi Prashar and Devi Sathyavati. Ved Vyas's mother is the great grandmother of Mahabharata clans, Kauravas and Pandavas. Because of his prowess on Vedas and his association with Lord Ganesha in writing the Vedas he is famously referred as Ved Vyas. Poornima tithi of ashadha month is observed as Vyas's birthday tithi. Vyas Purnima holds great significance in the Guru-Shishya tradition. It symbolizes the importance of a Guru in guiding the spiritual path towards salvation.

Guru Mantra

"Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Guru devo Maheshwara
  Guru saakshaath, param Brahma, tasmai shri guravae namah." 

Meaning - Guru is Lord Brahma, Guru is Lord Vishnu, and he is Lord Shiva himself. Guru is the provider of ultimate knowledge, and I pay my sincere respect and salutations to my Guru.

Rituals

Offering prayers to Ved Vyas is considered auspicious and beneficial. Here are the steps or rituals to perform Vyas Pooja,

Wake up early in the morning, clean the house and pooja altar, take a holy bath and wear clean clothes. Set Vyaspeet or a diaz for Sage Vyas with washed pure white cloth. Recite Guru mantra and the mantra- "Guruparampara Siddhayarth Vyas Pujaam Karishyesye"- meaning I worship Guru maharishi Ved Vyas to establish the Guru Shishya Lineage. Then invoke Lord Brahma, Paratparshakti (Supreme Energy), Ved Vyas himself, Govindswami ji and Guru Shankaracharya. Followed by shodashopchara pooja to worship the invoked Gods. After the pooja, perform aarti and take blessings parents and Guru. 

In the process of the Vyas pooja, three groups of Acharya lineages are invoked and worshipped. The three groups are, 

Krishna Panchakam

Lord Sri Krishna and four other saints- Sanatkumara, Sanaka, Sanandana and Sanatsujata are called Krishna Panchakam. Idol of Sri Krishna is placed in the center and others facing four directions. They are worshipped with Sri Krishna Asthottara Satanama Archana.

Vyasa Panchakam 

In this Acharya lineage, Ved Vyasa is positioned in the center surrounded by His four disciples namely Sumanthu, Jaimin, Vaisampayana and Paila facing each direction. After reading the verses from Mahabharata, aarti is performed and naivedhya is offered.

Shankaracharya Panchakam 

Sri AdiShankara Bhagavatpada is placed in the middle surrounded His four main shishyas- Padmapadacharya, Sureswaracharya, Totakacharya and Hastamalakacharya are placed in the four directions. After reciting Guru paduka stotram and versus from Nirvana shatakam, aarti and neivedhya follow.

Benefits

Vyasa Puja festival dates between 2020 & 2030

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