EVERY year on the full moon day, in the Hindu month of Ashaar, Guru Purnima is observed in sacred memory of Shri Vyas Ji.  On this day Sanyasies retreat to some quiet place to reflect on the scriptures, do Vedantic Vichara and take part in Dharmic discourses. Shri Vyas Ji has rendered invaluable services to humanity and Dharma.  He has edited the four Vedas, compiled the eighteen Puranas and wrote the Mahabarat and Bhagawatam.  We can only attempt to express gratitude to this great and unequal Guru by resolving to incessantly study his works and translate his teachings in our lives. Vyas Ji works are of particular significance to Kaliyug – this dark iron.
The eminence and esteemed of the Guru in Hinduism is unique among religions. The latest Hindu dictionary defines Guru  as teacher, mentor, preceptor and spiritual guide. 
The Guru is pivotal in the life of the Shishya or discipline. The Guru has to be carefully choosen. The Guru who is bereft of knowledge and virtue cannot be expected to elevate the Shishya. ‘Tamaso Maa Tami Pravishati’ (from darkness to darkness he goes, whom an ignorant person initiates).
Guru Purina is a day of great historical, intellectual and spiritual values to Hindus.  It provides the opportunity for us to generate fresh waves of spirituality and to hasten the conviction that all we have learnt through Abhyas or deep studies, Sadhna, accomplish in devotion, should reveal in the outpouring of universal love and resolution to give continuous selfless service in the cause of Dharma.
This day is for adoring and worshipping your Guru, preceptor, a day when Shishya or disciples find immense joy in sincere and reverent expressions of homage to their beloved Guru.  He will have a great responsibility towards you, while you, the Shishya, Chela, must always approach him with humility, respect and reverence.
Diksha or spiritual Guru is indispensable in spiritual pursuits.  In fact, the Guru plays an effective part in building the personality of the disciple and guiding his direction in life.
The Guru/Shishya relationship is divine.  After the disciple’s parents, the Guru is the next closest person to the disciple.  In many instances, the Guru is proven to be the foremost person in whom the disciple confides.  Invariably, the Shishya acts in consonant with the Guru’s Counsel and advice.
Guru’s grace, like Parental blessings is a vital input in the life of Hindus.  The well known Kings Janak and Dasrath sought Guru’s guidance on so many occasions.  It was Guru Ashtavakra who moulded Janak’s  life and Gorakhnauth who fashioned the spirituals destiny of Raja Bhartari. 
The well known Vashist was Dasrath’s Guru who intervened on the two historic occasions when Dasrath realized he was without a heir to the throne and when Vishwamitra had requested that Rama and Latchman accompany him to offer protection against the Rakshas who were unleashing great terror against defenseless Sages.
The two well known incarnations Shri Ram and Shri Krishna choose and accepted their Gurus  Vashisth and Sanipini  respectively.  The Nobles accepted as their Guru Brihaspati.   In more recent times, Swami Vivekananand surrendered to the feet of Ramakrishna Paramahansa as his ‘Shishya’ disciple.
Guru Purnima then is of special significance to Hindus.  While Guru’s grace is necessary, it does not mean that they will grant you liberation or Mukti and that the disciple will just sit idle and he will be emancipated. 

Swami Sivananda wrote: “True discipleship opens the vision. It kindles the spiritual fire.  It awakens the dormant faculties.  It is most necessary in one’s journey along the spiritual path.  Guru and disciple become one.  The Guru blessed, guides and inspires the disciple.  He transmits, transforms and spiritualizes him”.

In the pursuit of a spiritual life, the disciple encounters many hurdles. He faces a multitude of problems in life and so very often clearly needs guidance and counsel. This ocean-like world with its countless impeding waves must be crossed.  The Guru  is like a ship upon which true disciples may cross to the shores of comfort, stability, peace and bliss – ‘Curu Bina Bhava nishi Tarai Na Koyee’ –  no one can cross this mundane world without the help of the Guru.
The institution of the Guru is a novelty and one, which has had sustaining influence on Hindus, and has been responsible for the preservation of our institutions, values and creed. 

The Guru  is an indispensable link between the Shishya  and his or her request for identity with the Supreme Purusha.
GU means darkness and RU means dispeller of darkness.  The Guru is expected to remove doubts and conflicts of the disciples, indeed to dispel all darkness of the disciple. 
Tulsidas in his Ramcharitmanas wrote – “GURU SHISH BADHIR ANDHA KA LEKHA, EK AN SUNAI EK NAHIDEKHA”.  The disciple and preceptor severally resemble a deaf man and a blind man.  The one would not listen, while the other cannot see.  This is not what is expected of the ancient institution, the Guru  is expected to reveal all the precious secrets of life to his disciples and bestows on them wisdom.
In pursuance of life’s objective we pass through many Gurus.  For example, our teachers at schools or those who taught us the knowledge of worldly art are our Shishya Guru.  We can have as many Shishya Gurus as the necessity warrants but our spiritual Guru can be only one.  Scriptural texts can appear contradictory. The ambiguities, figure of speech and metaphor of our scriptures need the brilliant and analytical mind of a qualified Guru who must be able to present in a simple form the essence of the texts.