November 2, 2009
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Guru Nanak Jayanti
Wishing Enlightenment for all SoHaṁsa members on this auspicious occasion of Guru Nanak Jayanti and Kārtika Pūrṇimā
Although there is debate on the exact date of birth of Śrī Guru Nanak Deva, this does not change the fact that the celebration of the Jayanti should be done on Kārtika Pūrṇimā. The birth dates of the great seers, the Maharṣi and other gurus of India may not coincide with the celebration of their jayanti unlike that of the avatāra where this must coincide. The reason being spiritual learning and teaching is a process in which the soul has to incarnate several times in a life and each of these spiritual events is regarded a rebirth. Hence the word dvija (twice born) is used for those who are initiated into the gāyatrī mantra.
Another example in the Datta Jayanti which has been mistaken by some as the birthday of Śrī Dattātreya. However, this date falling on the full Moon of the month of Mārgaśira celebrates the enlightenment teaching of Śrī Dattātreya, the avaduta brāhmaṇa. This principle of the avaduta is also mentioned by Śrī Kṛṣṇa in the Srimad Bhagavatam.
We are not aware if Śrī Kṛṣṇa dvaipāyana (son of Parāśara) was born on Asadha pūrṇimā but then all the Vedavyāsa including Parāśara who was Vedavyāsa for a previous yuga could not have been born on this one date. At least this day of Vyāsa jayanti or Guru pūrṇimā is not accepted as the birthday of all the Vedavyāsa of this yuga as well as previous yuga.
Having provided so many examples showing that the Jayanti reference for Gurus should refer to dates of their inspiration or that energy which causes their teachings to manifest and lead humanity, we should not be mixing this auspicious enlightenment energy of their principle (or teaching) with their birth dates. If per chance, the birth date is also the date of their full moon enlightenment, as in the case of the Buddha, then this is a coincident event probably because the Lagna lord has a strong association with the Moon, or is the Moon. As such, Kārtika Pūrṇimā is associated with the teachings of Śrī Kārtikeya to Maharṣi Pippalāda in the Praśna Upaniṣad and other Mahāvākya etc.
Kārtika Pūrṇimā will always have the full Moon in Bharaṇī or Krittikā nakṣatra in the sign Aries which symbolises the teachings or knowledge sign. The ninth from this it the dharma which is Sagittarius and the Guru is the first and final definition of God ~ God is the teacher and then there is no difference between God and the spiritual master. Such a strong faith in the guru can only come from Sagittarius, the dharma bhāva for the Sikhs (Khālsā).
This teaching is also followed by the worshippers of Kārtikeya and is taught in the Śiva Purāṇa where the four levels of the guru, that merge with God are defined as - guru, parama guru, parātpara guru and parameṣṭhi guru.
It will be interesting to make a study of the Kārtika pūrṇimā charts for the various years when each of the ten gurus of the Sikhs accepted their positions.
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