On July 29, 2026, ashrams, Dharma centers, and Dharma groups of the Worldwide Community of Sanatana Dharma held services dedicated to Guru Purnima—the traditional day of honoring the spiritual teacher and the lineage of succession. The programs took place at the Shiva Prem Sagar Ashram in Italy, at the annual Vishwa Sangha Maha Sangam gathering of disciples in Georgia, at the Shivadatta Satchitananda Ashram in Ukraine, and elsewhere.
Festive Program at the Shiva Prem Sagar Ashram
On the morning of July 29, 2026, a homa—a Vedic fire ritual with offerings dedicated to Guru-tattva—was performed at the Shiva Prem Sagar Ashram in Italy.
This was followed by a talk by sannyasi Indravaraja on the traditional understanding of the Guru and his place in spiritual training. The talk explored the significance of guidance, the role of the parampara, and the disciple’s responsibility to preserve the teachings received.
The central part of the service was the shodasha-upachara Guru Puja—the ritual worship of the Guru through sixteen prescribed offerings. During the puja, an abhisheka (Sanskrit: abhiṣeka, “ritual bathing”) of the Guru’s padukas was performed. These sacred sandals traditionally symbolize the presence of the teacher and affiliation with the lineage of succession.
The program concluded with a parayana—a sequential, reverent reading of Gurudev’s book “The Experience of Enlightenment.”
Vishwa Sangha Maha Sangam
An extensive Guru Purnima program attended by Gurudev was held as part of the annual Vishwa Sangha Maha Sangam gathering of disciples in Georgia.
Sannyasis and lay disciples from various countries offered congratulations and presented offerings. Alongside the prescribed forms of worship, creative offerings prepared by members of the Sangha were also presented. Their content was dedicated to the Guru, the parampara, and the preservation of the spiritual teachings.
The joint participation of monastics and laypeople expressed the traditional unity of the fourfold community, in which different forms of service are connected by a common foundation—the study of the Dharma, spiritual discipline, and respect for the lineage of teachers.
Celebration at the Shivadatta Satchitananda Ashram
A separate festive program of practices aimed at honoring the Guru and invoking the blessings of the parampara was held at the Shivadatta Satchitananda Ashram in Ukraine.
Lay disciples came to the ashram to participate in the services. Practitioners in other cities, towns, and countries joined the program via an online broadcast. This format made it possible to preserve the unity of the shared spiritual discipline despite differing geographical circumstances.
International Celebration
On July 29, Guru Purnima services were held in all ashrams, Dharma centers, and Dharma groups of the Sangha. The programs featured traditional forms of worship:
homa—a fire offering;
Guru Puja—the prescribed ritual worship of the teacher;
abhisheka of the Guru’s padukas;
reading and listening to spiritual instructions;
parayana of texts;
offerings from monastics and laypeople;
joint practice by participants both in person and online.
The geographically dispersed communities followed a common principle: honoring the Guru is performed as honoring the Dharma, the shastras, and the parampara through which spiritual knowledge is passed down from generation to generation.
The celebration on July 29, 2026, brought together monastics and laypeople from the Worldwide Community of Sanatana Dharma in Italy, Ukraine, and other countries. The services held testified to reverence for Gurudev, the continuity of the parampara, and the disciples’ shared commitment to preserving the Dharma through practice, study, and service.
Creative offering for the benefit of all living beings:
