Guru-puja

Guru-puja is the ceremony of worship of the spiritual master (guru) performed daily in Vaishnava temples and on special occasions such as the appearance day (Vyasa-puja) of the guru. In the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, the guru is revered as the direct representative of Krishna and the manifestation of divine mercy in the material world. Guru-puja includes the offering of flowers, incense, lamps (arati), food, and the recitation of prayers and glorifying verses (such as the sri-guru-vandana and the sri-guru-carana-padma). During the ceremony, disciples and followers offer their respects by prostrating before the lotus feet of the guru, thus expressing their gratitude, devotion, and spiritual dependence. The acharyas teach that worship of the guru is not a personality cult, but the recognition of the transcendental position of the spiritual master as the guide of the soul toward Krishna. Without the mercy of the guru, access to genuine bhakti-yoga is impossible, for it is the guru who transmits revealed knowledge, confers initiation, and guides the disciple at every stage of spiritual advancement. Guru-puja reinforces the disciplic relationship and keeps the connection with the parampara alive.