The Shrimad Bhagavad Gita is a 700-verse Hindu scripture that is a part of the epic Mahabharata and is dated to the second half of the first millennium BCE. It’s considered to be one of Hinduism’s holy scriptures. It’s such an important scripture in this religion, it’s been given its own birthday, a birthday that’s known as Gita Jayanti.
This holiday falls during the month of Shukla Ekadashi on the Hindu Lunar Calendar, which places it on the Gregorian calendar either in November or in December. It’s believed that on this day, the Bhagavad Gita was revealed to Arjuna by Krishna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.
The History Of Gita Jayanti
This day is the auspicious day when Sri Krishna, the incarnation of the Lord Vishnu, asked his colleague and friend to come back from Kurukshetra’s battlefield by giving him the knowledge contained within the Gita—the most sacred text of Hinduism. According to the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita, the teachings of Lord Krishna gave humanity a new path that led them in a band new direction.
Observing Gita Jayanti
This holiday is observed with enthusiasm by temples dedicated to Lord Krishna. Devotees will attend these temples to perform puja and to offer up special prayers. It’s also a day when devotees go take ritual baths in sacred pools or bodies of water.
It’s also common for people to perform Arti in their homes. Although particular practices may differ from one person to the next, there are usually a few rituals that are common among all people. These rituals usually include the burning of a lamp, a peacock fan, a water element, and a yak-tail fan. These elements represent the five elements: Space, Wind, Fire, Water, and Earth. There is also usually incense burned as well.
Since Ekadashi is also celebrated during this time, it’s important for devotees who are fasting to eat no grains; This includes grains such as wheat, rice, or barley. This is also an important day for educating young people on the basic tenets of Hinduism and the importance of this holiday.
It’s important for devotees to maintain a pious heart on this day and perform Lord Krishna’s Darshan. It’s also recommended that people pray to Lord Krishna for intelligence and wisdom. Most Vishnu Puja is observed in person, but it’s become increasingly popular to perform this ritual online through a variety of different Hindu websites.
The Importance Of Gita Jayanti
This holiday is a day that allows devotees to improve their behavior to bring it more into line with the Holy Book of Gita. It allows devotees to become better people so that they can have a more positive impact on the world. In other words, it’s a way for people to aspire towards wisdom, or what Buddhists would call enlightenment.
The main importance of this holiday is to remember the word of the Gita so that they can be properly integrated into daily life. It’s also a way to help spread the knowledge of Hinduism to future generations.
When is Gita Jayanti? |
|
| This year (2023) | December 22 (Friday) |
| Next year (2024) | December 11 (Wednesday) |
| Last year (2022) | December 3 (Saturday) |