Gita Jayanthi

Gītā Jayanthi is the day the sacred text of Bhagavad Gita was revealed to Arjuna by Bhagavan Sri Krishna at the Kurushetra battlefield in the midst of the assembled Pandavas and Kauravas army .

This day is celebrated on the Shukla Ekadasi, 11th day of the waxing moon of Margashirsha month (November-December) in the Hindu calendar .

Bhagavad Gītā means the song (gītā) of the Lord (Bhagavān) . The Lord is called Bhagavān – the one who has bhaga (the six-fold virtues) in absolute measures . These six-fold virtues are These are : all knowledge (jñāna) , total dispassion (vairāgya) , the capacity to create , sustain and resolve (vīrya) , absolute fame (yaśas) , all wealth (srī) and overlordship (aiśvarya) .

Who is Bhagavān in the Gītā ? Sri Krishna , since He has proved He has the bhaga .

The Gītā is considered to be song-like because it is in verse form and therefore pleasing . It has only two meters – anushtubh and trishtubh , making the Gītā easy to recite and remember .

The subject matter of the Bhagavad Gītā is two fold that is brahma-vidyā and yoga-śastra . Brahma-vidyā means the knowledge of what is . It reveals the truth of oneself , the Lord and the creation and the relationship between the three . Yoga-śastra refers to a life of activity which also includes the pursuit of brahma-vidyā .

The entire Gītā is a dialogue . There are many types of different dialogues or discussions . Here , the form of dialogue or discussion is samvāda . It is a guru-śishya samvāda – a discussion between a teacher (Sri Krishna) and a student (Arjuna) . In a samvāda , acceptance of each other is required by both parties . The teacher has to accept the student and the student has also got to accept the teacher . In Chapter 2 , Verse 7 , of the Bhagavad Gītā , Arjuna uses the word ‘śiṣyaste'haṁ’ – meaning “I am your student” , showing his acceptance of Lord Krishna as his teacher .

The Gītā is looked upon as a mother , for a mother is a symbol of love , affection , and spontaneous care . A mother always prays for her child’s welfare and she never let the child down when the child is facing troubles .

The Gītā is a mother because by her grace (knowledge) , one is saved from the life of becoming or samsāra .