Gita Jayanti
Also known as Gita Mahotsav, this day commemorates the creation of the Bhagvad Gita.
Gita Jayanti is
celebrated on Ekadashi (11th day) of Shukla Paksha of Margashirsh
month of Hindu calendar.
In the epic Mahabharata, the story of the Bhagavad Gita takes place just
before the start of the Kurukshetra War.
After several
attempts at reconciliation failed, war was inevitable. Out of pure compassion
and sincere love for his devotee and best friend, Arjuna, Lord Krishna decided
to become his charioteer during the battle.
The day of the war
finally came, and the armies faced off on the field of war.
Just as the battle
was about to start, Arjuna asked Lord Krishna to drive the chariot to the
middle of the battlefield, between the armies, to look more closely at the
opposing forces.
Seeing his
grandfather, Bhishma,
who raised him with great affection since childhood, and his teacher,
Dronacharya who had trained him to become the greatest archer, Arjuna's heart
began to melt.
His body started to
tremble and his mind got confused.
He was unable to
perform his duty as a Kshatriya (warrior).
He felt weak and
sickened at the thought that he would have to kill his relatives, his friends
and revered persons in this confrontation. Despondent, he told Krishna of his
sudden change of heart and turned to him for advice.
The conversation
that ensued, Lord Krishna's advice, messages and teachings to Arjuna, is what
is known now as the Bhagavad Gita(the song of the Lord), the ancient scripture
and philosophical work.
The Gita is said to
be a concise summary of the four Vedas of Hinduism. Bhagvad Gita has 700
verses and 18 chapters.
It is not a religious book but a guide to live a good, happy and successful life. Bhagavad-gita shows us where that happiness is.
Just like when we purchase a new gadget, a user’s manual comes with it. The manual teaches us how to make the best use of that gadget and derive maximum happiness out of it.
For
the want of proper knowledge we may invent our own ways of using it but finally
we will become frustrated.
So,
Bhagavad-gita is manual given by the Supreme Lord Krishna which guides us in
making the best use of this human life and to deriving real happiness from it.
In the modern times when people are more confused and misdirected, the Gita becomes all the more relevant for the individual as well as the society at large in bringing back the stability and happiness in life.
