GITA JAYANTI: eighteen chapters of the Bhagavad Gita connote various aspects of life-Puri
Jaswant Singh Puri/ December 21,2023
Gita Jayanti, also known as Bhagavad Gita Jayanti falls on Shukla Ekadashi in the Hindu month of Margasirsha. It is the auspicious day of the advent of Srimad Bhagavad Gita when Lord Krishna imparted the essence of Vedic knowledge to Arjuna more than 5000 years ago on the battlefield of Kurukshetra and enlightened him about the truth and essence of life. Bhagavad Gita infact means The Song of the Supreme Lord’ which is a collection of 7000 verses in eighteen chapters. It is one of the most sacred texts of the Hindus which marks the birthday of Srimad Bhagavad Gita.
The teachings of Lord Krishna to Arjuna are now known as the Bhagavad Gita which is considered the world’s greatest scripture on ‘Karma’ and Dharma’s philosophy.
Gita Jayanti is celebrated with immense zeal and zest, devotion and dedication by the Hindus and other communities also. It is solemnized with enthusiasm in various parts of India and many other countries like Malaysia and Singapore. It is celebrated with great interest and involvement in Lord Krishna temples throughout India. Chief Minister of Haryana, Manohar Lal Khattar termed the Gita as a “constitution” that imparts life lessons. International Gita Mahotsav is being celebrated from December 7 to December 24 in Kurukshetra. Assam is participating as a partner state in the event. Manohar Lal Khattar said that there are plans to organise the Mahotsav in the US in April, 2024.The Haryana Government would work on the lines of PM Modi’s suggestions to make Kurukshetra a center for the learning of the Gita and make it an international affair. It would be a great confluence of spirituality, art and culture.
GITA JAYANTI: eighteen chapters of the Bhagavad Gita connote various aspects of life-Puri said various aspects of life as given below:
Chapter 1: It reveals the observance of the armies by Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Arjun loses his energy and strength as he sees his intimate relatives, teachers and friends who would be sacrificed. He gives up his determination to fight.
Chapter 2 reflects the submission of Arjuna to Lord Krishna as His disciple who explains the concepts of temporary material body and the eternity of soul.
Chapter 3deals with Karma Yoga where Lord Krishna explains that one can be liberated from the law of Karma and seek transcendental knowledge of the self and the Supreme.
Chapter 4reveals the spiritual knowledge of the soul, of God and their bonding which is purifying and liberating.
Chapter 5 unfolds the performance of outward actions of human beings in this materialistic world but inwardly renouncing their fruits which help us to attain peace and spiritual vision.
Chapter 6 brings forth the full consciousness of the Supreme.
Chapter 7 is devoted to Lord Krishna as the Supreme Truth who is the Supreme pillar and force of both material and the spiritual.
Chapter 8 is devoted to attain the Supreme and nurture in His Supreme abode beyond materialistic world.
Chapter 9 indicates Lord Krishna as the Supreme Godhead and in whose Lordship, our soul transports back to His Spiritual realm.
Chapter 10 expresses the idea that the material and Lord Krishna are the supreme object of worship for all beings in the material and the spiritual world.
Chapter 11 shows that Lord Krishna grants Arjuna a divine vision and unmasks His spectacular limitless form as the cosmic universe.
Chapter 12 shares the pure devotional service to Lord Krishna which is the supreme path to attain the Supreme Divine qualities.
Chapter 13 clarifies clearly how to attain liberation from this world of materialism.
Chapter 14 focusses how we can transcend the three modes of material nature: goodness, passion and ignorance.
Chapter 15 highlights the fundamental aim of Vedic knowledge as how to attain detachment from the cobwebs of material world.
Chapter 16 sounds the bugle that spiritual perfection can be achieved who follow regulated lives and possess divine qualities.
Chapter 17 conveys the idea that good actions in injunctions with scriptures lead to pure faith in Lord Krishna.
Chapter 18 speaks about the perfection of renunciation. It lays emphasis on unconditional surrender into Lord Krishna who enlightens us and helps us to return to Lord Krishna’s eternal spiritual abode. So the Krishna Consciousness Movement is essential in human beings as it is a gateway to perfection of life. Only this consciousness can extricate us from the web of negativity and pessimism. We will realise that the divine is always with us. However, our physical eyes only see what is made of matter. It was Lord Krishna who imparted a sermon to Arjuna when he lost all his confidence and felt weak and sickened that he has to kill his relatives at the battlefield. Lord Krishna told Arjuna about the truth of life and the philosophy of ‘Karma’.
To study Bhagavad Gita is to understand Krishna. As Arjuna followed and his intuition awakened, he was prepared to fight according to Krishna’s plan. He fought under the order of the Supreme Personality. The Supreme is always different from everything else.
Infact, Srimad Bhagavad Gita contains spiritual, philosophical and psychological values. So GitaJayanti commemorates the sacred day when Lord Krishna imparted his Spiritual teachings to Pandava Prince Arjuna at the start of the Battle of Kurukshetra.
Professor Pradyumna Shah Singh has done ample work on religion and worked as Director in Jain Bodh Philosophy Department in Kashi Hindu University, Varanasi. Likewise, Sadhvi Nivedita Garima Jain did his Ph.D. on Comparative Study of “Uttradhyan Sutra and Srimad Bhagavad Gita” from Punjabi University, Patiala which is an achievement of immense value in the realm of Indian scriptures.
Note: GITA JAYANTI: eighteen chapters of the Bhagavad Gita connote various aspects of life-Puri said the views expressed are personal. This article is dedicated to Smt. Alka Puri wife of Dr. Ajit Singh Puri and mother of Jaswant Singh Puri.
