Gita Mahotsav 2020, the celebration that has started on 17th Dec will culminate on 25th Dec 2020. This day the Sanatani Hindu all over world commemorate the Birth of ‘Srimad Bhagwat Gita’, the sacred scripture containing invaluable teaching about Philosophy of Life and death to the mankind. On the Shukla Ekadashi, 11th day of waxing moon of Margashirsha month of the Hindu calendar, it is believed that the “Bhagavad Gita” was revealed to Arjun by Lord Krishna himself in the battlefield of Kurukshetra (in present-day Haryana, India).
The philosophy has been spelled by Lord Krishna (Personified God) invoking the Karta (Doer) to work assiduously.
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन ।
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भुर्मा ते संगोऽस्त्वकर्मणि ॥
“You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself to be the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty.” – (Bhagavad Gita, Chapter II, Verse 4)
On this occasion, this year on 25th December, over 55000 Student from over 9 counties in the world, would recite the 19 Verses from the Bhagwat Gita in Haryana. Given the Covid-19 Pandemic situation, the event is being held in an online format.
The International Gita Mahotsav begins with the chanting of verses from Bhagavad Gita, the offering of oblations, fire sacrifices (Yajna), and distributing Prasad to devotees. A special virtual display of 134 Pilgrim places related to Sanatan Religion will also be aired to the audience world over.
Since centuries the ordinary household in India generally observed en-masse fast (from grains and lentils (peas, beans, dhals) on this day, as it happens to be an Ekadashi day (Ekadasi is the eleventh day of the waxing moon and waning moon). Those with profound belief recites all 700 verses of the Gita throughout the day.
Recitation of Bhagwat Gita usually starts with Gita Dhyanam. It means “meditation on the Gita,”. There are nine Gita Dhyanam verses that is chanted for the purposes offering salutations to the Sacred Scripture. The Gita Dhyanam is followed by Recitation of sacred Shlokas.
Srimad Bhagwat Gita is a great blessing to this new scientific world, whose teaching is aimed to cultivate Philosophy of Work. It narrates about need of balancing the Spiritual and Physical existence. Mystery of life and death is a matter of abstract and metaphysical belief. And it is too complicated for ordinary mind. Yet Srimad Bhagwat Gita makes it simple.
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