This year Gita Jayanti is on Margasheersh Shuddha Ekadashi, by date on 1st December 2025. Gita Jayanti is a festival on which we focus on the message of Sri Krishna. The message of Sri Krishna was not at all different from the Vedic vision. But the eternal principles as enunciated in the Vedas were explained in the then context by Sri Krishna in such a way that it has become an ever relevant message for humanity. He also synthesized the apparently varying dimensions in the Sanatana Principles of Vedas. Thus, the study of Bhagavad Gita gives us the integrated view of principles for life as well it shows us that how the dynamic re-interpretation of the principles like Dharma, Yagna, Yoga, Pooja etc are needed in every age.
As we know, this work of focusing on the relevant and
deeper meaning of our age old tradition is very much required. Eknathji wrote
about how Swami Vivekananda guided us in seeing God all around us and how to
worship Him meaningfully by serving people selflessly. He wrote, "Swami Vivekananda was the foremost
among the modern religious teachers who strove to take out religion from that
static condition into which it had degenerated over the centuries, and drew the
attention of the people to its real role. He pointed out in no uncertain terms
that ceremonies and forms are not the essence of religion but that it lies
rather in the realization of a higher life. He said, 'We may study all the
books that are in the world, yet we may not understand a word of religion or of
God. …Religion is not in doctrines or dogmas, nor in intellectual
argumentation. It is realisation in the heart of hearts; it is touching God; it
is feeling, realising that I am a spirit in relation with Universal Spirit and
all its great manifestations.' To those who lost themselves only in forms and
rituals, turning their back on the people and the misery that had befallen
them, he said, 'What vain gods shall we go after and yet cannot worship the god
that we see all around us, the Virat (Janata Janardan)? When we have worshipped
this, we shall be able to worship all other gods.'
Today, Bhagavad Gita is also studied for using new paradigm for management in US and other European corporate bodies. There was a time when it was considered by Western scholars like Max Weber that India is backward because of her religion and culture unsuitable to present age. But today there are persons from India who are the leading management experts of America. They put forward the Gita’s perspective for management. The business Week in 2006 wrote an article about it. Thus Gita guides us in spiritual, social, professional and corporate world. Understanding Gita can also help for having a well-knit and harmonious family. If there is a proper grounding in Gita for the children in their childhood then in future it would help them socially, professionally and spiritually.
The message of Gita
The
Eternal principals
mattaḥ parataraṁ nānyat
kiñcid asti dhanañ-jaya
mayi sarvam idaṁ protaṁ sūtre maṇi-gaṇā iva
मत्तः परतरं नान्यत्किञ्चिदस्ति धनञ्जय ।
मयि सर्वमिदं प्रोतं सूत्रे मणिगणा इव ॥7.7
Everything is Bhagavan, therefore it is sacred and is to
be respected. The whole universe is interconnected, interrelated and
interdependent. Though all of us are apparently different, we are connected to
each other by Bhagavan like a thread in a garland. No one can progress and be
happy at the cost of others. In family, to enhance this interconnection, caring and sharing is to be
practiced encouraged and internalised. In family the communication with each
other should be more Deep and for whatsoever reason, communication should not
be cut off but one should very openly, straight forwardly and with all love
tell whatever he or she feels.
devān bhāvayatānena te devā bhāvayantu vaḥ
parasparaṁ bhāvayantaḥ śreyaḥ param avāpsyatha
देवान्भावयतानेन ते देवा भावयन्तु वः ।
परस्परं भावयन्तः श्रेयः परमवाप्स्यथ ॥3.11
Thus nourishing one another, caring for one another, attain the sustainable development and eternal happiness. As the existence is interconnected, interrelated and interdependent, so in family, each one respecting the other and thus strengthening each other should be imbibed by regular practice.
karmaṇaiva hi saṁsiddhim āsthitā janakādayaḥ
loka-saṅgraham evāpi sampaśyan kartum
arhasi
कर्मणैव हि संसिद्धिमास्थिता जनकादयः ।
लोकसंग्रहमेवापि सम्पश्यन्कर्तुमर्हसि ॥3.20
Whosoever has earned anything in life is because of readiness to work, to work in the interest of the people. This readiness to work to help others, readiness to work to improve oneself, readiness to work to maintain the harmony should become a habit since the childhood. The purpose of our birth is to help humanity to progress on spiritual path.
tasmāt tvam uttiṣṭha yaśo labhasva
jitvā śatrūn bhuṅkṣva rājyaṁ samṛddham
mayaivaite nihatāḥ pūrvam eva
nimitta-mātraṁ bhava savya-sācin
तस्मात्त्वमुत्तिष्ठ यशो लभस्व
जित्वा शत्रून् भुङ्क्ष्व राज्यं समृद्धम् ।
मयैवैते निहताः पूर्वमेव
निमित्तमात्रं भव सव्यसाचिन् ॥11.33
You are merely a chosen
instrument of Bhagavan for spiritual evolution of humanity; so do whatever work
you are expected to do. Unless we strive, we don't progress on the path. Having
the conviction that Ishvara has chosen us to do good work, we should be always
coming forward to perform our duty happily and efficiently.
The Way to live
klaibyaṁ mā sma gamaḥ pārtha naitat tvayy
upapadyate
kṣudraṁ hṛdaya-daurbalyaṁ tyaktvottiṣṭha
paran-tapa
क्लैब्यं मा स्म गमः पार्थ नैतत्त्वय्युपपद्यते।
क्षुद्रं हृदयदौर्बल्यं त्यक्त्वोत्तिष्ठ परन्तप॥2.3
Never yield to weakness of heart. Exert yourself to do
the right thing. NO situation stays the same. So we should do our duty;
the change will come. We
should not get depressed and lose confidence. Bigger the difficulty more should
be our enthusiasm to face it.
uddhared ātmanātmānaṁ nātmānam avasādayet
ātmaiva hy ātmano bandhur ātmaiva ripur ātmanaḥ
उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् ।
आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ॥6.5
Lift up yourself with your own efforts. You alone are
your friend and you are your enemy, too. None else. We should not have self
pity or should be blaming our fate. With our own actions we can raise
ourselves.
karmaṇy evādhikāras te mā phaleṣu kadācana
mā karma-phala-hetur bhūr mā te saṅgo ’stv akarmaṇi
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन ।
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते संगोऽस्त्वकर्मणि ॥2.47
You have to choose that action which maintains the harmony of the collectivity around you, like the family, society, nation and universe. You have only the right to choose such action but not demand specific fruits of action. After doing your best, accept whatever comes to you as Prasada from God.
tasmād asaktaḥ satataṁ kāryaṁ karma samācara
asakto hy ācaran karma param āpnoti pūruṣaḥ
तस्मादसक्तः सततं कार्यं कर्म समाचर ।
असक्तो ह्याचरन्कर्म परमाप्नोति पूरुषः ॥3.19
Therefore, always employ yourself with all Shraddha
and excellence, in the performance of action which is your duty.
yataḥ pravṛttir bhūtānāṁ
yena sarvam idaṁ tatam
sva-karmaṇā tam
abhyarcya siddhiṁ vindati mānavaḥ
यतः प्रवृत्तिर्भूतानां येन सर्वमिदं ततम् ।
स्वकर्मणा तमभ्यर्च्य सिद्धिं विन्दति मानवः ॥18.46
The Bhagavan is everywhere; worship him by doing your
duty to your family, society and nation and the whole creation as best as you
can. Perform pooja of Ishvara by our Karmas. Everyday before going to bed offer
the whole day's work at feet of Ishvara and also remind our selves that our
purpose is to be instrument in the hands of Ishvara to protect the samashti.
asaṁśayaṁ mahā-bāho mano durnigrahaṁ calam
abhyāsena tu kaunteya vairāgyeṇa ca gṛhyate
असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलम् ।
अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते ॥6.35
All this easier said than done. Mind is very difficult
to discipline. The mind, which tends to be selfish should be brought back again
and again to do karmayoga. It is undoubtedly difficult but by our constant
practice and dispassionate awareness about this fleeting world, it is
restrained.
yuktāhāra-vihārasya yukta-ceṣṭasya karmasu
yukta-svapnāvabodhasya yogo bhavati duḥkha-hā
युक्ताहारविहारस्य युक्तचेष्टस्य कर्मसु ।
युक्तस्वप्नावबोधस्य योगो भवति दुःखहा ॥6.17
For that being one with the Divine, we should be
moderate in our food, recreation, work and sleep. We must teach children
moderation.
mayi sarvāṇi karmāṇi sannyasyādhyātma-cetasā
nirāśīr nirmamo bhūtvā yudhyasva vigata-jvaraḥ
मयि सर्वाणि कर्माणि संन्यस्याध्यात्मचेतसा ।
निराशीर्निर्ममो भूत्वा युध्यस्व विगतज्वरः ॥3.30
Even if you have to fight with the forces that destroy
harmony in the society, we should do this as a duty and do it without mental
agitation.
Assurances
by Bhagavan Srikrishna
śraddhāvāḻ labhate
jñānaṁ tat-paraḥ saṁyatendriyaḥ
jñānaṁ labdhvā parāṁ śāntim acireṇādhigacchati
श्रद्धावाँल्लभते ज्ञानं तत्परः संयतेन्द्रियः ।
ज्ञानं लब्ध्वा परां शान्तिमचिरेणाधिगच्छति ॥4.39
Have Shraddha in the path told by me, be ever ready to learn and to practice self-control. You will surely get Jnanam.
kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā śaśvac-chāntiṁ
nigacchati
kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati
क्षिप्रं भवति धर्मात्मा शश्वच्छान्तिं निगच्छति ।
कौन्तेय प्रतिजानीहि न मे भक्तः प्रणश्यति ॥9.31
Know for certain that My devotee is never perished.
ananyāś cintayanto māṁ ye janāḥ paryupāsate
teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham
अनन्याश्चिन्तयन्तो मां ये जनाः पर्युपासते ।
तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम् ॥9.22
Be steadfast in devotion. I shall look after your
well-being. You shall always get whatever is needed for your further growth.
If the families practice, live Gita, then as family is the basic unit of society, the result will be harmonious society.
The
Result
yatra yogeśvaraḥ kṛṣṇo yatra pārtho
dhanur-dharaḥ
tatra śrīr vijayo bhūtir dhruvā nītir matir mama
यत्र योगेश्वरः कृष्णो यत्र पार्थो धनुर्धरः ।
तत्र श्रीर्विजयो भूतिर्ध्रुवा नीतिर्मतिर्मम ॥18.78
Wherever
is Krishna, the Lord of Yoga – the vision of Oneness of the universe-, wherever
is Partha, the archer - men of action doing their duties-, in that society
there is prosperity, victory, all round well-being and steady and sound policy.
Let us
use the occasion of this Gita Jayanti to strengthen our Amrit Pariwar and also
motivate our families to collectively study Gita everyday.
Nivedita
Raghunath Bhide