Advent of Srimad Bhagavad-gita

What is the Advent of Srimad Bhagavad-gita?

On Gita Jayanti, the Advent of Srimad Bhagavad-gita, devotees remember how Lord Sri Krishna spoke the Bhagavad-gita to Arjuna between the opposing armies on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. In 2026 the festival falls on Sunday, 20 December, which is also Moksada Ekadashi.

Significance

The first words of the Bhagavad-gita are dharma-ksetre kuru-ksetre, "in the place of pilgrimage at Kurukshetra" (Bg 1.1). In his purport to that verse, Srila Prabhupada explains that the Lord spoke the Gita for the guidance of mankind when He was present on this planet. The same purport speaks of the sanctity of the place:

It is understood that this philosophy evolved on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra, which is a sacred place of pilgrimage from the immemorial time of the Vedic age.

Bhagavad-gita 1.1, purport

Within Kurukshetra, the place called Jyotisar is traditionally honoured as the spot where Lord Krishna spoke the Gita.

How to observe it

Devotees read and hear the Bhagavad-gita As It Is, chant the holy names and discuss the Lord's teachings. Because Moksada Ekadashi falls on the same day, they also avoid grains and beans. Some give a copy of the Bhagavad-gita to a friend or relative.

Read more: Know the Shrimad Bhagavad Gita: Author, Reading Benefits & Spiritual Significance