Festival guide
The appearance of the timeless song celestial, awakening humanity to duty, wisdom, and devotion.
Mokshada Ekadashi · Srimad Bhagavad Gita Jayanti
Gita Jayanti celebrates the sacred day Lord Krishna revealed the 700 verses of the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Falling on Mokshada Ekadashi, seekers celebrate by reciting the entire scripture, engaging in philosophical study, and observing a contemplative fast.
Deities: Lord Sri Krishna (Parthasarathi), Arjuna, Sage Veda Vyasa
At the onset of the Kurukshetra war, the warrior Arjuna stood overwhelmed by moral despondency and grief at the prospect of fighting his kinsmen and preceptors. Lord Krishna, serving as his charioteer, transmitted the dialogue of the Bhagavad Gita, unveiling the immortality of the soul (Atman), the disciplines of selfless action (Karma Yoga), philosophical inquiry (Jnana Yoga), and absolute loving surrender (Bhakti Yoga).
Fulfilling one's righteous duty (Svadharma) without attachment to fruits, and realizing inner liberation amidst worldly crises.
Devotees observe the Mokshada Ekadashi fast, chant the Gita Mahatmya, and recite selected or all 700 Sanskrit slokas of the Gita. Scholars and spiritual teachers hold discussions (Swadhyaya) on applying Krishna's counseling to everyday moral dilemmas.
International Gita Mahotsav
Pilgrims assemble around the sacred Brahma Sarovar and the ancient banyan tree at Jyotisar (the traditional battlefield site of the discourse) for continuous mass chanting, Vedic seminars, and evening deep daan.
Vaikunta Ekadashi / Mokshada Ekadashi
Major Vaishnava shrines such as Srirangam open the ornamental northern portal (Paramapada Vaasal or 'Gate to Heaven') before dawn, through which thousands pass praying for spiritual liberation.
Unlike texts delivered inside quiet temples or monasteries, the Gita was delivered amidst the urgent noise of a battlefield, demonstrating that spiritual wisdom is designed for practical execution during life's greatest dilemmas.
They fall on the exact same tithi; 'Mokshada' means the bestower of liberation, mirroring the Gita's central promise that true self-knowledge dispels all bondage and leads to ultimate liberation.