Hari OM! Namah Shivaya. Om Namo Narayanaya!
It is common for us to celebrate birthdays as our special day. Our friends and family come together and shower us with attention and love.
Taking the spirit of this concept forward, let us create a difference by celebrating the birthday of a book – Bhagavad Gita – from now on. Bhagavad Gita was revealed to Arjuna by Sri Krishna Himself on the battlefield of Kurukshetra (in present-day Haryana state, 200 km west of New Delhi) on the Shukla Paksha Ekadashi, the 11th day of the waxing moon of Margashirsha month of the Hindu calendar.
Sanjaya overheard this conversation, who had been blessed by Veda Vyasa with the power to remotely view (Jnana Chakshu) the events taking place on the battlefield as they happened. Sanjaya narrated this conversation to the blind King Dhritarashtra on the 10th day of the Mahabharata war, which is when the world knew about it.
This year’s (2024) Gita Jayanthi falls on the 11th of December, and she turns 5161 years!!
#GitaChallenge
Let us all come together and spread awareness of ‘Gita for Life’ by being a part of ‘#GitaChallenge’. Participate in this with a spirit of spreading happiness beyond boundaries and widening the knowledge about the Bhagavad Gita.
How to participate in #GitaChallenge?
Participation in this challenge is free and open to all; young kids to elders all across the globe are welcome. After creating the content, post it on social media with the hashtag #GitaChallenge. In youtube, you can tag us with @GitaChallenge. There are a few different types of challenges, you may take up any those.
Challenge Type1. – Gyan – Pick any one sloka of your liking from the 700 slokas across 18 chapters of Gita. Chant the sloka properly and explain its meaning.
Challenge Type2. – Insight – Along with the chanting of the sloka and its meaning, if you can share your experience of how that particular sloka has helped/ guided/ transformed you in your life, by narrating the actual situation or problem. It should be at the most 3 minutes. In Reels/ Shorts also you can post.
Challenge Type3. – Talk -Many people will be practising Gita in their lives. But the world may not be aware of it. You can request them to chant any sloka from Gita and share their experience. You may be surprised to find people very near you with Gita wisdom (such as paan-wala, cycle-wala, tea shop vendors, or maybe your grandmother or grandfather etc.) Record it in their workplace background & upload them with the #GitaChallenge hashtag to any social media platforms. They may not have social media accounts.
Challenge Type4. – Art – Suppose you want to create any artwork/meme/cartoon/posters/dance related to Gita. In that case, you may post it on social media with the hashtag #GitaChallenge. You may also post Gita sloka with its meaning and how it has impacted your life.
How to Challenge?
Any of the above four types of challenges can be accepted by uploading your content in Video/picture format by posting it on social media platforms–like Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, Threads, YouTube etc. – with the hashtag #GitaChallenge. (in youtube, tag @GitaChallenge )
You can tag your friends and ask them to take up the challenge.
They can be of any age, country, and language.
You may also ask your neighbouring Ashram/ organisations/ school/ college authorities, culture departments etc., and request them to help take up the challenge.
Why #GitaChallenge?
This challenge intends to bring out the relevance of the Bhagavad Gita in our daily life, where we can connect the slokas to specific instances in our personal, professional or social life. On this particular day of Gita Jayanthi, let us remember and cherish this great scripture containing the secret solutions to the ultimate goal of our lives – Happiness. Let us appreciate the beauty of this scripture which is beyond time and space; anyone can embrace it. Gita has transformed many lives over the ages. Let the ones who were transformed share with the world how Gita can change anyone.
When should I start?
You can take up the #GitaChallenge right away. Prepare the videos, and post them on social media with the hashtag #GitaChallenge. Retweet others’ posts or share their submissions again. Let us not miss this opportunity to challenge people who love, learn and live Gita in their day-to-day life.
Hari Om Tat Sat.
Social media links
Watch some interesting videos from our students.