In present days, the word “jayanti” is loosely used for someone’s birthday. However, this word is not meant for mortal beings. What most people don’t know about Gita jayanti is, when Lord Krishna spoke the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna, it was not the first time that He spoke it. Gita jayanti is not the birthday of Bhagavad Gita.
It is the day when Bhagavad Gita was spoken the first time on this planet during this particular yuga cycle. In recent days, after the revolutionary preaching on the teachings of Bhagavad Gita by ISKCON’s founder-acharya Srila Prabhupada, Gita Jayanti has become one of the most important festivals across the world.Bhagavad-Gita.
As It Is, which is Srila Prabhupada’s translation of the original Sanskrit text along with purports, has been translated in practically every language of the world and millions of copies have been distributed. On Gita Jayanti day, especially in India, people spare a few hours to read all 18 chapters of Bhagavad Gita. Devotees also offer oblations in fire sacrifices (yajna) and distribute prasad to devotees.