3 December 2022, Amritapuri Ashram
Gita Jayanti Celebrations
Gita Jayanthi was celebrated at the Amritapuri Ashram with a special all-day program.At the end of the day Amma gave her Gita Jayanti message {news}.
In the morning, ashram residents chanted all 18 chapters of the Bhagavad Gita. As the sounds of the 700 slokas permeated the airwaves, 42 artists stood before easels with many canvases that had been set up across the darshan hall. The artists included people from ages 7 to 70 and from many different nations and walks of life. Each person chose to paint a depiction of one specific Gita sloka, aiming to visualize its meaning or concept.
Over the next four hours, each canvas slowly developed from a blank white surface into a vibrant and thoughtful painting, revealing the deep meaning behind the verses depicted.
A piece of art made entirely of Rubik’s Cubes depicting Amma in Krishna Bhava was also presented.
When Amma joined the festivities later in the day, several programs were presented on the stage.
What is the best way to genuinely show our reverence to the Gita? By learning and putting what we have understood into practice in our lives. The meaning behind celebrating Gita Jayanthi was beautifully explained by two young Gita students:
“We celebrate the birthday of the Bhagavad Gita – the words of the one who led the most glorious life, our Sri Krishna, as Gita Jayanthi, to ensure success in our lives.”
“Gita is not practiced to attain success through petty achievements but to make our life a big success. Today is Gita Jayanthi, the birthday of the Bhagavad Gita, the most beneficial book for us all. In the month of Margashirsha, on the 11th day of the waxing moon, on the land of Kurukshetra, the Gita was born from the mouth of Sri Krishna. Today the Bhagavad Gita turns 5159 years old,” said the students in the introduction of the program.
Several young Gita students offered short speeches to share what they had learned from studying the Gita. Most of them spoke in Sanskrit. These included topics such as
- Who is eligible for liberation?
- Why am I afraid of death?
- What are the different dharmas (duties)?
- What is the root cause of anger?
- How to control the mind?
- How to practice acceptance and develop equanimity?
- What is a happy person like?
- How to become Sri Krishna?
The fascinating concept of Sthitha Prajna was also presented in a dance performance. This enlightening scene was portrayed through the skillful dance in a graceful and captivating way by two Gita students.
An entertaining drama followed the dance in Sanskrit entitled “Love Gita, Live Gita”, which showed how easily scriptures can be misinterpreted if we have wrong notions.
After Gita Arati, Amma walked over to where the new paintings had been arranged in a long line spanning the side of the hall up to the stage. Amma took her time to carefully look at each and every painting, Later Amma saluted all the artists, commenting that all their paintings were beautiful, and their pictures full of deep meaning and creativity.
Being Gita Jayanthi, Amma added a new part to the daily evening program. For the next several weeks, ashram residents will talk about one sloka of the Gita in ascending order from 1 to 700 from chapter 1 to 18.
Giving her Gita Jayanti message, Amma reiterated on the need of Self Effor and Self Confidence {read more}.
-Kannadi
