When was the Bhagavad Gita spoken?
According to tradition, on Margashirsha Shukla Ekadashi, the first day of the Kurukshetra war; this day is celebrated as Gita Jayanti.
Answer
According to tradition, Shri Krishna spoke the Gita on the Ekadashi of the bright fortnight of the month of Margashirsha, on the first day of the Kurukshetra war, just before the fighting began. In memory of this, Gita Jayanti is celebrated every year on that tithi, which is also known as Mokshada Ekadashi. On this day devotees recite the Gita, observe a fast and gather for satsang, and special celebrations are held at Kurukshetra.
There is no single agreed answer about the historical year. In the traditional reckoning, the Kali Yuga began with Shri Krishna's departure from the world, which tradition places in 3102 BCE, and the war took place some decades before that. Modern historians and astronomy-based calculations propose different periods, so opinions on this question differ.
For devotees, more important than the date is that the message of the Gita is eternal and can be lived every single day.
- Tithi
- Margashirsha Shukla Ekadashi
- Festival
- Gita Jayanti