Gita Jayanti 2026 is on Sunday, 20 December. By tradition it was on Margashirsha Shukla Ekadashi that Shri Krishna taught the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna at Kurukshetra, and the Mokshada Ekadashi fast is kept the same day. The Ekadashi tithi runs from 10:10 PM on 19 December to 8:16 PM on 20 December (Drik Panchang: 10:09 PM to 8:14 PM). Those who fast break it on the morning of 21 December; in New Delhi from 7:09 to 9:13 AM.
Each morning the tithi, Rahu Kaal and coming festivals, in one short WhatsApp message.Follow the channel
At a glance
- Date
- Sunday, 20 December 2026
- Tithi
- Margashirsha Shukla Ekadashi, the day of Mokshada Ekadashi
- Ekadashi tithi
- 10:10 PM on 19 December to 8:16 PM on 20 December (Drik Panchang: 10:09 PM to 8:14 PM)
- Parana, 21 December
- New Delhi 7:09–9:13 AM (Drik: 7:10–9:13); your city’s time above
- The Gita
- 18 chapters, 700 verses (common text); part of the Bhishma Parva of the Mahabharata
- In the Bhishma Parva
- chapters 25–42 of the vulgate, 23–40 of the Critical Edition
- Speaker and listener
- Shri Krishna and Arjuna; Sanjaya relates the dialogue to Dhritarashtra
- Drik Panchang’s count
- the 5163rd anniversary of the Gita
- In South India the same day
- Vaikunta Ekadasi (in 2026)
Gita Jayanti 2026: on Mokshada Ekadashi
Drik Panchang gives Gita Jayanti 2026 on Sunday 20 December, the same day as Mokshada Ekadashi. For New Delhi, Drik has the Ekadashi tithi from 10:09 PM on 19 December to 8:14 PM on 20 December (our calculation 10:10 PM to 8:16 PM, about 2 minutes later), so Ekadashi holds at sunrise on 20 December. Gita Jayanti has no muhurat of its own: the puja and the reading of the Gita are done on the Ekadashi day at a convenient time. Those who keep the Mokshada Ekadashi fast break it the next morning, 21 December, after Hari Vasara.
Why this day is Gita Jayanti
By tradition it was on Margashirsha Shukla Ekadashi, just before the battle at Kurukshetra, that Shri Krishna taught Arjuna the Gita, so the day is held as the Gita’s birthday (Drik Panchang; Wikipedia). The date comes down by tradition. The katha of Mokshada Ekadashi is in the Padma Purana (Uttara Khanda, chapter 39), but that chapter does not mention the Gita; it tells the story of King Vaikhanasa and his father. Drik Panchang counts Gita Jayanti 2026 as the 5163rd anniversary of the Gita; the count rests on the traditional reckoning of time.
The Bhagavad Gita: an introduction
The Bhagavad Gita is part of the sixth book of the Mahabharata, the Bhishma Parva: chapters 25 to 42 of the vulgate, and 23 to 40 of the Bhandarkar (BORI) Critical Edition. In the common text it has 18 chapters and 700 verses. The two armies stand face to face at Kurukshetra; seeing his own teachers and kinsmen before him, Arjuna wants to turn away from the battle, and Krishna, his charioteer, teaches him of action, knowledge and devotion. Sanjaya relates the dialogue to Dhritarashtra. The Gita’s first verse begins “dharmakshetre kurukshetre”.
Chapter 2: Sankhya Yoga
The Gita’s best-known verse, “karmanye vadhikaraste” (2.47), is in this chapter. All 72 verses of the chapter are on our site with the Sanskrit, word meanings and translation.
Bhagavad Gita, chapter 2Nishkama karma
Doing one’s duty while giving up attachment to its fruit, which the Gita later calls karma yoga (2.47, 3.19).
Bhagavad Gita 2.47, 3.19What is done on the day: custom
We found no scriptural rite for Gita Jayanti; what follows is popular custom and the events held on the day.
Reading the Gita
In many homes and temples the whole Gita, or some of its chapters, is read on this day, and Shri Krishna and the Gita are worshipped with an aarti (custom).
The Mokshada Ekadashi fast
Mokshada Ekadashi falls on the same day, so many people fast, worship Lord Vishnu and break the fast the next day. The katha and rules of the fast are on the Mokshada Ekadashi page.
The International Gita Mahotsav at Kurukshetra
Every year around Gita Jayanti the Haryana government and the Kurukshetra Development Board hold the International Gita Mahotsav on the banks of the Brahma Sarovar at Kurukshetra, with aarti, deepdaan, Gita recitation, a gathering of saints and a crafts fair; many pilgrims also walk the 48 Kos Parikrama of Kurukshetra. The organisers will announce the 2026 dates.
District Administration Kurukshetra (kurukshetra.gov.in); Wikipedia: Gita MahotsavSouth India
In 2026 the same day is also the Shukla Ekadashi of the Tamil month Margazhi, Vaikunta Ekadasi; the festivals of Tirumala and Srirangam are on its page.
How to perform the puja
- Step 1
Bath and resolve
After the morning bath, place a picture or image of Shri Krishna and a copy of the Bhagavad Gita at the place of worship (custom).
- Step 2
Puja
Offer flowers, tulsi, incense, a lamp and naivedya to Shri Krishna and the Gita.
- Step 3
Reading the Gita
Read or listen to the whole Gita, or one chapter as time allows; many choose chapter 2 or chapter 12 (Bhakti Yoga).
- Step 4
Aarti
Sing an aarti of Shri Krishna, such as “Aarti Kunj Bihari Ki”, or “Om Jai Jagdish Hare”.
- Step 5
If you fast, the parana
Those who keep the Mokshada Ekadashi fast break it the next morning, 21 December, at the parana time.
Verses
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन ।मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि ॥Bhagavad Gita: relations
See in the knowledge graphDeities, figures and sages 6
- Shiva · Vibhuti: Shankara among RudrasBhagavad Gita 10.23
- Krishna · SpeakerBhagavad Gita
- Arjuna · ListenerBhagavad Gita
- Sanjaya · NarratorBhagavad Gita 1.2, 18.74–18.75
- Dhritarashtra · QuestionerBhagavad Gita 1.1
- Gayatri · Mentioned (Gayatri among the metres)Bhagavad Gita 10.35 (“gayatri chhandasam aham”)
Scriptures and mantras 1
- Mahabharata · Parent textMahabharata, Bhishma Parva
Tirths and places 1
- Kurukshetra · Place of the teachingBhagavad Gita 1.1
Teachings 6
- Nishkama Karma · PrincipleBhagavad Gita 2.47
- Karma Yoga · PrincipleBhagavad Gita, Chapter 3
- Atman · PrincipleBhagavad Gita 2.11–2.30
- Samatva · PrincipleBhagavad Gita 2.48
- Svadharma · PrincipleBhagavad Gita 2.31, 3.35
- Sthitaprajna · PrincipleBhagavad Gita 2.54–2.72
Frequently asked questions
When is Gita Jayanti 2026?
On Sunday, 20 December, Margashirsha Shukla Ekadashi (Drik Panchang). The Ekadashi tithi runs from 10:10 PM on 19 December to 8:16 PM on 20 December.
Why are Gita Jayanti and Mokshada Ekadashi on the same day?
Both fall on Margashirsha Shukla Ekadashi. By tradition Shri Krishna taught Arjuna the Gita on this tithi, and this Ekadashi is named Mokshada.
Which anniversary of the Gita is Gita Jayanti 2026?
Drik Panchang counts it as the 5163rd anniversary of the Gita. The count rests on the traditional reckoning of time, not on a date written in any text.
How many chapters and verses does the Gita have?
18 chapters and 700 verses in the common text. The Gita is part of the Bhishma Parva of the Mahabharata (chapters 25–42 of the vulgate).
What should one do on Gita Jayanti?
By custom, worship Shri Krishna and the Gita, read the whole Gita or some chapters, and sing an aarti; many also keep the Mokshada Ekadashi fast and break it on the morning of 21 December.
Sources
- Mahabharata, Bhishma Parva (the Bhagavad Gita: chapters 25–42 of the vulgate; Critical Edition 6.23–40, GRETIL)
- Bhagavad Gita 2.47 and 3.19 (text: sanskritdocuments.org; translation ours)
- Padma Purana, Uttara Khanda, chapter 39 (Mokshada Ekadashi; Sanskrit Wikisource)
- Drik Panchang: Gita Jayanti 2026 (New Delhi; the Ekadashi tithi and the 5163rd anniversary) and the Ekadashi list (parana)
- District Administration Kurukshetra, Government of Haryana: International Gita Mahotsav (kurukshetra.gov.in)
- Wikipedia: Gita Mahotsav
- Tithi, sunrise, sunset and moonrise: SanatanBodh panchang calculation (astronomy-engine, Lahiri ayanamsha), checked against Drik Panchang (New Delhi, 2026; read on 20 October 2026)
Something wrong? Report a mistake
