In short
- Date: Saturday 19 December 2026 in many panchangs; Sunday 20 December in others.
- The day the Gita was spoken on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.
- Mokshada Ekadashi: the Ekadashi said to free ancestors.
- Kurukshetra holds its largest Gita celebrations around this time.
Why two dates
The Ekadashi tithi runs across the night of 19 to 20 December, so panchangs that follow different rules give different days. One listing gives the Smarta fast on the 19th and the Vaishnava fast on the 20th. Follow your temple or family.
Follow the date your temple or family follows.
What the day marks
On this day, the tradition holds, Shri Krishna spoke the Gita to Arjuna before the battle at Kurukshetra. Gita Jayanti is kept by reading or reciting the Gita, by group paath in temples, and in Kurukshetra by a large public celebration. Mokshada means "giver of liberation": the Ekadashi is kept for the welfare of one's ancestors as well as oneself.
A simple way to read the Gita that day
- Choose one chapterChapter 12, on bhakti, is short and complete in itself.
- Read it aloud, slowlyIn Sanskrit if you can, otherwise in your own language.
- Read the meaning onceSo you know what you have recited.
- Keep the EkadashiThe fast and the reading belong to the same day. See Ekadashi vrat rules.
The heart of it
Whatever the festival, the practice he teaches stays the same: the name. See how to start naam jap or keep count with the naam jap counter.
Dates and sources
| Day | Date (2026) |
|---|---|
| Utpanna Ekadashi | Fri 4 December |
| Vivah Panchami and Vihar Panchami | Mon 14 December |
| Mokshada Ekadashi and Gita Jayanti (some panchangs: Sun 20) | Sat 19 December |
Dates are as published by panchang sources for New Delhi. Tithi times shift by city, and traditions differ when a tithi spans two days, so confirm with your local panchang or temple.
Sources consulted: Drik Panchang, Hindutone, Haindavam.
Things devotees often ask about
Brass Lotus Diya, Set of 2
Two small lotus-shaped brass diyas for the home mandir, for daily aarti or deep daan.
Tulsi Japa Mala, 108 Beads
A plain tulsi mala with 7 mm beads, the size most people find comfortable for daily japa.
Gomukhi Japa Mala Bag
A cotton gomukhi to keep the hand and mala covered during japa, with a zip pocket and counter beads.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases; your price does not change. None of this is needed for the practice, and none of it is connected with Maharaj Ji or the ashram. See all items
This is a fan website, not the official site of Shri Hit Radha Keli Kunj. The article summarises what he teaches in public satsang; it does not quote him. If something here is wrong, tell us and it is corrected the same week.
