Bhagavad Gita Abhiyan – Karnataka

The explanation of Bhagavad Gita campaign is the golden moments to record in the history of swarnavalli math. Shri Gangadharendra Saraswati Swamiji started Bhagavad Gita Campaign with his holy determination. His determination was to avoid the social evils such as corruption, bad habits and nepotism that are the weakness deep rooted in man’s mind.

The advice of Lord Krishna to Arjun at Kurukshetra is a great psychology. The Bhagavad Gita is the union of Jnana yoga, Karma yoga, Bhakti yoga. It is above the race and caste. It helps to create cultured society. It has both psychological and moral things. Swamiji started Abhiyan on October 28,2007 in Hubli.

At the inaugural function many seers presided over the function. The function was in augurated by shri pejavar Vishweswar Teerth Swami. Swarnavalli seer planned Bhagavad Gita Campaign through out the state. The state committee was formed under the presidentship of the retired Judge Shri Rama Joyis. The committee planned to conduct Abhiyan by dividing state in to four divisions. Before starting the campaign, Taluk, District committee were selected to give training to voluanteers. It was planned to surpass caste, race, gender to make all the people to participate in the Abhiyan.

The Abhiyan has five faces. They were reciting Gita shlokas, Lectures, artforms exhibition of Gita Vaibhav, distribution of Bhagavad Gita books.

• By Hearting Gita Shlokas

Shrimath gave the school children the opportunity to by heart 14^th chapter of Gita Shlokas, within a stipulated time. Vidwan Shankar Bhat Unchalli and mrs, Veda Hegde Nirnalli gave training to children and mothers to sing the Gita Shlokas. Shrimath recorded 700 shlokas of Gita by Mrs, Radha Desai Dharwad. Shrimath organized 30,000 centers to recite the Shlokas of Gita. Centers were formed on the basics of Primary, Highschool and public.

• Lectures

Monks, scholars and trained teachers delivered lectures on the Bhagavad Gita to explain the gist of the Gita.

 

• Art Forms

The inner meaning of the Gita was convinced through Ballet, Yakshagana, Harikatha for people.

 

• Gita Vaibhava

The Bhagavad Gita was translated to the world’s main languages. The thinkers, scientists of the world appreciated the thoughts of the Gita. Shrimath arranged exhibitions of the literature of the Gita. It was appreciated by the people through out the state.

 

• Distribution of the books of Bhagavad Gita

Swamiji felt that the world is full of selfishness, greed. Swamiji convinced people to have the copy of Bhagavad Gita at home. To develop nobility and politeness. Swamiji determined to send a copy of the Gita to every house with a free of cost. Gita Press Gorakhpur supplied the copies of Gita for only Rs,7. Swamiji gave nearly 15 lakh books to the people. This was the success of Abhiyana. Training was given to volunteers about all the activities. They       communicated persons locally to collect financial sources. Shri Vishweswara  Hegde Kageri and Anant Hegde Ashisar communicated the persons in the state level. Training for trainers was conducted by Vedamurthy Shankar Bhat Baligadde. Vidwat Samiti including the scholars of the state designed the plans and was responsible for the success of Abhiyan. Guidelines committee, consisted of seers, and monks of the state, gave guidelines time to time.

The Abhiyan was in Progress for four years. The path of Abhiyan was as follows.

At first the activities of Bhagavad Gita Campaign was conducted in the twelve districts of North Karnataka. The Campaign started on October 28,2007 in Hubli. In the year 2007-2008,  campaign was completed in Dharwad, Koppal, Ballary, Haveri, Gadag, Belagavi, Uttarakannada, Bidar, Bagalkot, Gulbarga, Vijaypur, Raichur districts. The closing ceremony of the campaign was conducted on 15-december 2008 at Nootan Vidyalaya ground of Kalburgi with gusto.

The second stage of campaign continued in the districts of middle Karnataka in the year 2009-2010. It started on 20 October 2009 at Sri Sringeri Sharada  Temple in Davanagere. The Abhiyan was conducted in the districts of Davanagere, Chitradurga, South Kanara, Udupi, Hasan, Kodagu, Chikkamagaluru, Shimogga. The closing function was arranged at Adichunchanagiri school in Shimogga on 24 may 2010.

The third stage of Abhiyan was  conducted at the four districts of east Karnataka in 2010-2011. The activities of Campaign was arranged in Tumkur, Mandya, Yadagiri, Mysore, Chamaraj Nagar districts, from 16-06-2010 to 29-01-2011.

The fourth stage of Abhiyan was conducted at South Karnataka in 2011-2012. The functions were organized in the districts of Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Ramnagar, Bangalore rural and Bangalore Urban from 07-06-2011 to 08-01-2012.

When they started the Abhiyan in every district, the inaugural function was organized. Then the five faces of functions were held at the selected taluka level places. At the end the closing function was conducted in the district places. Shrimad Gangadhrendra Saraswati Swamiji Presided over the function and gave lectures and guidelines.

On the occasion of Abhiyan there were many competitions to create an interest among the primary and High School children. The reciting of the shlokas of 14^th and 15^th chapters of Gita, Speech competition. Essay Competition on Gita were organized .

The state level competition was conducted on 7^th January 2012 in Bangalore and the winners were honored with Prizes. During Abhiyan seminars were conducted by the scholars.

1. Seminar on ‘Bhagavad Gita’ and ‘Mental Health’ under the cooperation of Nimhans Bangalore.
2. Seminar on ‘Bhagavad Gita and Management ethology’ in Mangalore.
3. Seminar on ‘Bhagavad Gita and Vachana Literature’ – Universal view under the cooperation of J.S.S Vidya Peetha Mysore.
4. Symposium on ‘Bhagavad Gita and Ayurvedic science’ under the cooperation of Ayush Institution Bangalore.

Special Features of Bhagavad Gita Campaign.

1. Shrimath did not get any financial aid from the Government for the continuous functions of Campaign.
2. Abhiyan got the permission of education Department to convince the students about the importance of Gita.
3. Among the students, there were Muslim students who recited the Shlokas of Gita.
4. Pejavar Shri appreciated Shrimad Gangadharendra Swamiji and called him ‘Gita Gangadhar’ at the closing function of Abhiyan in Kalburgi.
5. Swarnavalli Shri tried to convert the minds of criminals at prisons by preaching them the principles of Gita.
6. Swarnavalli Shri conducted Padayatra in the slums and preached people the principles to avoid the weakness of the poor people.
7. Seers of Karnataka, scholars, the elite guys participated in the Campaign.
8. At the end of Bhagavad Gita Campaign Swarnavalli Swamiji has emerged as the most respected seer of Karnataka.

Closing Functions Of Bhagavad Gita Campaign.

The Gita Campaign was conducted through out Karnataka. Its closing function was organized at Tripuravasini Hall place ground Bangalore on 8^th January 2012. The function came to an end with all the pre-preparations. The function started with the offering of flowers to the statue of Gitacharya by Swarnavalli Swamiji. Fifty to sixty thousand people gathered at the function. Swamiji’s efforts of four and half years got success. The Voluanteers, organizers, and donors celebrated.

Dr, Shriram Bhat, Vidwan Shankar Bhat Baligadde, Shri Jagannath Hemadri recorded the milestone of Bhagavad Gita Campaign and published ‘Souvenir’ Gita Campaign. The voice record of ‘Great Dedication’ was released.

It was determined at the time of silver Jubilee of Swarnavalli Shri’s coronation of conduct Bhagavad Gita campaign through out Karnataka. With the aim of reciting Gita daily and to apply the principles of Gita in our life. It was decided to conduct Gita Campaign in all the districts of Karnataka. The inaugural function of Gita Campaign was held in Belagavi on December 4 and the dedication function was in Bangalore on 11. It was a special feature that 700 shlokas of Gita were recited in the Gita campaign.  Then ‘Gita Jayanti’ was celebrated on December 10, 2016 with faith and devotion.

Totally it was admired that ‘Bhagavad Gita Campaign’ was a great effort to create awareness at the national level. We feel proud that Shrimath and Swarnavalli. Shri were responsible for the great effort.