A commemorative postage stamp on Srimad Bhagawadgeeta (Bhagvadgita / Bhagawat Geeta), a 700-verse Sanskrit scripture, part of Hindu epic Mahabharata (Bhishma Parva) :

Issued by India

Issued on Aug 25, 1978

Issued for : The P & T Department feels privileged to issue a special stamp in honour of Bhagawadgeeta.

Description of Design : The stamp shows the traditional picture of Krishna and Arjuna on the battle-field and a Stanza 47 of Chapter II of Bhagawadgeeta.

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते
मा फलेषु कदाचन
(Thy right is to work only, but never to its fruits.)

The First Day Cover depicts a Kangra School painting or Geetopadesha reproduced by courtesy of National Museum, New Delhi. For the design of the background of the First Day Cover the Department is indebted to Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Art, Bombay.

Type : Stamp, Mint Condition

Colour : Light Bright Orange and Golden

Denomination : 25 Paise

Overall Size : 3.91 X 2.90 cms.

Printing Size : 3.55 X 2.54 cms.

Perforation : 13 X 13

Watermark : Unwatermarked paper

Number Printed : 50,00,000

Number per issue sheet : 35

Printing Process : Photogravure

Designed and Printed at : India Security Press

About : 

• The Bhagavadgeeta, the Divine Song of the Lord, occurs in the Bhishma Parva of the great epic Mahabharata.
• It has been considered as a scripture of the highest authority by the great Acharyas like Sankara and Ramanuja and as a practical guide to living by generations in India and abroad.
• “The Geeta is the universal mother. She turns away nobody. Her door is wide open to anyone who knocks. A true votary of the Geeta does not know what disappointment is. He ever dwells in perennial joy and peace that passeth understanding. But that peace and joy come not to the sceptic or to him who is proud of his intellect or learning. It is reserved only for the humble in spirit who brings to her worship a fullness of faith and an undivided singleness of mind. There never was a man who worshipped her in that spirit and went back disappointed.“ — Mahatma Gandhi 
• “The Geeta was not preached either as a pastime for persons tired out after living a worldly life in the pursuit of selfish motives, nor as preparatory lesson for living such worldly life, but in order to give philosophical advice as to how one should live one’s worldly life with an eye to Release, moksha, and as to the true duty of human beings in worldly life.“ — Lokmanya Tilak 
• “The Geeta is one of the clearest and most comprehensive summaries of the perennial philosophy ever to have been done. Hence its enduring value, not only for Indians, but for all mankind.“ — Aldous Huxley 
• “I believe in all the living languages of the world, there is no book so full of true knowledge, and yet so handy as the Bhagawadgeeta….It brings to men the highest knowledge, the purest love and the most luminous action. It teaches self–control, the three–fold austerity, non–violence, truth, compassion, obedience to the call of duty for the sake of duty, and putting up a fight against unrighteousness (Adharma)….“ – Madan Mohan Malaviya

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