Skip to main content

Getting Started

 

Getting started on reading/studying, Shrimad Bhagwad Geeta led me to a list of Geetas translated in Hindi/English by different authors.

This was very surprising for me as I wonder…the book that carries the message of Shri Krishna—and that attracts thousands of seekers, is translated again and again and again…only to confuse seekers like me…who will spend a few days wondering and figuring out which one to follow? Another thing is, all the translations are titled—"Shrimad Bhagwat Geeta- As it is”—whereas they all differ somewhere in translations obviously because of interpretations by different authors. I even ordered one copy of Shreemad Bhagwad Geeta by a certain author and I also decided to get one “Gyaneshwari”--  the very first translation of the holy book by a much-celebrated saint of the 13th century- Shri Gyaneshwara. Since I was exposed to his life story in my childhood and I have always been very fond of this yogi child …who translated Shrimad Bhagwad Geeta at the age of 15 years. I have always been in awe of such yogis…brought up listening to their stories and this has always been a goal of life to read what they have said in their lifetime.

Some friends told me that Gyaneshwari is an old translation and does not go with the new age scenario…but I believe… an enlightening divine dialogue like Geeta should remain untouched by modern human minds (translations)…in order to be understood by an individual who is seeking –the way it was told in its very pure form.

And after going through both the translations, I decided to go with Gyaneshwari as I believe in genuinity of the translation by Shri Gyaneshwara…for he being a genuine author is evident from the fact that he changes the name of the book by giving a new name to his translation (Gyaneshwari) so that the seeker is aware that this is not the original text but a translation.

And while I write this, week 4 is going on and that means I have read chapter 1 of Geeta which tells—

 first about the descriptions of the two armies –The army of Pandwas and the army of Kauravas.

Second, the resentment of Arjuna (about which I have some reflections to share…which I will share in my next article so as to not to make this post a very long one).


-seeker

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Kshetragya (the knower of the ‘field’)--various arguements

 Chapter 13, shloka 1-4   Kshetragya (the knower of the ‘field’) This body is the ‘kshetra’ (the field/site), and the one who knows the body is the one to be called ‘Kshetragnya’. The Kshetragnya and the one who nourishes all the kshetras is but me only, and to know the kshetra and the kshetragnya is the true knowledge. Tells Krishna; there have been a lot of discussions in scriptures and various arguments among sages about who this kshetra belongs to but there is no unanimity on the same. Gyaneshwara comments on various arguments and discussions about the kshetra; Those who are believers in the theory of karma say that the entire kshetra is under the control of ‘jivatma’(the embodied soul) and is managed by the prana(the life force). The four types of airs- apaana, vyaana, udaana and samaana put a lot of effort into sustaining prana while the mind enquires and supervises them. The five sense organs and five action organs are like tools in the hands of the jivatma,...
Post a Comment
Read more

The doubtlessness and the bhakti

  Chapter 12, shloka 1-14  क्लेशोऽधिकतरस्तेषामव्यक्तासक्तचेतसाम् || अव्यक्ता हि गतिर्दु:खं देहवद्भिरवाप्यते || 5 || kleśho ’dhikataras te ṣ h ā m avyakt ā sakta-chetas ā m avyakt ā hi gatir du ḥ kha ṁ dehavadbhir av ā pyate   Those who try to attain the unexpressed Brahm, have to go through bhakti (the devotion). And in the absence of bhakti, they are tangled in the indulgences like attaining the position of Indra (the king of deities) and acquiring spiritual powers (Riddhi and siddhi). Such seekers have to face chaos created by lust and anger and thus are unequipped to take the spiritual journey as they take pride in their bodies and cannot attain the formless. Thus, bhakti is mandatory when one is seeking the unexpressed Brahm. When you give up those karmas that are forbidden, detach yourself from the result of the actions and surrender your manovrutti (the tendencies) to me; it is then that the attention flows towards me through body, mind, and action. An...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Brahm, The Atman and the Karma

  Week 23, chapter 8, shlokas (1-14) Asks Arjuna- What is Brahm? What is atman? What is karma? What is adhyatma (spirituality)? What is adhibhuta (entity)? And, what is adhidaiva (predestination)? What is adhiyagna (prime offering)? and who resides in the body? And how does those who have mastered their senses recognizes you when their time to go (death) comes?   Answers Krishna one by one- Brahm is the supreme- the eternal. Extremely subtle that it appears like a zero, but its nature is not like that. So subtle that it can be filtered by the sieve of the microscopic sky; Is continuous and cannot be obtained by any worldly/superficial knowledge. It  is not born when the things that have form are conceived. And is not destroyed when the things which have form are destroyed. This natural state of the supreme spirit (Brahm) that is continuous is called adhyatm (spirituality).  Brahm is eternal and supreme, and Atman is his spirit in man. Elaborat...
Post a Comment
Read more