Sri Bhagavad Gita .

[ratikala]

namaskaram maitra varuni ji :namaste

Namaste, Bhaginī-ji:

Leaving all joking aside, let me answer this from my perspective so I can provide you with a clear explanation of what I believe the forward is trying to say:

The understanding is that the truths contained in the Shri Gita aren't for everyone. Not all will understand them. They may be able to read it one hundred thousand times and still fail in grasping the intentions. Many who understand the Shri Gita will accept it as a revelation. Some do and even label it Shruti. The key is not to think of it as a revelation that is merely influencing a devotee, but that it is guiding one into light-hood. One may not understand it in this lifetime, you are correct. But, one may also learn its fruits in this lifetime as well. It depends on the acceptance of that truth.

jai jai I ageree that it is not ''merely influencing '' , but yes , that it is a revelation which guides , of course not everyone is able to understand such truths in their fullness but this is why I was keen to stress faith and surrender , one who has faith does not nececarily understand all but accepts with humility

The author of the forward was not speaking about the Shri Gita when he was using those adjectives; he was describing the Shri Mahabharata. The Shri Mahabharata is death defying on many occasions. The evacuation from the Wax Palace, the Exile and living in disguise, the event of slaying Karna, the exploits of Lord Bhishma, etc.

no , I too was speaking about the mahabharata , still I felt his characterisation to be of the reader and seeker after the truth rather than a summing up of the characters within the naration .

But, to address your concerns about the "unveiling" of the Shri Gita:

The Shri Gita must be searched for, must be found. The greatest truths sometimes aren't meant for people to accept, but are meant to be found. Hence, the "unveiling". Once a devotee accepts those truths of the Shri Gita, he/she will "embrace" them as revolutionary and as "ekam sat" even (and even that is a whole different thread).

excuse me if I am being over pedantic with words but I used 'revealed' specificaly as in the case of the mahabarata krsna appears with the specific purpose of reinstating dharma ....there fore the mahabarata recounts the events which occured at the closing of treta yuga and sets the scene for the coming of kali yuga ...thus krsna comes to 'Reveal' the truths contained within the gita , this does not in any way diminish the mahabarata , I am particulatly fond of the instructions givenat the end by Bheeshma on the dharma of kings , there is much to be learnt from this also .

To a scholar, the Shri Mahabharata is an "intellectual mountain", no doubt. But, to a devotee it is Sarva-Sat (All-Truth/Truth that is Encompassing). The author wasn't speaking on behalf of devotees or bhakta-s. Thus, one must not take his statements on the spiritual level. If a thinker comes to the gates of the Shri Gita, his curiosity will help those doors open. And, I believe to them is whom the foreword's author was speaking to.

this is where I see a great difference between a schollar and a dvotee , as one who has to read translations as I do not have the fortune of reading sanskrit I rely upon the understanding of the translator , personaly I would allways prefer to read the translation of a devotee than I would the translation of a schollar

I posted that quote to a reply you made a few days ago. I wanted to tell you that one cannot read the Shri Gita without having read the Shri Mahabharata in its entirety. I believe the author was merely warning readers the same thing.

in that we are in agreement

Either way, I would never argue with you, Bhaginīi-ji. So, please don't take this as an affront.

M.V.

जय श्री कृष्ण

please be assured no offence will be taken , we are discussing that is all
please also take no offence from my words :namaste

 

[Maya3]

So far of what I have read of it (chapter 11 now) I do not see how people can see it as a justification of war (Okay I actually CAN but those people are obviously grasping at straws). What I get from it is to act because that is our life duty and nature, but do not be attached to the consequences. No living being can live and "not act", so if we must act act in a way that brings you close to the divine.

The whole war part is (I THINK) a way to show us that even the most detestable of actions (mass murder of your own kin!) can be done with divine intentions when you release yourself of your attachments to the end result. Even the most "unpopular" actions when done in the service of the divine, are holy and shale be rewarded. Don't forget that "in service of the divine" part. I have recently been trying a lot harder to think "if I am acting for God should I be doing it this way?" It's actually a great way to self reflect and make good decisions!

What I think Krishna is showing us is that we shouldn't be too attached to the body. Even if we are standing at a battle field and are s---itless scared both of dying and of having to kill others. Because in reality there is no death, Krishna goes on to say that you cannot be slayed and you cannot slay anyone else.

And for me I have said this on other threads too, sorry if I repeat myself. Is that you have to do your duty even if it is your own family or your own community that you are standing up against. You have to do what is right.


I love how you are saying that to do service for the divine helps you make the right decisions.

Maya

 

[Yogi1054]

I think the thing is with the Mahabharata there is allot of debate about when it written - was it one work that was produced or was it a section of little works that were later all joined together to form one story (maybe like the Christian Bible?)

The thing I love about the Gita is the many interpretations that it has – on my shelf alone I have 14 versions ranging from Shanka all the way to Madhava – every time I read a version I can get new insights

One of my personal favorites is Abhinavagupta’s Commentary on the Bhagavad Gita – I like the way he views a classic Vedantan work from a Tantric view point!

 

[ratikala]

namaskaram yogi ji :namaste

I think the thing is with the Mahabharata there is allot of debate about when it written - was it one work that was produced or was it a section of little works that were later all joined together to form one story (maybe like the Christian Bible?)

what allways amazes me is that we know that this was a verbal tradition so many texts were not written untill a much later date as they were passed faithfully from master to deciple ,....so in a way it is pointless to try to ascertain the date it was written as that would not be the date it was composed .

it is only our western interlectual approach to literature that needs to know when it was written . the mahabarata takes place at the end of treta yuga so there fore it dates from that period and has been handed down as a historical account , it is the western schollars that impute poetic context and there fore search for its composition as if it were a literary work . why can it not be looked upon as a historical account ?

still even after the discovery of so many things which prove the historical context and point to the given date for the onset of kali yuga the western schollar insists on giving dates and theories that are of no relavance .

The thing I love about the Gita is the many interpretations that it has – on my shelf alone I have 14 versions ranging from Shanka all the way to Madhava – every time I read a version I can get new insights

jai jai , also I have many copies , it is well worth reading different interpretations especialy as I am relying upon translations .....then when it comes to discourses upon, .. there is a great difference , I often used to cross reference if I was in any doubt as to the meaning . and muse upon the different conceptions .

One of my personal favorites is Abhinavagupta’s Commentary on the Bhagavad Gita – I like the way he views a classic Vedantan work from a Tantric view point!

this I have not come across , sounds very interesting :namaste

 

[ratikala]

namaskaram lemaster ji :namaste

So far of what I have read of it (chapter 11 now) I do not see how people can see it as a justification of war (Okay I actually CAN but those people are obviously grasping at straws). What I get from it is to act because that is our life duty and nature, but do not be attached to the consequences. No living being can live and "not act", so if we must act act in a way that brings you close to the divine.

it is the whole issue of duty ,....this idea of it justifying war is coming at it from a material perspective we are needing to understand our true nature , that we are eternal and that we have simply lost that understanding by dint of our material birth . we must regain that understanding and regain our understanding of the supreme and act in accordance with that truth .

The whole war part is (I THINK) a way to show us that even the most detestable of actions (mass murder of your own kin!) can be done with divine intentions when you release yourself of your attachments to the end result. Even the most "unpopular" actions when done in the service of the divine, are holy and shale be rewarded.

this is the question of duty that I refer to , krsna explains to arjuna that these family members are as good as dead that it is their actions that have brought about this situation and in one instance krsna points out that if arjuna does not perform his duty then krsna will have to kill them himself ., ....this killing has to happen to remove adharma .

Don't forget that "in service of the divine" part. I have recently been trying a lot harder to think "if I am acting for God should I be doing it this way?" It's actually a great way to self reflect and make good decisions!

jai , jai ,... it is allways advisable to think in terms of dharma , ones duty :namaste
and of course what is pleasing to the lord

 

[Kalidas]

namaskaram lemaster ji :namaste




it is the whole issue of duty ,....this idea of it justifying war is coming at it from a material perspective we are needing to understand our true nature , that we are eternal and that we have simply lost that understanding by dint of our material birth . we must regain that understanding and regain our understanding of the supreme and act in accordance with that truth .

this is the question of duty that I refer to , krsna explains to arjuna that these family members are as good as dead that it is their actions that have brought about this situation and in one instance krsna points out that if arjuna does not perform his duty then krsna will have to kill them himself ., ....this killing has to happen to remove adharma .



jai , jai ,... it is allways advisable to think in terms of dharma , ones duty :namaste
and of course what is pleasing to the lord

What I meant specifically about the war thing being a good representation is here let me give you an example. Say it took place with Arjuna and his regular every day mundane work day. Sure it would be easy then to say "work muh boy! Do it for God!" Easy but there would be little substance. Now place Arjuna on a battlefield about to kill his own kin and now your talking. If such actions as war can be made divine actions for God then just about anything can. I don't think it was meant to justify war but uses war as a great example. Besides Krishan even says war should be the LAST resort, after all diplomatic responses have failed.

 

[ratikala]

namaskaram lemaster ji :namaste

What I meant specifically about the war thing being a good representation is here let me give you an example. Say it took place with Arjuna and his regular every day mundane work day. Sure it would be easy then to say "work muh boy! Do it for God!" Easy but there would be little substance. Now place Arjuna on a battlefield about to kill his own kin and now your talking. If such actions as war can be made divine actions for God then just about anything can. I don't think it was meant to justify war but uses war as a great example. Besides Krishan even says war should be the LAST resort, after all diplomatic responses have failed.

I think there might be a subtlety here when we say we are 'doing it for god ', what we are doing is our duty , we are doing what needs to be done because it should be done , we are doing it for the sake of order for the sake of truth , god himself needs nothing but he is gladened to us do what should be done , to see us rise above the attatchment to the temporary self .to serve his order rather than to serve the illusion of the self . but yes in this instance dialogue would be our first responcibility then if all failed war would be the last resort :namaste

 

[Sb1995]

Anyone have a link to the Gita in English online?

 

[Poeticus]

Anyone have a link to the Gita in English online?

click me to access an online version of the Shri Gita in English

I haven't read this translation. But, you wanted one online, so here you go, brah.

 

[Sb1995]

click me to access an online version of the Shri Gita in English

I haven't read this translation. But, you wanted one online, so here you go, brah.

There is no way I can sit and read that. I was hoping for something more user-friendly. I think I should just get my hands on a hard copy instead.

 

[Poeticus]

There is no way I can sit and read that. I was hoping for something more user-friendly. I think I should just get my hands on a hard copy instead.

Bingo!

 

[Maija]

To me the Gita is that very sweet book that changed my life, not only did it introduce me to Lord Krishna, it opened the doors to a higher level of bhakti.

I read a copy by Eknath Easwaran that was beautifully written, crystal clear for someone to whom heady philosophical dialogues do not come naturally.

My life was very happy at this time and made even more complete, when I got these cards...

The Gita Deck: Wisdom from the Bhagavad Gita by Editors of Mandala Publishing | 9781886069800 | Other Format | Barnes & Noble

I'm not the only one in here who has them