Hi I’ve been looking to read Bhagavad Gita for a long time now but I haven’t been successful in finding any website or book which provides me a with good explanation of it and it’ll be really thoughtful if anybody could share some resources. Thanks.
Hi all, I apologise in advance if this question has been asked a few times already.
Is the Bhagavad Gita by Swami Mukundananda (available to read online for free) a good version to read for a beginner?
This is the link: https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/index
There is a full English version with 18 chapters.
If you know of any other PDF or online versions please comment here.
I would love to make the best choice before I start reading for the very first time.
Does anyone have a good recommendation for a translation of the Gita with commentary? I'm looking specifically for something that emphasizes meaning over fidelity to the mode of expression of that meaning (so away from word-for-word translation, likely more interpreted), but I would also like the person doing the translation/interpretation into English to be trustworthy and responsible, and to genuinely care for the text. I'm not afraid of something a bit more on the "scholarly" side of the spectrum. Thanks in advance for your recommendations!
I should add that I've never read the Gita, though have certainly encountered passages from it and ideas downstream from it. So something that doesn't assume a lot of background knowledge in the tradition is also helpful.
In the second chapter, Krishna started his teaching with Jñāna Yōga, described Karma Yōga in the middle and ended with the description of a Jñāni. Arjuna is confused whether he should follow Jñāna Yōga or Karma Yōga. Many people have the same confusion - which is better?
> 3.1 Arjuna said: If you think that knowledge is superior to action, O Janardana, why then do you ask me to engage in this terrible action, O Kesava?
> 3.2 With these apparently perplexing words you confuse my understanding, as it were; therefore, tell me definitely that one thing by which I may attain the Highest Goal.
Krishna advised Arjuna to do karma yoga, not as an option, but as a preparatory step; therefore Krishna's advice is: Arjuna, do karma yoga; purify your mind, gain knowledge and be free. The two cannot be compared because they are complementary to each other. It is like asking should I wear shirts or pants? Should I go to middle school or high school? You need both.
> 3.3 O sinless one, in this world a two-fold discipline was laid down by Me; by Jñāna Yōga for the Sankhyas and by Karma Yōga for the Yogis.
> 3.4. By avoiding action, a person does not attain liberation. By mere renunciation also, one does not attain liberation.
Just avoiding action is not enough; indeed, it is impossible to avoid action. Just renunciation is not sufficient either.
> 3.5. Indeed, no one can ever remain without action even for a moment, because everyone is helplessly made to do action by the gunas born of prakṛti.
> 3.6 He who restrains his organs of action, but continues to dwell in his mind on the objects of the senses, deludes himself and is called a hypocrite.
> 3.7. Oh Arjuna! But, having restrained the organs (of knowledge) by the mind, he who pursues karmayōga with the organs of action without attachment excels.
Krishna describes a Karma Yogi who has attained self-knowledge (Jñāni) as being truly independent.
> 3.17 But for that man who rejoices only in the Self, who is satisfied in the Self, who is content in the Self alone, verily there is nothing to do.
> 3.18. In this world, he has nothing (to gain) through action; nothing (to lose) due to inaction. Upon no being does he (have) any dependence for any purpose.
> 3.19 Therefore, always do without attachment the work you have to do; for by performing action without attachment a man reaches the Supreme.
Krishna cites himself as an example:
> 3.22 There is nothing in the thre
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I was wondering if anybody was at a similar point and would like to study it along with me. I've found there are many things I'd like to discuss further but don't find important enough to formalize. We would each gain a deeper understanding of this many layered text
(Preferably we will study a copy without commentary)
Where are some places where bhagavad gita or komal gita distributed ?Please suggest if someone knows.
I read the Introduction to the Bhagavad Gita at https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/introduction. One section on that page talks about "Material Nature (Prakṛiti or Maya)":
>While one aspect of the material energy, Maya, is responsible for creating the world, its second aspect is instrumental in keeping the souls bound to the samsara of life and death.
I'm confused. Is "Maya" referring to "the material energy", or is it "one aspect of the material energy ... responsible for creating the world"?
On this auspicious day, a contemplation on the teachings of the Gita would be useful to help remind us the truth hidden in the teachings.
I refer to it almost on a daily basis and try to inculcate some of it in daily life with the vision of liberation, which is the Gita's central objective.
My favourite verse is BG 6.5
उद्धरेदात्मनाऽऽत्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत् ।
आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः ।।
One should improve oneself through one's Self, and not demean it, because it is the Self which is one's friend and also the enemy. (Rough summary)
In the commentary of this verse, Adi Shankara declares that,
आत्मैव हि यस्मात् आत्मनः बन्धुः । न हि अन्यः कश्चित् बन्धुः यः संसारमुक्तये भवति ।
which means, The Atman/Oneself is indeed one's own friend and that nobody else can help towards liberation from this world, which is like an ocean. (referring to 1st line in commentary)
The meaning might appear cryptic and redundant, but the pointer here again is that the only real nature is Atman/Brahman, on which we can rely on - Unborn, eternal, our own true nature.
Swami Gambhirananda Translation
Please do share your favourite verses with commentaries as per your respective Sampradayas.
I have the 'Bhagavad Gita As It Is' book by Iskcon. But I couldn't read more than a few pages because of its strict monotheistic tone. Is there any better version of Bhagavad Gita in english other than this? Recently I also came across this book called The Shiva Sutras written by Ranjit Chaudhri, so I was wondering if someone here has read this book and how would it compare to Bhagavad Gita ? Thanks in advance
Chapter 2, Verse 59
viṣhayā vinivartante nirāhārasya dehinaḥ rasa-varjaṁ raso ’pyasya paraṁ dṛiṣhṭvā nivartate
Spiritual aspirants may restrain the senses from their objects of enjoyment, but the continuous craving for the sense objects persists. However, even this continuous craving ceases for those who realizes the Supreme.
In simple terms, it suggests that one should develop higher aspirations to get rid of low wants. Once we formulate higher aspirations for ourselves (could be spiritual) and start following them, our desire for insignificant cravings (lust, greed, pride etc) would slowly relinquish.
I just started the above mentioned book.
Easwaran keeps mentioning Christ, Buddha, and Allah. Is this the author’s own understanding of Hinduism, or is this something that modern scholars of Hinduism utilize in order to convey things?
I feel like Easwaran is using other faith religions to try and make a point rather than just coming out and giving the Hindu perspective.
Can anyone help clarify if this is good writing?
I recently got the Bhagavad Gita (Eknath Easwaran’s translation) during the Holiday weekend. I have seen multiple people say that it is the first text you should read. However, I would like to know if the Bhagavad Gita will “spoil” or “ruin my experience” reading the Mahabharata. To my understanding, the Bhagavad Gita is a part of the Mahabharata*. How should I approach this?
- Please correct me if I’m wrong
I want to read the Gita for the first time. I'm thinking about buying either The Bhagavad Gita As It Is or the translation by Eknath Easwaran. Which one you think would suit me best?
I want to try to translate the Bhagavad Gita from English to a constructed language and then post the result somewhere online with the reference to the source and the source itself - for side by side comparison - and I also don't want to violate any copyright by doing this.
Are there modern translations that would allow me to do that? Are there also commentaries on the Gita that are copy friendly as well?
(upd: Big thank you all for suggestions.)
Bhagavad Gita:
Having spoken thus, O king, Krishna, the great lord of the possessors of mystic power, then showed to the son of Pritha his supreme divine form – having many mouths and eyes, having within it many wonderful sights, having many celestial ornaments, having many celestial weapons held erect, wearing celestial flowers and vestments, anointed with celestial perfumes, full of every wonder, the infinite deity with faces in all directions.
Bible:
When they moved, they would go in any of the four directions, without turning as they moved. For wherever the head faced, the cherubim would go in that direction, without turning as they moved. Their entire bodies, including their backs, hands, and wings, were full of eyes all around, as were their four wheels. I heard the wheels being called “the whirling wheels."
A very odd yet similar description of some sort of entity from both the West and the East. Is it just a coincidence? Maybe just a tale that passed along to each other or maybe they each saw something and are describing them in their own way? What do you think?
Has anyone here ever read the Gita? I know some of you are secular and don’t conceive the ‘divine spark’ within us (I think that’s the stoic term) but I’ve found a lot of wisdom in that book that is basically stoicism. In Hindu the divine fire is called supersoul, and I guess in Christianity it’s the Holy Spirit. Idk wdyt?
In the second chapter, Krishna started his teaching with Jñāna Yōga, described Karma Yōga in the middle and ended with the description of a Jñāni. Arjuna is confused whether he should follow Jñāna Yōga or Karma Yōga. Many people have the same confusion - which is better?
> 3.1 Arjuna said: If you think that knowledge is superior to action, O Janardana, why then do you ask me to engage in this terrible action, O Kesava?
> 3.2 With these apparently perplexing words you confuse my understanding, as it were; therefore, tell me definitely that one thing by which I may attain the Highest Goal.
Krishna advised Arjuna to do karma yoga, not as an option, but as a preparatory step; therefore Krishna's advice is: Arjuna, do karma yoga; purify your mind, gain knowledge and be free. The two cannot be compared because they are complementary to each other. It is like asking should I wear shirts or pants? Should I go to middle school or high school? You need both.
> 3.3 O sinless one, in this world a two-fold discipline was laid down by Me; by Jñāna Yōga for the Sankhyas and by Karma Yōga for the Yogis.
> 3.4. By avoiding action, a person does not attain liberation. By mere renunciation also, one does not attain liberation.
Just avoiding action is not enough; indeed, it is impossible to avoid action. Just renunciation is not sufficient either.
> 3.5. Indeed, no one can ever remain without action even for a moment, because everyone is helplessly made to do action by the gunas born of prakṛti.
> 3.6 He who restrains his organs of action, but continues to dwell in his mind on the objects of the senses, deludes himself and is called a hypocrite.
> 3.7. Oh Arjuna! But, having restrained the organs (of knowledge) by the mind, he who pursues karmayōga with the organs of action without attachment excels.
Krishna describes a Karma Yogi who has attained self-knowledge (Jñāni) as being truly independent.
> 3.17 But for that man who rejoices only in the Self, who is satisfied in the Self, who is content in the Self alone, verily there is nothing to do.
> 3.18. In this world, he has nothing (to gain) through action; nothing (to lose) due to inaction. Upon no being does he (have) any dependence for any purpose.
> 3.19 Therefore, always do without attachment the work you have to do; for by performing action without attachment a man reaches the Supreme.
Krishna cites himself as an example:
> 3.22 There is nothing in the thre
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