Why a learned transcendentalist should translate

[Guest guest]

I'm not a believer in the idea that one must be a "pure devotee"

(i.e. having prema bhakti) in order to translate Vedic scriptures.

However, I think one should have learned Vedic truths in the

traditional way (via a guru), and be familiar with basic Vedaantic

concepts before offering a translation.

 

Here is one particular illustration of this.

 

Shriimad Bhaagavatam 1.2.33:

 

asau guNamayair bhaavair bhuutasuukShmendriyaatmabhiH |

svanirmiteShu nirviShTo bhu.nkte bhuuteShu tadguNaan || bhaa 1.2.33 ||

 

Following is the translation of this verse by the pious and well-

intentioned (but not transcendentally trained) Gita Press:

 

"Entering (as the soul) the various material bodies created by

Himself out of the various evolutes of the three Gunas such as the

subtle elements, the senses and the mind, the Lord enjoys the sense-

objects appropriate to such bodies."

 

The above translation is problematic for those who seek to have a

harmonious understanding between this scripture and other scriptures,

i.e. shruti. For example, what does it mean to say that the Lord

enters the various created beings -- is it being stated here that the

jiivas in these created bodies are none other than the Lord? But such

an interpretation goes against shruti, for example:

 

dvaa suparNaa sayujaa sakhaayaa samaana.n vR^ikSaM parishhasvajaate |

tayoranyaH pippala.n svaadvattyana shnannanyo abhichaakashiiti || 4.6

||

 

....which explains that the jiiva and paramaatmaa are like two birds,

one suffering and one not, and thus they are different!

 

Or, is the above Bhaagavatam translation merely stating that the Lord

enters as supersoul? That would be acceptable, but then why does it

say that the Lord enjoys with the senses of the material bodies He

enters? This makes no sense, as the Lord is transcendental to the

mundane material enjoyment experienced by jiivaatmaas.

 

Thus, overall, this Gita Press translation appears to bring up more

questions than it answers.

 

Now see the more mature translation of Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami:

 

"The Supersoul enters into the bodies of the created beings who are

influenced by the modes of material nature and causes them to enjoy

the effects of these modes by the subtle mind."

 

Here it is explained that Lord enters as Supersoul (Paramaatmaa) and

causes the living entities to enjoy. This is a harmonious

understanding with that of bhagavad-giitaa which also explains how

the living entity is not a doer, because he cannot act without the

Lord sanctioning it via the material energy.

 

I just thought this was a very good, concrete, and scholarly example

of why we go to a devotee like Srila Prabhupada instead of a

nondevotee scholar when it comes to presenting Vedic literature.