Two Versions of Gita Sloka?

[Guest guest]

> Dear Maharaja's and Prabhus,

>

> Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. I

> just noticed that there is a discrepancy in the last sloka of Chapter 12 -

> the 'Complete Edition' of Bhagavad Gita As It Is shows (in both Devanagari

> & Romanized Sanskrit) the word 'dharmyamrtam'. But the current version

> 'Second Edition Revised and Enlarged' shows the text (in both Devanagari &

> Romanized) to be 'dharmamrtam' (without the 'y'). When I cross-referenced

> with the Gita Press version (which I have heard was very painstakingly

> prepared by Sri Hanumat Prasad Poddar and his team of pandits) I see that

> the version with the 'y' appears.

>

> Can someone please tell me which is the correct sloka? Thank you.

>

> dina

 

In Sridhara Svami's commentary to the BG this verse reads "dharm€mtam."

Grammatically both forms -- "dharmy€mtam" and "dharm€mtam" -- are

possible. Monier Williams lists the compound "dharmy€mta" and translates it

as "the nectar of law or faith," giving BG 12.20 as a reference. From the

"Critical Word Index to the Bhagavadgita" one can see that the Kashmir

recension of the Gita reads "dharm€mtam," whereas the N.S.P edition of the

vulgate BG reads "dharmy€mtam."

 

Thus we can see that both versions have a tradition, and apparently the BBT

has decided to accept the reading of the Kashmir edition. There is a number

of other, similar cases in the Gita with different optional readings in the

Devanagari based on the Kashmir and N.S.P. vulgate editions of the Gita.

 

ys gmd