Four Gitas, Six verses.

[suchandra]

Looks like there's almost no difference in those Bhagavad-gita's printed after Bhagavad-gita As It Is.

 

By Eric,

http://www.littleblackstar.com/blog/

Four Gitas, Six verses.

 

This post is one, mostly, for devotees (Hare Krishnas). If you’re interested in different translations and different perceptions of things from within a very specific spiritual belief system, you might find this interesting too. Everyone else, well, feel free to read it anyway. If you’re not careful, you might just learn something.

I recently picked up Garuda dasa’s new translation of the Bhagavad-gita. I’m impressed with it. He keeps it poetic without making it sound hokey all rhymey like so many other versions. His version has no commentary, but really, the whole point of it is the translation and how it’s laid out.

For awhile now, I’ve been interested in different translations of the gita. I’m not really concerned about those done by scholars, so much as those done by devotees (who are also scholars). So I’ve selected four from my collection and I’m going to do a bit of comparison.

The four are: Bhagavad-gita: As It Is by Srila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita: It’s Feeling and Philosophy by Tripurari Swami, Srimad Bhagavad-gita by Narayana Maharaja and lastly Bhagavad-gita: The Beloved Lord’s Secret Love Song (which, in my humble opinion, is a really bad title - but really, the only drawback that it has).

First, I’d like to comment about something many devotees have complained about. Many are upset that Srila Prabhupada’s disciples (and even godbrothers) have released their own translations and versions of Bhagavad-gita, even though Srila Prabhupada’s is definitive. It’s a good argument, I agree. It’s one that I personally gave when I heard that Tripurari Swami was writing his own version of the Gita. However, even though Srila Prabhupada’s is definitive does that mean that nobody should ever even give a class on the Bhagavad-gita? Afterall, why not simply read from Prabhupada’s Gita and be done with it?

Of course, that’s a silly argument. Bhagavad-gita commentaries have a rich history in our tradition. You’d be hard pressed to find an acarya in our lineage who hasn’t produced his own Gita.

So anyway, here, for whatever reason, is a comparison between four Gitas. I’ll be using five different commonly known verses, copying them exactly as they are presented in their books.

Chapter 2, Verse 13

 

 

As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.

 

-Srila Prabhupada

 

Just as the embodied soul experiences changes of body, such as childhood, adulthood, and old age, so similarly it will aquire anothe body after death. Wise persons are not deluded about this.

 

-Tripurari Swami

 

Just as the embodied atma passes from boyhood to youth to old age, similarly, after death, he passes into another body. An intelligent person is not bewildered by the birth and death of the body.

 

-Narayana Maharaja

 

 

Just as the embodied while in this body passes through childhood, youth, and old age,so also the embodied attains another body - the wise person is not bewildered by this.

-Garuda dasa

</PRE>

Chapter 4, Verse 7

 

Whenever and wherever there is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata, and a predominant rise of irreligion - at that time I descend Myself.

-Srila Prabhupada

For the protection of the saintly and the destruction of evil doers, as well as for the purpose of establishing dharma, I manifest in every age.

-Tripurari Swami

O Bharata! Whenever there is a decline of dharma and an increase in adharma, at that time I manifest My eternally perfect form in this mundane world.

-Narayana Maharaja

 

Indeed, whenever there is a decline of dharma, O Bharata,And an emerging of what opposed dharma - at that time I send forth my Self.</PRE>

-Garuda dasa

 

Chapter 5, verse 18

 

 

The humble sage, by virtue of true knowledge, sees with equal vision a learned and gentle brahmana, a cow, and elephant, a dog and a dog-eater [outcaste].

 

-Srila Prabhupada

 

The wise see equally a brahmana endowed with learning and culture, a cow an elephant, and even a dog or a dog-eater.

 

-Tripurari Swami

 

The wise look with equal vision upon a gentle and learned brahmana, a cow, and elephant a dog and a candala.

 

-Narayana Maharaja

 

 

In a Brahmin endowed with learning and gentle conduct, in a cow, in an elephant,Even in a dog and in one who cooks dog - wise ones see the same [supreme].

-Garuda dasa

</PRE>

Chapter 8, verse 5

 

And whoever, at the time of death, quits his body, remember Me alone, at once attains My nature. Of this there is no doubt.

-Srila Prabhupada

At the time of death, a person who relinquishes his body, remembering me alone, attains my nature. Of this there is no doubt.

-Tripurari Swami

Whoever, at the time of death, leaves his body while remember Me alone surely attains My nature. Of this there is no doubt.

-Narayana Maharaja

 

And at the time of one's end, remembering me alone while giving up the body -One who thus goes forth, goes to my state of being; about this there is no doubt.</PRE>

-Garuda dasa

 

Chapter 9, Verse 34

 

 

Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, offer obeisances and worship me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me.

 

-Srila Prabhupada

 

Fix your mind on me. Be my devotee! Sacrifice for me. Offer obeisance unto me. Absorbed thus in me alone, you shall come to me.

 

-Tripurari Swami

 

Always absorb your mind in Me, become My bhakta, worship Me and offer obeisances unto Me. In this way, with mind and body fully surrendered in My service, you will certainly achieve Me.

 

- Narayana Maharaja

 

 

Be mindful of me with love offered to me; sacrificing for me, act out of reverence for me.Surely you shall come to me, thus having absorbed your self in yoga with me as the supreme goal. </PRE>

-Garuda dasa

 

Chapter 18, Verse 66

 

 

Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reaction. Do not fear.

 

-Srila Prabhupada

 

Forgoing all religious injuctions, take exclusive refuse in me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear.

 

-Tripurari Swami

 

Completely abandoning all bodily and mental dharma, such as varna and asrama, fully surrender to Me alone. I shall liberate you from all reactions to your sins. Do no grieve.

 

-Narayana Maharaja

 

 

Completely relinquishing all forms of dharma, come to me as your only shelter.I shall grant you freedom from all misfortune - do not despair!</PRE>

-Garuda dasa

 

Well there you go. Four Gitas, four authors, four versions. All of them written by practitioners of Gaudia Vaisnavism.

Now, personally, I prefer Srila Prabhupada’s edition (incidentally, I used his original translation from 1972, not the “revised and expanded” version). I really appreciate Tripurari Swami’s purports. Narayana Maharaja’s has some wonderful aspects to it as well. Garuda dasa’s interpretation is fascinating to me. It tries to preserve, as best as possible, the poetic (meaning the meter and the formatting) nature of the Gita. The other versions translate it as if it were prose. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course. The Gita is often translated for the masses. The masses generally don’t do poetry, so it’s a wise move on the parts of Prabhupada, Tripurari Swami and Narayana Maharaja to use prose. But it really in wonderful to see it worded and arranged poetically.

Of course, it must be said that none of these versions would even exist if it weren’t for the work of Srila Prabhupada. He translated his Bhagavad-gita long before the others. The other versions are offerings to Srila Prabhupada, all mentioning him by name.

Any thoughts?

[stonehearted]

This may generate a productive conversation, or it may generate thoughtless offenses. There are some problems in your post to address first. One is your definition of definitive. If by that you mean the last, and only way to read any Gita verse, or the Gita itself, you'd have to deal with not only others' classes but Srila Prabhupada's own, as well as different translations of verses he gave in other places. (Maybe I or someone else can offer examples later.) And there seems to be some evidence, although I haven't seen it directly, that he had an idea for doing another translation himself. I have heard this, though, from a couple of devotees whom I consider reliable.

 

Another is your mistakes in your transcriptions. There are missing words, etc., which may create problems in the rhythm, etc. of the translations. Why not look for them and fix them? That would improve your presentation a little, I think. (If you like, I can point them out for you.) And to tell the truth, I find interesting poetic aspects in both Srila Prabhupada's and Tripurari Maharaja's, and generally more grace than these examples from Garuda. Based on what I see here, I don't see how his translations improve on Srila Prabhupada's or Tripurari Maharaja's in that sense. Formatting doesn't make poetry, nor does syntax that occults meaning. Poetry is something else altogether. Granted, I only have these verses to judge from; I haven't seen Garuda's book. (Just can't afford it these days.)

 

Another thing to consider is that Narayana Maharaja's translation is a translation to English of his translation from Sanskrit to Hindi. There's much in his books that I would have edited differently. I don't have time right now to offer specific examples. Maybe I can some time later.

 

I think we can often understand a verse--or group of verses--better by reading a two or more competent translations. For example, when I prepare for the Nectar of Devotion study group I conduct here, I get much benefit from studying Srila Prabhupada's NoD as well as both Haberman and Bhanu Maharaja's translations.

 

This is just a start. When I have more time later, maybe I can add more.

[Guest guest]

1) American/International Gita Society's translation of the Gita by Dr. Ramananda Prasad, the founder of the society.(2) Rendition by Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, former Vice President of India, and (3) Translation by Swami Gambhirananda of the Vedanta Society.

 

 

2.12

 

Dr. Ramananda Prasad,

 

Just as the soul acquires a childhood body, a youth body, and an old age body during this life; similarly, the soul acquires another body after death. This should not delude the wise.

 

PROFESSOR S. RADHAKRISHNAN,

 

As the soul passes in this body through childhood, youth and aged even so is its taking on of another body. The sage is not perplexed by this.

 

Swami Gambhirananda

 

As are boyhood, youth and decrepitude to an embodied being in this (present) body so, an intelligent person does not get deluded.

 

 

 

OPPS cut and paste also takes time. Here is the link

 

home.att.net/~gitaprasad/hare_krishna.htm

[stonehearted]

Oh, suchandra--I just realized this wasn't your work. Sorry.

[suchandra]

 

Oh, suchandra--I just realized this wasn't your work. Sorry.

 

Well, it is a young student of Bhagavad-gita who might be on his way to find out what is the essence of Bhagavad-gita? But anyway please go ahead, your thoughts are surely appreciated since that will be or is already a topic for many - why Vaishnavas who know Prabhupada's Bhagavad-gita write another commentary?

 

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna!

 

This is Eric, the "young student." I would like to thank you for the complement. At 31, nearing 32, sometimes I start to feel old. It's nice to be called young. Thanks!

 

I also want to thank whomever cross-posted from my page. I keep a blog that is hardly read by anyone, so whenever something I post gets out of that little circle, it's a pretty neat thing.

 

A quick bit of background on me. I've been a devotee for 13 years and have always been interested in other takes on the work that Srila Prabhupada has done. Several years ago, I started the site sitproperly dot com. I never really did as much as I could with it, but there it is.

 

While my blog is definitely not for everyone (mostly it's about my life - running a bookstore, fixing Vespas and trying to figure out how to simplify and move my life to the other coast. There's some sprinkling of KC stuff fairly often. But this is about my life and whatever nonsense I'm doing at the time. However, these Gita comparisons will continue. Also, every Ekadasi, I am posting an MP3 of a kirtana or bhajana that I heard early on in my KC life. The past two Ekadasis, I've posted the first and second recorded kirtanas that I ever heard. There's little stories that go along with it as to how I came to hear them and what they meant to me at the time. It's not nearly as ego-centric as it sounds.

 

Just thought that I'd pop in and say thanks. Especially to the devotee who mentioned that I had some typos (big ones). That's honestly really appreciated. Thank you.

 

Haribol!

[stonehearted]

Well, Eric, you seem young to some of us here. My older daughter will turn 31 in August, a little after I turn 60.

 

I like your idea of looking at the different editions together. As I said earlier, that often helps me get new insights into the meanings of a particular verse or cluster of verses.

 

My perspective may be a little different from others here (or elsewhere) because I've edited quite a few books, including Tripurari Maharaja's Gita, and I taught writing in college for 16 years.

 

I'm going to look some more at your blog. I wish you good luck in selling you book store and a wonderful journey across country. I'll ask you this on your blog, but why Santa Rosa? (That's not a complaint--just wondering.)