Guest guest Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 Namaste, I'm interested in buying a book version of the Srimad Devi Bhagavatam (I know it's available online as an e-book in some places, but I'd rather have a real book). I was wondering if people could recommend any particular translations and editions over others? And possibly places where to get them? At the moment, I don't have a credit card (only my PayPal account still exists and I can transfer money onto that from my bank account), so I'd love to know if any of the superior translations are available in shops that take that (Exotic India, for example--otherwise I'm stuck with eBay). The one Exotic India have got is this one, does anyone know if it's any good? http://www.exoticindiaart.com/book/details/ISL94/ Obviously, I'd prefer a non-abridged and an accurately translated version, so I was wondering if anyone here could help:). Thanks in advance:)! Jai Ma, Snowgrouse(:>) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 This is a rather voluminous text, and any translation is by nature going to have the ideas and prejudices of the translator inserted into the translated text (and I say this as a translator ), since the translator has to make choices for readability's sake, and is going to lack a lot of the important connotations and multiple meanings that characterize Sanskrit literature (Sanskrit literature is famous for its elaborate double and triple entendres, wherein many meanings can be gotten from a single turn of phrase, depending on how it's read). The standard translation is still the one you linked to, done by Swami Vijnanananda of the Ramkrishna Math in 1921. I'm not entirely happy with this translation, but it's probably the most direct and complete one you'll find in English. I was recently on pilgrimage to Kamakhya, and while in Kolkata picked up a version that is growing on me - Devi: The Devi Bhagavatam Retold, by Ramesh Menon. Not a scholarly work, by any means, I just enjoy the way it unfolds, as well as its very smooth readability. Oh, also, if you have a local Vedanta Society, they usually carry a copy of Vijanananda's translation in their bookstore (along with a lot of excellent books on Hinduism, Devi, Tantra, Sanskrit, etc). They're all across the country. Just google Vedanta Society and your state or city and that should turn up something. jai maa -sundari On Sun, Jan 25, 2009 at 12:09 AM, Auntie Krizu <snowgrouse wrote: > Namaste, > > I'm interested in buying a book version of the Srimad Devi Bhagavatam > (I know it's available online as an e-book in some places, but I'd > rather have a real book). I was wondering if people could recommend > any particular translations and editions over others? And possibly > places where to get them? At the moment, I don't have a credit card > (only my PayPal account still exists and I can transfer money onto > that from my bank account), so I'd love to know if any of the superior > translations are available in shops that take that (Exotic India, for > example--otherwise I'm stuck with eBay). > > The one Exotic India have got is this one, does anyone know if it's > any good? > http://www.exoticindiaart.com/book/details/ISL94/ > > Obviously, I'd prefer a non-abridged and an accurately translated > version, so I was wondering if anyone here could help:). Thanks in > advance:)! > > Jai Ma, > Snowgrouse(:>) > > > -- *** You'll find Mother in any house. Do I dare say it in public? She is Bhairavi with Shiva, Durga with Her children, Sita with Lakshmana. She's mother, daughter, wife, sister - Every woman close to you. What more can Ramprasad say? You work the rest out from these hints. - Ramprasad Sen (1720-1781) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 Snowgrouse/Auntie: You may want to search the message archives for the group's past discussions on this particular text; here are a few highlights: From Devi Bhakta: In fact there is [...] [an] English version -- called _The Srimad Devi Bhagavatam_, as translated by one Swami Vijnanananda, c. 1922; [....] But I have to say, it is a very raw translation at best; rather hard to read and follow. [....] [instead, Devi Bhakta suggests] _The Triumph of the Goddess: The Canonical Models and Theological Issues of the Devi-Bhagavata Purana_ by C. MacKenzie Brown (Suny Series in Hindu Studies). [....] Brown summarizes, explains and discusses the content of the whole DBP, with special attention to the Devi Gita [....] /message/20438 From Santo Sengupta: Swami Vijnanananda was one of the direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. There are a few issues with the translation. First is that it is fairly old (1921), and the English used is a bit antiquated by modern standards. Secondly, the author leaves many of the terms in their original transliterated Sanskrit. In some ways this is a good thing, as the Sanskrit terms impart a great deal more meaning than the equivalent English translation, but if one does not understand basic Sanskrit theological terms it can be rather confusing. /message/28334 You may be able to find copies of either/both books via http://www.abebooks.com/; some of the booksellers there use paypal. Use the advanced search options to restrict your search to sellers in your country of residence if you don't want to pay international shipping. There is also a 'retold' version of the Devi Bhagavatam; you can look it up on http://www.amazon.com/ It's relatively new, and I don't think it's been discussed by the e-group, as of yet. , " Auntie Krizu " <snowgrouse wrote: > > Namaste, > > I'm interested in buying a book version of > the Srimad Devi Bhagavatam > (I know it's available online as an e-book in some places, but I'd > rather have a real book). I was wondering if people could recommend > any particular translations and editions over others? And possibly > places where to get them? At the moment, I don't have a credit card > (only my PayPal account still exists and I can transfer money onto > that from my bank account), so I'd love to know if any of the superior > translations are available in shops that take that (Exotic India, for > example--otherwise I'm stuck with eBay). > > The one Exotic India have got is this one, does anyone know if it's > any good? > http://www.exoticindiaart.com/book/details/ISL94/ > > Obviously, I'd prefer a non-abridged and an accurately translated > version, so I was wondering if anyone here could help:). Thanks in > advance:)! > > Jai Ma, > Snowgrouse(:>) > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 26, 2009 Report Share Posted January 26, 2009 Namaste: Swami Vijnanananda translation can be found online, as its now in the public domain. http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/db/index.htm If you like it, you can order a hardcopy. Jai Maa. -S. Santo Sengupta " Aum Shanti Shanti Shantih. " On Sun, Jan 25, 2009 at 4:16 PM, Sundari Johansen Hurwitt <sundarikali wrote: > This is a rather voluminous text, and any translation is by nature going to > have the ideas and prejudices of the translator inserted into the translated > text (and I say this as a translator ), since the translator has to make > choices for readability's sake, and is going to lack a lot of the important > connotations and multiple meanings that characterize Sanskrit literature > (Sanskrit literature is famous for its elaborate double and triple > entendres, wherein many meanings can be gotten from a single turn of phrase, > depending on how it's read). > > The standard translation is still the one you linked to, done by Swami > Vijnanananda of the Ramkrishna Math in 1921. I'm not entirely happy with > this translation, but it's probably the most direct and complete one you'll > find in English. > > I was recently on pilgrimage to Kamakhya, and while in Kolkata picked up a > version that is growing on me - Devi: The Devi Bhagavatam Retold, by Ramesh > Menon. Not a scholarly work, by any means, I just enjoy the way it unfolds, > as well as its very smooth readability. > > Oh, also, if you have a local Vedanta Society, they usually carry a copy of > Vijanananda's translation in their bookstore (along with a lot of excellent > books on Hinduism, Devi, Tantra, Sanskrit, etc). They're all across the > country. Just google Vedanta Society and your state or city and that should > turn up something. > > jai maa > -sundari > > On Sun, Jan 25, 2009 at 12:09 AM, Auntie Krizu <snowgrouse wrote: > >> Namaste, >> >> I'm interested in buying a book version of the Srimad Devi Bhagavatam >> (I know it's available online as an e-book in some places, but I'd >> rather have a real book). I was wondering if people could recommend >> any particular translations and editions over others? And possibly >> places where to get them? At the moment, I don't have a credit card >> (only my PayPal account still exists and I can transfer money onto >> that from my bank account), so I'd love to know if any of the superior >> translations are available in shops that take that (Exotic India, for >> example--otherwise I'm stuck with eBay). >> >> The one Exotic India have got is this one, does anyone know if it's >> any good? >> http://www.exoticindiaart.com/book/details/ISL94/ >> >> Obviously, I'd prefer a non-abridged and an accurately translated >> version, so I was wondering if anyone here could help:). Thanks in >> advance:)! >> >> Jai Ma, >> Snowgrouse(:>) >> >> >> > > -- > *** > > You'll find Mother in any house. > Do I dare say it in public? > She is Bhairavi with Shiva, > Durga with Her children, > Sita with Lakshmana. > She's mother, daughter, wife, sister - > Every woman close to you. > What more can Ramprasad say? > You work the rest out from these hints. > > - Ramprasad Sen (1720-1781) > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 26, 2009 Report Share Posted January 26, 2009 Thanks for the tips, everyone. Much appreciated. I've spotted the books that are about analysing and retelling the text, but if that older translation is still the standard one, I'll probably go for that one, then. It's better than nothing, I suppose (and better than getting massive eyestrain from reading an ebook)! Jai Ma, Snowgrouse(:>) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.