New books: Uddhava Gita

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Uddhava-gita - The song Ever goes on.

 

We are happy to announce the release of our new publication, Uddhava Gita

 

That Uddhava-gita, which is really an essential companion to Bhagavad-gita, has

been largely overlooked is certainly a great mystery. Bhagavad-gita was spoken

by Lord Krishna to His friend Arjuna, on the battlefield of Kuruksetra, when the

later refused to execute his duty fearing the death of many family members; in

order to induce Arjuna to fight as a matter of duty, Bhagavad-gita was spoken.

Uddhava gita was also spoken by the same Lord Krishna, to another dear and

intimate devotee, Sri Uddhava. Uddhava-gita was spoken by Lord Krishna to

Uddhava to exceute the final duty of this world - which is renunciation of all

worldly attachments and take to the path of complete dedication to God. In

essence, messages of Bhagavad-gita and Uddhava-gita are similar, but

Uddhava-gita goes little bit further in the science of God. Lord Krishna

instructed Arjuna at the end of Bhagavad-gita to abandone all varieties of

religions and simply surrender to Him, and to

execute His will only. So Arjuna did just that, as the Lord had instructed.

 

At the end of His manifest pastimes on earth five thousand years ago, the

demigods headed by Lord Brahma, approached Lord Krishna and submited to Him that

the purpose for which the demigods had prayed for His descent into this world is

now fulfilled. The demigods prayed to the Lord to return to His eternal abode in

the spiritual world, since the purpose of His appearance had been executed. The

Lord approved the request of the demigods, but felt there was one more duty that

needed to be performed; that is the withdrawal of the Yadu dynasty from the face

of the earth. Lord Krishna contemplated that should the Yadu dynasty be left

behind after Him, the Yadus would feel unbearable separation from Him, and thus

will subsequently create another burden for the planet earth. Thus under the

pretext of some curses by great sages, there was fratricidal war among the Yadu

members, and the Yadu dynasty were therefore withdrew from the earth. After this

the Lord sat

under a secluded place preparing to leave the planet. At that time, Uddhava

approached the Lord, feeling great separation, prayed to the Lord to take him

with Him. But the Lord had something else in mind for Uddhava. He wanted Uddhava

to deliver His final teachings to the sages in the Himalayas, who will inturn

benefit the humanity. Just as Uddhava was earlier deputed by the Lord to take a

message to the inhabitants of Vrindavan, the Lord is now again sending Uddhava

to take His ultimate teachings to the sages of Badarikashram in the Himalayas.

Uddhava thus posed several questions and the Lord answered with sound logic and

philosophy.

 

The instructions in the Uddhava gita bears lots of similarities to

Bhagavad-gita, however, there are much more elaborations and practical analysis

on how to execute the ideas that were briefly explained in the Bhagavad-gita.

Lord Krishna elaborately explained the path of self realisation, various yoga

and mystic perfections, real religion, the modes of material nature and their

influences, analytical understading of material nature, the process of

philosophical inquiries, and the ultimate path of bhakti, which is the process

of total dedication to God. In one sense, Uddhava-gita is the ultimate companion

to Bhagavad-gita, as what were briefly taught in the Bhagavad-gita were now

elaborately explained by the same speaker, Lord Krishna, in the Uddhava gita.

 

While the Bhagavad Gita is part of the Mahabharata, similarly, the Uddhava Gita

occurs in the Bhagavata Purana; both epics were composed by Srila Vyasadeva to

highlight the glory of Lord Krishna's descents into the world. There are

countless translations and editions of Bhagavad-gita, and the numbers are

increasing everyday. The most potent edition of Bhagavavad-gita is the edition

presented by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder

acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Srila Prabhupada

presented Bhagavad-gita As Its, and opened the eyes of this darkened world, to

the personality of Lord Krishna, which had previously being hidden by the

unscrupulous and impersonal commentaries of the great book.

 

It is our great fortune that we are presenting the Uddhava-gita for the first

time to the world. Though the Uddhava-gita is itelf form the bulk of eleventh

canto of Srimad Bhagavatam, which had already being published, especially by the

Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, however, this edition is special. Lord Krishna's final

teaching is extracted from the great Srmad Bhagavat, and it is fully elaborated

upon with the commentaries of two of our great Vaisnava spiritual masters: Srila

Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, the

spiritual master of Srila Prabhupada. Srila Bhaktiiddhanta also made a summary

of each chapter, thus making the book easily understandable. The commentaries of

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura and the purports of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta

Sarasvati Thakura are presented one after the other on each verse of the book.

 

This book, Uddhava Gita, with commentaries of Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti

Thakura and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, is complete with the

original sanskrit verses, roman transliterations, english translations, and full

commentaries. At the end of the book are glossaries of the terms used, and full

index. The book is 820 pages, 9 " x7 " , hardback.

It's now available in India, and can be gotten soon in some ISKCON temples in

India as well as selected public outlets. It will soon be available in Europe

through Bhaktivedanta Library Services and in North America through Krishna

Culture.

 

You can write me at isvara99 for more bulk purchases details or visit

our website; www.touchstonemedia.com

 

Your servant,

 

Isvara dasa.

 

 

 

 

 

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