www.telugubhakti.com The Compleate BHAGAWAD GITA

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Dear Shri. Sastry Garu:

 

The discussions on gita having 745 verses instead of 700 is an age old topic.

It has been searched and researched over and over again by the Bhandarkar's

Oriental Institute in Pune for over 40 years before they finalized the "

Critical Edition of Mahabharata (Devanagari script) " . I have the complete

Critical Edition of Mahabharata and Valmiki Ramayana with me

 

Here is the information form the Critical Edition.

 

Mahabharata is divided in to 18 major books or Parvan. Some scholars also

divide the epic into 100 minor books. The minor book, the Book of Bhagavadgita

or - Bhagavadgita parvan is a part of Bhisma Parvan, the 6the major book of

Mahabharata. Chapters 14 to 41 of Bhisma Parvan represent the Bhagavadgita

Parvan.

 

The 18 chapters of Gita - Song Divine, as we know it today, correspond to

the Chapters 23 to 40 of Bhisma Parvan. The Book of Bhagavadgita starts with

bard Sanjay announcing that the great hero, Bhisma is dead. (MB06.014.003) and

he was killed by Shikhandin. On hearing the news, the blind King, Dhrtarashtra

realizing that with the death of Bhisma, the war is almost over; inquires how

was Bhisma (MB06 Chapter 15 ). Dhrtarashtra wonders whether the great warrior

Bhisma was given proper support by King Duryodhana and the rest of the warrior

class. The Bard Sanjaya describes the war scenes and relays the conversation

between Bhagavan Krshna and Arjuna to the King.

 

As mentioned above, the 700 verses of chapters 23-40 of Bhisma Parvan

constitute Gita . Two types Meter or prosody are used in Gita. Majority of

verses ( 642 ) are in Anushtub Meter and the remainder 58 are in Trishtub

Meter. The most popular, Anushtub Meter comprises of four ( 4) quarters of 8

syllables each giving a total of 32 syllables for each verse where as a verse in

Trishtub Meter comprises of four quarters of 11 characters giving a total of 44

characters for each verse. It is interesting to note that 36 of the 58 verses in

Trishtub Meter appear in chapter 11 of Gita and 10 verses appear in Chapter 2.

Looking the verses in a different way, 574 verses were spoken by Bhagavan , 84

verses are spoken by Arjuna, 41 were spoken by Bard Samjaya and one - the

opening verse was spoken by the blind King.

 

Just for your information, all of the three Bhasyakaras (Samkara, Ramanuja and

Madhva) or their immediate disciples Anandagiri, etc. used only 700 verses as

opposed to the 745.

 

Sankara was much before the two scholars - F. O. Schrader and Al Beruni, you

quote in your email.

 

It is generally believed, that various people added verses to Mahabharata from

time to time. Early on in Adi parvan ( the Book of Beginning), it is said that

if you can not find a topic in Jayam ( - the original name for Mahabharata), it

is not worth mentioning. I think this statement gave freedom to for people to

add verses to Mahabharata.

 

I personally feel that the discussion should NOT be on how many verses a

particular book has or who wrote the book, BUT the discussion should be on the

message of the book and how to follow the spirit of the message for the

betterment of society.

 

Let us all remember the Verse 18-66, where Bhagavan Krishna tells Arjuna

 

Sarva dharmAn parityajya mAm Ekam sharanam vraja

aham tva sarva pApebhyO moksha yishyAmi mA shuchah (BG 18-66)

 

" Having renounced (parityajya) all (sarva) Dharmas (dharman) , seek

(vraja) refuge (sharanam) in me alone (mam ekam), I (aham) will release (

moksha yishyami) you (tva) from all sins ( sarva papebhyah). Do not (ma) fret

(shuchah). "

 

In fact Bhagawan is reminding every one of us by using Arjuna as a medium.

What is great teaching on Bhakti!

 

Sri Gurubhyo namah

 

Raja

 

Dr. V. Raja Bandaru

New Jersey

 

 

drgsssastry <drgsssastry wrote:

SRI MAATRE NAMAHA

The ' Bhagawad Gita ' is the main base for 'Sanatana Dharma '

since several hundred years. This Great work attracted several

forieners also. Mahatma Gandhi was also inspired by this great book,

and he told " Bhagawat Gita is my mother " . Jagadguru Sri

Sankaraacharya, Sri Ramaanujaacharya and Sri Madhwaacharya also wrote

comentaries on this great book duly recognising the importence of it

The Bhagawat Gita is an extract and essence of all 'Upanishads'.

It is a wonder to recognise that the Bhagawat Gita now

availiable is not in compleate shape as 45 ( forty five ) 'slokas'are

missing. We can see only 700 slokas in Bhagwat Gita now. The

compleate Bhagawat Gita contains 745 ( seven hundreden fory five )

slokas in which we are missing 45 slokas.

In 'Mahabharata' the Bhagwat Gita was told by Lord Krishna to

Arjuna. It was composed in the Mahabharata in 'Bhisma Parwa' at 42

chapter by the great sage Sri Vedavyasa Maharshi. After compleation

of this chapter Sri Vedavyasa Maharshi mentiond the slokas naumber

which was spoken by Lord Krishna, Arjuna, Sanjaya amd King

Dhrutarashtra as 620, 57, 67, 1, respectively as mentiond below. .

 

" Shatsataani samvisaani slokaanaam praaha kesavaha

arjunaha saptapanchaasat saptashasthimcha sanjayaha

dhrutaraastraha slokamekam giitaayaa maanamuchyate "

We may find this sloka in the 43 chapter of Sri Mahabharata'

 

Dr.F.O.Schrader the then librarian of Adayaar library, Madras

(now Chennai) Tamil Nadu, observed the above sloka and tried his

leverl best to collect the compleate text of Bhagawat Gita which

contains 745 slokas. He saw a book 'Gitartha Sangraha' (published by

Nirnaya sagar press) which was written duly based on the the

compleate Bhagwat Gita. After that he collected the original text

with commentaries by ABHINAVAGUPTA and SARVATOBHADRA. And he

published the original text of Bhagawat Gita in Roman Script in the

year 1912 A.D.

The famous writer 'Al Beruni' of 11 th cen. A.D. in his book 'Al

Beruni in India' also mentiond that the Gita contains 745 slokas.

Another famous writer 'Abul Fazl' translated the Gita in Arabbi

language. His brother 'Fiazi' was also translated our Gita into

arabbi in poetry form which also states that the Gita contains 745

slokas. But the Original Text of Bhagwat Gita was not availiable

for indians for a long time.

The great pandit Rajavaidya Jeevaraam KALIDASA SASTRIJI of

Gondal, Kathiyawad district of Gujarat State take so much pains to

collect the Original text and published it in Gujarati language with

commentary in the year 1936 A.D. He was alos published the Gita with

English translation with the name 'Chandra Ghanta' in the year1937.

The followers of Sanatana Dharma must be thankful to the above J.K

Sastry alias Sri Charana tirtha.

 

Now I am herby mentioning some slokas which are not available

in the Bhagawat Gita, and availiable in the Compleate Bhagawat Gita

only.

 

" Twam maanusshye nopahataantraatmaa

vishaada mohaabhibhawaa dwisamgnaha

krupaa gruheeta samavekshya bandhoo

nabhiprasaannaan mukhamantakasya " 11 sloka in 2nd chapter

 

" Yadaa sarwe prabhidyante hrudayasyeha grandhayaha

sabhawatyamrto martya yetawadanusaasanam " 79 sloka in 2nd chapter

 

Naarayanooham purushaha sivoham

brahmaahamasmi sakalaahamasmi

purnohameesascha puraatanoham

hiranmayo gnanarupohamasmi 35 sloka in 11th chapter

 

Prakrutim purushamchaiva

kshetram kshetragna evacha

yetattate kathayishyami

gnanam gneyamcha bhaarata 1st sloka in 13th chpter

 

MAY LORD KRISHNA BLESS ALL OF US

 

DR.G.S.SUBRAMANYA SASTRY drgsssastry

08554 255680

99496 32623

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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