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Post by madanmohandas on Jul 19, 2010 2:57:24 GMT -6
The terms like Adhyatma etc. are clarified in the next chapter, so I thought a foot note, which one might expect, would be redundant. One excellent feature of this translation I discovered is that it follows the original in the most part line by line. This makes it very easy to follow whilst listening to a slow recitation of the Sanskrt. I dont know if any of you have the 4 set CD of Anuradha Paudwal. If one has it playing one can almost sing along in English. As far as I am concerned the climax of the whole peom comes in the 11th discourse on the vision of the Universe-form. I remember reading it with a devotee in Navadvipa under a tree by the the Ganga, and both our minds being blown as it were. Its as if whatever Krsna has told Arjun so far is made visable after Arjun's prompting Krsna with saying I beleive you, what you say, but can you show me. Anyway that's yet to come, so I hpoe in the meantime we can enjoy the build up. Another thing, it corelates strikingly with Sridhar's Subodhini tika, which is available in English.
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Post by Nitaidas on Jul 19, 2010 9:25:11 GMT -6
Interesting observations, madanmohanji. Keep the chapters coming even if I fall behind. From here on in it will take me a bit longer, since the Sanskrit needs to be massaged into the right form, the form matching the previous chapters. I am working at it.
Looking ahead, I think some sort of introduction should be written. Since you are the discoverer and have the deepest understanding of this translation, the intro should be yours. Including the sorts of things you have just told us about the translation and its building up to the 11th chapter and accompanying the reading with the tapes is just the sort of thing we should have in the introduction. There is still a good deal of time for that to be written. But it would be a good idea to start thinking about it and maybe working on it. It doesn't have to be long.
I also invite commentarial essays from the other members of this forum for the appendices. We have some smart people here who have extensive experience with this text. It would be grand to include some of your interpretive writings on the text at the end. I never like to just reproduce a text. I always want to improve it with thoughtful introductions and appropriate appendices. So the others of you who are following this thread (Malati, Masikadharma, Ekantin, Subrataji, Visakha, Sakhicaranji, etc.) and enjoying this translation think about writing an short essay for the book.
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Post by Nitaidas on Jul 19, 2010 12:59:57 GMT -6
Here is the latest version of the book with chapter 5 included. I made some of those corrections. Some of them I did not see. I think it is coming along splendidly. 107 pages so far. I am only two chapters behind. The next chapter, Chapter 6, longer. It may take me a day or two. Here
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Post by madanmohandas on Jul 19, 2010 15:36:16 GMT -6
Arjun said; O best of beings, what is Brahm, And action, and the Adhyatman, And also that which has been named The Adhibhut and Adhidaiv?1 And, Madhusudan, who and how Embodied is the Adhiyanja? How also by the self-controlled, Thou in the hour of death art known?2 The Blessed Lord said; The deathless and supreme is Brahm, The ego the Adhyatman is, The offering which gives birth to things Is by the name of action known.3 The Adhibhut is all that dies, The Purusa is the Adhidaiv, O best of beings, I myself, Embodied, am the Adhiyanja.4 And who at death casts off the flesh, On me alone his thoughts intent, He to my being passeth o'er, Of this no doubt at all can be.5 But who at death puts off the flesh, Intent on other deity, He to that deity goes forth, On whom his thoughts had always dwelt.6 Therefore, remember me always, And in this fight do thou engage, On me thy mind and reason fixed, Thou doubtlessly shalt come to me. 7 With mind that wanders nowhere else, By practice e'er attuned with me, And meditating always, Partha, One finds the soul supreme divine.8 Who thinks of him, the ancient and the sage, Than atom smaller, lord and stay of all, Whose form cannot by man imagined be, Refulgent as the sun, transcending gloom. 9 When putting off the flesh, the mind unswayed, And in devotion fixed by pow'r of yoga, The life-breath centered well betwixt the brows, He goeth to that soul supreme divine. 10 That goal which Vedists say hath no decay, Reached by ascetics rid of all desire, For which men strive to lead the godly life, Of that I shall now briefly speak to thee.11 Whoso his body gates all closed, And mind within the heart confined, The life-breath held within the head, In yoga- concentration fixed,12 Repeats the one syllabled 'om', The Brahm, and meditates on me, And leaves the body to depart, He reacheth then the goal supreme.13 And who with undivided mind Upon me thinks unceasingly, This yogin, e'er attuned with me, With greatest ease finds me, O Partha!14 These great souls who have come to me And who perfection have attained, Do not return to enter birth, The home of woe, the transient state.15 All worlds, including Brahma's world, O Arjun, ever come and go, But he who once has come to me, Is ne'er reborn, O Kunti's son.16 The men who reckon day and night, They know a single day of his A thousand ages doth endure, His night a thousand ages too.17 At dawn of day all things difined Spring into life from the unseen; At fall of night they all desolve Into the same unseen again.18 The selfsame swarm of things create, Again and yet again produced, Dissolves unwilling, Parhta, at eve, And reappears at birth of morn.19 But higher far than this unseen Is the unseen who lives always, The being who doth perish not, When perished are all other things.20 This unseed is th'eternal named, And also called the highest goal, Which having found, none e'er returns, And that is my supreme abode.21 This highest spirit, Prtha's son, In whom all creatures do abide, By whom pervaded is the world, Is reached by undivided love.22 O Bharat's lord, I'll tell the now What are the 'times' when dying here, The yogins go to come not back, And when they go to come again.23 Flame, fire, the day, the bright fortnight, The six months when the sun moves north, If they who know the Brahm depart At 'times' as these, they go to Brahm.24 Smoke, night time, and the dark fortnight, The six months when the sun moves south, The yogin who at such 'times' dies, The moonlight gaining comes again.25 This two-fold path, the bright and dark, Is deemed the world's eternal track, For by the one men come not back, And by the other they return.26 O son of Prtha, knowing these, No yogin can deluded be. Therefore I say unceasingly, O Arjun, steadfast be in yoga.27 Whatever the reward the Vedas ordain For penances, for sacrifice, or gifts, The yogin knowing 'this' beyond them goes, And reaches the supreme and primal home.28
End Chapter 8
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Post by madanmohandas on Jul 20, 2010 5:37:32 GMT -6
The Blessed Lord said; To thee who art from carping free, The greatest secret I'll decare, Wisdom combined with knowledge now, Which knowing thou shalt freedom gain.1 A royal lore and mystery, The best of sanctifiers this, Of easy practise, plainly seen, Unperishing, not 'gainst the law.2 Those who no faith have in this lore, O Parantap, not reaching me, Come back again assuredly, This world of death to tread anew.3 By me, in my own subtle form, Pervaded is the universe, In me indeed all creatures dwell, But I dwell not in them at all.4 Ah no! they do not dwell in me; Behold and mark my mystic pow'r! Though I'm the cause and stay of all, Yet I myself do dwell in naught.5 Just as the mighty atmosphere Moves everywhere contained in space, Know thou that in this very wise, All things created dwell in me.6 When ends an age all beings go Into my nature, Kunti's son, And when another age begins, I send them forth from me again.7 Resorting to my nature I Do send forth o'er and o'er again, This swarm of all created things, Controlled by nature helplessly.8 Nor do these actions fetter me, For I, O Dhanajay, remain As one without the least concern, And to those actions unattatched.9 Through me, the supervisor, nature doth Bring forth what moves and moveth not; It is because I supervise, The world revolves, O Kunti's son.10 The witless ones hold me in scorn, As one who's clothed in human form, Discerning not my higher state Of sov'ran paramount of all.11 Their hopes are vain, their deeds are vain, Their wisdom's vain, they have no sense; To the deceitful nature they Of fiends and demons wedded are.12 Whereas the great-souled, Prtha's son, A godlike nature who possess, Know me, the deathless source of all, And worship me with single mind.13 Engaged always in praising me, And striving ever, firm in vows, Always attuned and reverent, They truely worship me with love.14 By offering wisdom sacrifice, Yey other men do worship me; The one, the many, everywhere, In countless forms made manifest.15 I am the prayer, the sacrifice, For manes food, I healing herb, The chant, the sacrificial ghee, The fire as well, the offering burnt;16 The father of this world I am, Creator, mother, and grandsire, The knowable, the cleanser I, The sacred 'om', the triple Veda;17 The goal I am, the lord, the home, Sustainer, seer, shelter, friend, The source, the end, the stay am I, The treasure house, the deathless seed.;18 The giver of the heat I am, I send forth rain, I hold it back, I'm deathlessness and I am death, Sat and asat, O Prtha's son.19 Who know the Vedas, who drink the soma juice, Sin-purged, who pray for heaven adoring me, Great Indra's holy world they reach at last, And there enjoy the pleasures of the gods.20 Having enjoyed that spacious heavenly world, Their merit spent, they come to earth once more, Desiring things, obeying Vedic law, For their reward they have to come and go.21 To those who worship me alone, And think of none except myself, Who are always attuned with me, Both gain and safety I secure.22 The devotees of other gods, Who worship them in faith sincere, These also, know, O Kunti's son, Though wrongly, yet they worship me.23 Of every sacrifice I am The lord and the enjoyer both, But me they know not as I am, And for this reason do they fail.24 They go to gods who worship gods, Who manes seek to manes go, Who worship bhutas go to bhutas, My worshippers come unto me.25 Whoever offers me in love A leaf or water, flow'r or fruit, Such gift of love do I accept From those who in their hearts are pure.26 Whate'er thy work, whate'er thy food, Whate'er thy sacrifice, thy alms, Whate'er the pennance thou must do, That dedicate to me, O Partha.27 Deliv'rance thus shalt thou attain From bonds of action, good or ill; Renouncing all, a freed man thou Shalt come to me assuredly.28 The same am I to all that lives, To me none hateful is or dear, But they who worship me in love, They dwell in me, and I in them. 29 If even one immersed in sin Should worship me wholeheartedly, He must a righteous man be deemed, For his resolve is right indeed.30 Ere long a saint he doth become, And findeth everlasting peace; O Kunti's son, do thou proclaim, My lover he is never lost! 31 O Partha, who refuge in me take, Though they be born of sinful wombs, The vaisyas, sudras, womenfolk, They too attain the goal supreme.32 Much more the holy brahmins then, And royal saints, my voteries; Hence in this joyless, passing world, Do thou, O Arjun, worship me.33 Thy heart, thy love bestow on me, Thy sacrifice and homage too, Thus with the self attuned, tho shalt Come unto me, thy goal supreme.34
End Chapter 9
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Post by madanmohandas on Jul 20, 2010 16:21:47 GMT -6
The Blessed Lord said; O mighty armed! give ear again To my supernal word, Which I will utter for thy good, Who my beloved art.1 Neither the host of shining ones, Nor mighty rishis know My origin, for I have made The gods and rishis both.2 Beginning have I not nor end, I am the world's great lord, Who knows me thus, he knows the truth, And is from all sin freed.3 Forgiveness, reason, truth and calm, And non-delussion too, Restraint and wisdom, joy and pain, Fear, courage, birth and death,4 Content, composure, harmlessness, Gifts, pleasure, fame and shame, These several moods of living things Come forth from me alone.5 The ancient four, the Manus too, The seven rshis great, Where from my mind and nature born, And from them sprang the world.6 Whoso in very truth doth know This yoga and power of mine, Unfaltering is the yoga he has, Of this no doubt can be.7 I am the source of all, from me All creatures are evolved; In rapt emotion, thinking thus, The wise do worship me.8 Minds fixed in me, lives given to me, Each praising me to each, Of me conversing always, they With joy and peace are filled.9 To those who ever are attuned, And worship me with love, That knowledge do I freely give, Whereby they come to me.10 And all for love of them, Indwelling in their very hearts, With wisdom's light resplendant I Their darkness do dispel.11 Arjun said; The Brahm supreme, the goal supreme, Supremely holy art thou lord; Th'eternal being, the divine, First of gods, unborn, the lord!12 Thus all the rishis thee aclaim, Asita and Devala, also Vyasa, And Narad too the sage divine, And thine own lips confirm the same.13 What thou hast said to me I deem, O Keshav, as the very truth, Thy manifested forms, O lord, Nor gods nor demons ever know,14 O best of beings, only thou Dost know thyself by thine own self; The source of all, the lord of all, World-ruler and the god of gods.15 Without reserve be pleased to tell Of thine own godlike glory now; The glory wherewith thou doth dwell, Pervading all the universe.16 By constant meditation how, O yogin, can I know thyself? What are the aspects, lord, in which Ought I to meditate on thee?17 O Janardan, tell me again, In fulness of thy pow'r and yoga, For of the nectar of thy words Mine ears can never drink enough.18 The Blessed Lord said; Yea, best of Kurus, I'll unfold My glories in their prominence, There is indeed no limit set To all the glories I possess.19 I am the self, O Gudakesh, In every beings heart enshrined, Of every living creature I Beginning am, and mean, and end.20 Of the Adityas Vishnu I, Of shining orbs the radiant sun, Of Maruts I Marichi am, 'Midst constelations I the moon.21 Of Vedas I'm the Saman Veda, I'm Vasava of the shining ones, And of the senses I am mind, And consciouness in all that lives.22 And I of Rudras Shankara am, Of jinns and ogre hosts, wealth-lord, Of Vasus I'm the god of fire, And Meru of all mountain peaks.23 Of household priests, O Prtha's son, I am the chief Brhaspati, And of commanders I am Skanda, And ocean vast of all the lakes.24 Of mighty rishis Bhrgu I, Of words the one-syllabled 'om', Of sacrifices I am japa, Of fixEd things Himalaya.25 I am the banyan of the trees, And Narad of the heavenly saints, Of Gandharvas I am Chitrarath, And of perfect sages, Kapil wise.26 Amongst the horses know thou me, The amrit-born ucchaisravas, Of lordly tuskers airavat, And king am I of all mankind.27 Of weapons I'm the thunderbolt, Of cows I am the Kamadhuk, I am Kandarpa who procreates, And of the serpants Vasuki.28 And of the nagas I am Ananta, Of water dwellers Varuna I, Of pitris I am Arayaman, O regulators I am Yam.29 Of daityas know Prahlad I am, Of reckoners I'm time itself, Of beasts I am the king of beasts, And Vainateya of the birds.30 Of purifiers I'm the wind, Of weapon wielders Ram himself, Of aquatic beasts the Makara, And of the rivers Jahnavi.31 Of all creations I'm the source, The middle and the terminal, Of sciences self-knowledgd I, And dogma 'monst arguments.32 Of letters I the alpha am, And dvandva of conjuctive forms, I also am eternal time, And the supporter facing all.33 And I am all-devouring death, And source of all that is to be, 'Mongst females I'm Forgiveness, Speech, Fame, Mem'ry, Fortune, Courage, Mind.34 Of Samans I'm the cheifest chant, Of meters I'm the gayatri, Kartik I am of all the months, Of seasons flower laden spring.35 Of those who cheat I gamb'ling am, And splenour of the splendid I, I victory am, Im industry, And goodness of the good I am.36 And of the Vrshnis, Vasudeva, And of the Pandavas, Dnananjay, Amongst the sages I am Vyasa, Of poets Ushanas the bard. 37 Of chastisers I'm the punishing rod, Of victory contrivers, Policy, Of secret things I silence am, And wisdom of the wise am I.38* And, Arjun, whatso'er the seed Of living creatures that I am; No moving or unmoving thing Can have existance but for me.39 O foe tormentor, Parantap, My heavenly glories endless are, A sample only have I given Of my own glory's vast extent.40 Whatever is of glory, strength, Of beauty too, know all to be A showing forth of but a part Of my own splendour infinite.41 But, Arjun, what can it avail To thee, this knowledge vast of me? By but a fraction of myself I stand supporting all these worlds. 42
End Chapter 10 *Editors interpolation for missing couplet. Verses 1-11 alternative meter for asthetic purposes. Sir Edwin Arnold does the same in his translation on the grounds that the poem is gaining momentum. It's reasonable considering that verses 8 to 11 are considered by many to the kernal of the whole text.
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Post by madanmohandas on Jul 21, 2010 2:28:00 GMT -6
Arjun said; The greatest secret, Adhyatman, Which for my good thou hast revealed In thy discourse to me, O lord, All my delusion hath dispelled.1 In fulness I have heard from thee Of all creation's births and deaths, And also, O thou lotus-eyed, Of thy eternal majesty.2 O lord supreme, what thou hast said About thyself is true indeed, But still, O best of beings, I Would fain behold thy form divine.3 If thinkest thou, O lord, that I Can bear the sight, then graciously Do thou, O yogin's lord, reveal To me thine own eternal self.4 The Blessed Lord said; O son of Prtha! now behold My forms divine in varied shapes, In many colours, many kinds, By hundreds and by thousands too.5 The Adityas, the Vasus see, The Rudras, Maruts, Ashvins twain; Uncounted wonders ne'er yet seen, Do thou behold, O Bharat, now.6 The whole world see thou gathered here Within my body, Gudakesh, All moving and unmoving things, And aught besides thou fain would see.7 Indeed thou cannot see me thus With thy unseeing human eye, I give thee now an eye divine; Behold therefore my sov'ran yoga!8 Sanjay said; Thus having spoken forthwith, king, Hari, the mighty lord of yoga Revealed himself to Prtha's son, In his supreme and sov'ran form.9 Of countless mouths and countless eyes, Of countless wondrous sights possessed, Of countless heavenly ornaments, Of countless heavenly weapons raised;10 Bedecked with heavenly wreaths and robes, Anointed with unguents divine, All-wonderful and splendour-clothed, Unbounded, facing every side.11 The splenour of a thousand suns, If all at once could light the sky, It then perchance may shadow forth The splendour of that mighty one.12 There in the body of the god Of gods, the son of Pandu saw The whole world gathered into one, And split up too in many parts.13 Then Dhananjay, amazement filled, Thrilled through and through, his hair on end, Before the lord bowed low his head, And with joined palms him thus addressed;14 Arjun said; The gods within thy body see I lord, And hosts of other beings of their kind, Brahma, the god upon his lotus-throne, And all the rishis and celestial snakes.15 I see thee everywhere unbounded form With countless stomachs, mouths and arms and eyes; Source, middle, end of thee I do not see, O lord of all, O universal form!16 A mass of brilliance shining on all sides, With discus, crown and mace I thee behold, Blazing all round like burning fire or sun, Hard to behold and measureless indeed.17 Unperishing and worthy to be known As the supreme, the world's supreme support, Eternal virtue's changeless guardian thou, I look upon thee as the primal soul.18 I see no source nor end, nor mean of thee, Of endless power, possessed of many arms, The sun and moon thy eyes, the fire thy face, Thy radiance giving warmth to all the worlds.19 The vast expance that spreads 'twixt earth and heaven, All space as well is filled with thee alone, The three worlds quake with fear, O great-souled one, At sight of thy most aweful wondrous form.20 Lo! into thee these hosts of suras go, Some with joined palms extolling thee with awe, Whilst bands of siddhas and rishis great Cry, 'hail to thee!' in vibrant hymns of praise.21 The Adtyas, Rudras, Vasus and Sadhyas, Ashvins, Vishvas, Maruts and Ushmapas, Gandharvas and demons, Yaksas and Siddhas, In awe struck legions are beholding thee.22 Thy mighty form with countless mouths and eyes, With countless arms and countless thighs and feet, And countless stomachs, countless fang-set mouths, The worlds beholding quake, and so do I.23 Stretched high as heaven, radiant and rainbow-hued, With gaping mouths, and large and firey eyes, I having seen this sight, my heart doth quake, No courage have I, Vishnu, and no peace.24 At sight of these thy mouths with fearful fangs, Which so resemble time's devouring flames, No peace have I, I know not where I am, Have mercy lord of gods, the world's abode!25 The sons of Dhrtarastra, and with them, This host of mighty kings and Bhisma and Drona, And Karna also, the chariot driver's son, And all the cheifest warriors on our side,26 At headlong speed they are all rushing on Into those aweful mouths with fearful fangs; Some with their heads to powder crushed are seen, Stuck fast within the gaps between thy fangs.27 As river torrents flow with furious speed Towards the ocean's dark unfathomed depths, So hurl themselves within thy flaming mouths These mighty heroes of the world of men.28 As moths at nightfall fly with urgent speed Into a burning flame to fall destroyed, So all these creatures with impetuous haste, Within thy mouths rush in to meet their doom.29 With thy great flaming mouths on every side, All men thou licketh up devouring them, And thy fierce splendour filling all the worlds Is Vishnu, burning them with blazing rays.30 Who art thou, lord, tell me, so fierce in form? I bow to thee; have mercy god supreme! I fain would know thee, O primeval one, For all thy actions are beyond my ken.
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Post by madanmohandas on Jul 21, 2010 3:50:05 GMT -6
The Blessed Lord said; I am the world effacer, mighty Time, Made manifest to overthrow these worlds; Without thy aid none shall indeed survive Of all the warriors now for battle met.32 Therefore do thou arise and win renown, Thy foes o'ercome, this spacious realm enjoy; By me they are already all destroyed, Be my mere instrument, O ambidextrous one.33 Thy guru Drona, Bhisma and Jayadrath, And Karna, and many other warriors brave, These slain by me already, do thou slay, Fear not, but fight. Thou shalt o'ercome thy foes.34 Sanjay said; Thus having heard the speech by Keshav made, As suppliant, bowing low with folded hands, Arjun, the crownEd one, all trembing still, In stammering words, awestruck, to Krishna said; Arjun said; O Hrshikesh! in thy renown the world Most rightly doth rejoice and hymns thy praise; The raksasa to every quarter flee In fear, the hosts of siddhas bow to thee.36 How should they otherwise, O high-souled one, Than Brahma greater, and the primal cause, Infinite, lord of gods, the world's abode, Sat and asat, unperishing, supreme.37 The primal god, the ancient being thou, And of the universe receptacle supreme, Knower and known, the highest dwelling place, By thee, O endless-formed, the worlds are filled.38 Thou Vayu art, Yam, Agni, and the moon, Varuna, Prajapati, the great grandsire, All hail to thee, a thousand times all hail, And once again, and yet again, all hail!39 All hail to thee before, all hail behind! All hail to thee from every side, thou all! In power boundless, measureless in strength, Thou fillest all and therefore thou art all.40 If rashly deeming thee as but a friend, Of this thy greatness knowing naught till now, Through carelesness or through my love for thee, I've called the Yadav, Krishna, or my friend.41 Whatever disrespect I've shown to thee In jest, at play, reposing or at meals, O sinless one, alone of with my friends, I pardon crave for this, O boundless one.42 World's father thou, of all that's fixed or moves, The greatest guru thou, most worshipful, No peer hast thou; who can excell thee lord, Whose might is unsurpassed in all the world?43 Therefore with body bent as supliant, I beg forgiveness, lord most worshipful, As father with his son, as friend with friend, As lover with his love, do thou forbear.44 I having seen what was unseen before, My heart is glad, yet is alarmed with fear, Show me again, O lord, thy homely form, Have mercy god of gods, all world's abode!45 Crowned, sceptered, with the discus in thy hand, Thus would I see thee in thy form of old; Once more put on thy four-armed form for me, O thousand-armed, O universal form!46 The Blessed Loed said; For love of thee, Arjun, thus have I shown This form supreme by mine own mystic power, Most glorious, universal, endless, first, That none except thyself hath ever seen.47 Nor study of the Veda, nor sacrifice, Nor gifts, nor works, nor fierce austerities, Can win a vission of this form on earth, Which thou, O Kuru's chief, alone hath seen.48 Be not afraid, nor be at all perplexed At seeing this my terror stricking form, Exempt from fear, thy heart again at ease, Once more behold me in my form of old.49 Sanjay said; To Arjun having thus addressed himself, He, Vasudeva, reshowed his former form, And in his gentle guise, the high-souled one Brought peace to him who had been sore afraid.50 Arjun said; Seeing again, O Janardan, This gentle human form of thine, My peace of mind I have regained, And to my normal self returned.51 The Blessed Lord said; 'Tis very hard to see this form Which thou hast been vouchsafed to see, The gods themselves in very truth, Forever long to see this form.52 Nor by the Veda, nor penances, Nor charities, nor sacrifice, Can I be seen as thou hast seen, In this my universal form.53 But I may yet be known like this, By love on me alone bestowed, And known and seen too as I am, And entered into, Parantap.54 Who works for me, his highest goal, Who loveth me, attatchments freed, Who hateth none, O Prtha's son, He comes to me assuredly.55
End Chapter 11
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Post by madanmohandas on Jul 21, 2010 9:48:40 GMT -6
Arjun said; Who best know yoga, the devotees Who worship thee, attuned always, Or those who meditate upon Th'eternal and the unrevealed?1 The Blessed Lord said; Who with their minds on me intent, And with the highest faith endued, Always attuned, do worship me, Of yogins these the best I deem.2 Yet they who th'eternal seek, The undefined, the unrevealed, Th'omnipresent, th'unthinkable, Th'ineffable, th'immutable;3 Restraing all their senses well, And equal minded in all things, Rejoicing in the good of all, These also surely come to me.4 The travail greater is of those With minds set on the unrevealed, For such a goal is hard to reach By man in his embodied state.5 But as for those who worship me, To me consigning every act, Of whom I am the highest goal, On me alone who meditate,6 Of these, whose hearts are fixed on me, Ere long the saviour I become From that deep sea, O Prtha's son, Of ceaseless rounds of births and deaths.7 Thy mind in me alone repose, And let thy reason enter me, For thus thou shalt assuredly In me alone hereafter dwell.8 But if thou canst not fix thy mind With steadfastness on me alone, By yoga of constant effort then, Seek thou to reach me, Dhananjay.9 Should effort be too much for thee, Then on my service be intent, Performing actions for my sake, Pefection thou shalt surely gain.10 If even this thou canst not do, Thyself attuning with me then, And self-controlling, set aside All the reward which action brings.11 Than effort better wisdom is, And meditation better still, Renouncing fruits is best of all, And such surrender bringeth peace.12 Who's friendly and compassionate, Who hateth none, who selfless is, Forgiving, free from ego-sense, In pain and pleasure equipoised,13 Devoted and content always, Of purpose firm and self-controlled, His mind and reason giv'n to me, My lover, he is dear to me.14 The man who from the world shrinks not, Who shrinks not from the world in turn, Who has no envy, fear nor joy, Nor sorrow, he is dear to me.15 Who has no wants and who is pure, Untroubled, clever, unconcerned, His undertakings who resigns, My lover, he is dear to me.16 Who feels no joy, who feels no hate, Who doth not grieve or wish for aught, Renouncing good and evil both, He, full of love, is dear to me.17 Who treats alike both friend and foe, Who is the same in fame and shame, In heat and cold, in joy and pain, Who from attatchments is exempt,18 Who praise and blame regards alike, Who is content whate'er befall, Who's silent, homeless, firm in mind, This man, love-filled, is dear to me.19 These lovers who with faith endued Partake of this life-giving lore, Of whom I am the goal supreme, They are exceeding dear to me.20
End Chapter 12
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Post by Nitaidas on Jul 21, 2010 10:12:50 GMT -6
Wow, madanmohanji. You're really doing a great job with this. I am now way behind. But, I will catch up. Please keep it coming. It is delightful.
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Post by madanmohandas on Jul 21, 2010 11:40:04 GMT -6
Anyone who has read Arnold's translation will note similarities with this one. I have a feeling that Caleb was responding in some measure, not satisfied with Arnold's job, though that's just my own take. In his Preface ( which I don't have ) Caleb praised previous translations and that his motive in presenting his version was he thought there was a need for a simple versification of the text in English coresponding to the poetic flow of the original. The first two hexads are complete which leaves the last. It may be worth including Yamunacarya's Gitartha Sangraha, which has 32 verses, where he divides the text into three hexads and presents the argument of the text accordingly.
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Post by madanmohandas on Jul 21, 2010 14:14:14 GMT -6
The Blessed Lord said; This body, O thou Kunti's son, Is designated as the field; Field-knower, so the sages say, Is he by whom the field is known.1 In every field, O Bharat's son, Learn thou that I the knower am; Field-knowledge, and of him who knows, Is knowledge true it seems to me.2 What is that field, its origin, Its nature, tranformations too? Who is the knower, what his power? Of this in brief now hear from me.3 Distinctly and in many ways Have rishis sung in diverse hymns, And passages which treat of Brahm, Conclusive and well reasoned out.4 The elements, the ego-sense, And reason and the unrevealed, The senses ten, the single sense, And of the senses, objects five 5 Aversion, longing, pleasure, pain, The body, courage, consciousness; The field with all its changes thus, In fewest words has been described.6 Uprightness, patience, modesty, Humility and harmlessness, The guru' service, steadfastness, And purity and self-control, 7 Indiff'rance to the things of sense, And absence of all egoism, With insight of the ill in birth, In pain of sickness, death and age,8 Detattchment, also want of love For son, for wife, or for the home, And constant equanimity In wanted and unwanted things;9 For me, by yoga, unswerving love, Without a thought of aught besides, Resort to lonely spots, dislike For men's society; 10 And in self-knowledge constancy, Direct perception of the truth; This is indeed as wisdom known, All else is grossest ignorance.11 Him I'll describe who should be known, Whom knowing man immortal grows, The Brahm supreme, who ne'er began, Who as asat and sat is known.12 He everywhere hath hands and feet, On all sides faces, heads and eyes, And he hath ears on every side, World-dweller he, embracing all.13 He hath no sesnes, yet he shines With all the faculties of sense; Though unattatched, yet stay of all, Though guna-less, yet senseing them,.14 Within all beings and without, Though motionless, yet movable, Through subtlety he's undiscerned, He's close at hand, yet far away.;15 Though undivided, yet he lives As if divided in all things; He should be known as stay of all, Creator and destroyer both.16 He radiance e'en of radiant things, Is said to be beyond all gloom; Knowledge, its object, and its goal, He is in every heart enshrined.17 Thus have the field and wisdom too, And wisdom's object here been scetched, My lover, knowing this full well, Is fitted for mine own estate.18 Know thou that matter and the soul Are both alike beginningless; All changes also do thou learn, And gunas, are of matter born.19 The body and the senses both In matter solely have their source; Experience of all pleasure, pain, Is functioned by the soul alone.20 The soul in matter shrined enjoys The gunas that are matter born; Attatchment to the gunas leads To birth in good and evil wombs.21 Permitter and as observer, Supporter and enjoyer too, The self supreme, the mighty lord, Thus is the Paramatma known.22 The man who knoweth thus the soul, And matter with its gunas three, He never shall be born again, Whatever may his conduct be,23 The self by self within the self, By meditation some behold, Whilst some by the sankhya yoga, And others by the karma yoga.24 Yet others, ignorant of this, From hearsay only worship me, And clinging fast to what they've heard, They too in safety cross o'er death.25 Whatever being comes to birth, Immovable or movable, O best of Bharats, know it springs From matter's union with the soul.26 Who doth behold the same great lord, Dwelling in all creature shapes, The deathless one in those that die, Who seeth thus, he sees indeed.27 For whoso sees the lord supreme Abiding everywhere alike, Doth not destroy the self by self, And thus attains the highest bliss.28 And he who sees that every act By nature is alone performed, And that the self is actionless, He verily doth see aright.29 When he percieves this varied show Exists in him, the One, alone, And from the One it emenates, He then attains the state of Brahm.30 Beginningless and guna-less, The self supreme who waneth not, Though he's embodied, Kunti's son, He acteth not nor is he stained.31 Just as the all-pervading space, Through subtlety remains unsoiled, So too untainted is the self, Though he embodied dwells in all.32 E'en as the sun illuminates, O Bharta's son, the earth throughout, So too, the knower of the field, Illuminates the total field.33 They who with wisdom's eye can part The field from him who knows the field, Who matter's dissolution see, They reach unto the self supreme.34
End Chapter 13
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Post by Nitaidas on Jul 21, 2010 15:28:10 GMT -6
Here is the latest version of the book with chapter 6 included. I think it is coming along splendidly. 125 pages so far. I am only two chapters behind. The next chapter, Chapter 7, longer. It may take me a day or two. Here
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Post by madanmohandas on Jul 22, 2010 5:50:07 GMT -6
The Blessed Lord said; Yet once again I shall proclaim The highest wisdom and the best, Which having gained, all sages have The perfect state beyond attained.1 Who refuged in this wisdom have Attained to unity with me, They are not born when worlds are born, Nor suffer when they are destroyed.2 Great Brahm is but a womb for me, In which I do the seed disperse; From thence, O Bharat's son, proceeds The birth of all created things.3 And from whatever wombs are born These varied forms, O Kunti's son, Great Brahm is verily their womb, And their seed-giving father I.4 Sattva and rajas, tamas too, The gunas three of matter born, Within the body these bind fast The deathless self who dwells within.5 Of these the sattva, void of stain, And therefore full of life and health, Binds fast with love of happiness, And love of wisdom, Sinless one.6 Rajas, the passion-nature, know Is spring of craving and desire; With bonds of action, Kunti's son, It binds the self who dwells within.7 But tamas, born of ignorance, Deluding all embodied selves, Doth fetter them, O Bharat's son, With stupor, sloth and heedlessness.8 Sattva unites with happiness, Rajas to action, Bharat's son; Whilst tamas, veiling wisdom's light, Doth wed the self to heedlessness.9 When tamas, Bharat, is o'ercome, Along with rajas, sattva reigns; Rajas or tamas reigns in turn When are the other two eclipsed.10 When wisdom's light shoots forth its beams From all the gates the body has, Then one indeed may apprehend That sattva is predominant.11 Greed, energy, desire, unrest, The undertaking too of deeds, O best of Bharats, these arise When rajas gains ascendancy.12 Obscurity and heedlessness, Stagnation and delusion too, O Kuru's joy, all these arise When tamas gains ascendancy.13 Should the embodied self depart When sattva is predominant, He reaches then those spotless realms Where they who know the highest dwell.14 But should he go when rajas reigns He is reborn 'mongst thoes who act; And should he die when tamas reigns, He's born again in sensesless wombs.15 Of all good actions it is said The fruit is sattvic, free from taint, Whilst pain the fruit of rajas is, And that of tamas ignorance.16 From sattva wisdom is produced, And avarice from rajas springs, From tamas ignorance comes forth, And heedlessness and error too.17 Who follow sattva upwards go, The rajasic midway remain, The tamasic who tread the path Of the last guna, downwards go.18 And when a seer sees at length No agent but the gunas three, And knoweth him who these transcends, To my estate he then attains.19 When the embodied self has passed Beyond these body-makers three, 'Tis freed from birth, age, death and pain, And immortality attains.20 Arjun said; What are the marks of him, O lord, Who hath beyond the gunas crossed? What is his conduct, how doth he Beyond the gunas wend his way?21 The Blessed Lord said; Who hateth not delusion, light, Nor energy when these prevail, Who craveth not for them at all O Pandav, when they've ceased to be;22 Who seated like one unconcerned, Is never by the gunas moved; Who knowing that the gunas act, Remaineth firm, immovable.23 Who's centred in the self, who looks alike, On joy and pain, clod, stone and gold, On praise and blame, dislikes and likes, And who with wisdom is edued,24 Who is the same in fame and shame, Who treats alike both friend and foe, His undertakings who resigns, Is said to have the gunas crossed.25 And whoso serveth me alone, With yoga of love unfailingly, He going past these gunas three, Is fit to be transformed to Brahm.26 For in me is the dwelling place Of Brahm, the changeless, deathless one, And of eternal righteousness, And of the bliss that never wains.27
End Chapter 14
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Post by Nitaidas on Jul 22, 2010 14:13:22 GMT -6
Here is the latest version of the Gita with chapter 7 included. I think it is coming along splendidly. 137 pages so far and I am only five chapters behind. The next chapter, Chapter 8, is medium sized. It will be done by this time tomorrow. Here
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