Bhagwad Gita

Dayanand Verma

Description

In the age when the right to learn the Vedic Literature was confined to only a particular class, Lord Krishna conveyed the gist of knowledge enshrined in our scriptures to Arjuna through the divine message called the GITA. Thus He made this supreme knowledge accessible to all classes of the society.In this sense the Gita is a revolutionary creation if its age and for all the ages.Dayanand Verma (1931)He has published books/articles on subjects like spiritualism, psychology etc. His deep knowledge of spiritualism and yoga won him the Vishwa Yoga Sammelan 1986 award and the title YOGARATNA.This interpretation of Gita is culmination of his deep study and thinking.

Sujets

• Philosophie et théologie

Informations

• Publié par: Diamond Books
• Date de parution: 01 janvier 0001
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9788128819728
• Langue: English

Extrait

The Bhagwad Gita

A Modern Interpretation

eISBN: 978-81-2881-972-8
© Publisher
Publisher: Diamond Pocket Books (P) Ltd.
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Edition: 2016
The Bhagwad Gita
By - Dayanand Verma
Views of Scholars, on this Interpretation of ‘Bhagvad Gita’
Though a number of annotations have been done on ‘Gita’ and each of them are appreciable, but the interpretation being done by Verma ji is more purposeful and with in- depth logic, in the context of the present scenario. Today this kind of annotation is the need of time which is going to put its impact on our new generation, making them moving towards right direction. It’s in lucid and an easy to understand language. There is no end to appreciate his praiseworthy efforts…
–Krishanmuni Prabhakar Peethasin: “Sri Sanwali Murti Temple, Delhi”
Likewise Goswami Tulsidas ji’s efforts in writing the archaic Ramayana being composed by Maharshi Valmiki, making him successful in spreading Rama’s epic to the common man’s reach, the same way Dayanand Verma ji has also beautifully created his interpretation on ‘ Bhagavad Gita’. This book is definitely going to make our young generation free from the clutches of frustration and anger due to the impact of consumerism and materialistic world, and to help them to lead a peaceful life and to intend them towards spiritual contemplation.
–Ved Pratap Vaidik, Journalist, Delhi
Since my childhood I have been reciting ‘Gita’, but I have never found such a wonderful book, so far, which has broaden my understanding. Also, the connectivity of shlokas is beautifully done, uninterruptedly. I have never felt any vacuum in the flow.
–Asha Rani Writer & Ex-President: “All India Hindi Publishers’ Guild”
I am very much aware of the spiritual- contemplation pf Dayanand Verma, since he was an editor of a magazine- ‘Prakashit Mann’. Due to this interpretation on ‘Gita’ his contemplation has sharply reflected.
– Dr. Vijayendra Snatak Litterateur & Ex-President: “Hindi Literature Conference, Prayag”
‘Gita’ is an epitome of Indian thoughts, and this interpretation is a successful and praiseworthy attempt, making it easy-to-understand, by Verma ji. My humble request to Verma ji is he should interpret ‘Upnishad’ too, in such a simple and lucid language.
– Dr. Pandurang Rao Ex-director: “Bhartiya Jananpeeth, Delhi”
 
 
 
 
DEDICATION
To my beloved father Sh. Gela Ramji who inspired me to write this book.
Introduction
My father, Shri Gela Ramji, ran a bookshop in Multan, West Punjab (now in Pakistan). Everyday, after school hours, I was under his strict instructions to reach the bookshop. I went to Shishtachar Ashram — a primary school managed by a religious institution. The bookshop visits gave me an opportunity to read books which had nothing to do with subjects taught at school. My journey of reading books began with fairytales and then took me through a wide variety of subjects. This journey still continues... There were books on various subjects, like religion, literature, science and general knowledge. I got the chance to work my way through all those books. I would pick up any which had something of interest and sat in a corner and read. And often got reprimanded on account of this “addiction”.
Essence of Gita
In those days innumerable editions of the Gita were published by the Gita Press, Gorakhpur, and many were available in our bookshop: But the one I was drawn towards was the Hindi edition by Kishore Das and Shri Krishna Das. At that young age, though I was impressed by the greatness of the work, but its purport was beyond my comprehension. When I urged my father to explain the meaning, he said, “Even the great sages have not been able to get the essence of the Gita. How then would you understand it?” This answer increased my curiosity manifold. I kept wondering, what was really so great about the Gita that the sages made ceaseless attempts to understand?
Half-a-century has passed since I had this conversation. Now, I understand his point of view better. The complexity arises because every word in Gita is embedded in the history of that age, and it can only be grasped with an understanding of the era when this sermon was preached.
Ideas propagated in Gita
The Gita was preached by Shri Krishna, at a time when people were beginning to question the spiritual value of the Vedic Literature. In the name of the vedas , pretentious religious performances, based on rites and rituals, had taken over the society. The priests encouraged the wealthy people to perform all types of yajnas by assuring them a place in heaven or arousing fear in them in case they showed reluctance. The supreme purpose of yajna had taken a backseat and gave way to yajnas performed for the fulfilment of desires — to go to heaven and attain moksha (salvation).
The enlightened people of that age were unable to divert the attention of the powerful priests from unnecessary rites and rituals, they were beginning to show disinclination in performing good actions, and seeking escape from society. The society was divided into camps and the member of one camp described the activities of the other as meaningless and futile.
In those days, only the Brahmins enjoyed the right to study and teach the Vedic Literature. The caste of a person was determined not on the basis of his karma (actions) but by birth. Kshatriya, Vaishyas and Shudras considered themselves belonging to the lower categories of existence. They could think of no way of attaining moksha.
In such a time, using Arjuna as his medium, Shri Krishna imparted the quintessence of the vedas , and the upanishads in the Gita. It is in a form that can be grasped by everyone in the light of their own natural predilections and abilities and show them the way to salvation. Once this background is understood, Gita appears to be a path-breaking work. It brings together, in a coordinated manner, all ancient modes of thinking.
Sense and Meaning
Many words in our present day vocabulary had different connotations during the vedic age. For instance, today the word purusha is popularly used to refer to the males, but back then purusha meant consciousness, or the Supreme Being. Words like purushottama, purushartha , etc. were formed only as an extension from the word. Today the word kama is used in the limited sense of sexual desire, but in those days it embodied all kinds of desires. Words like sokama (with desire), nishkama (without desire) belong to the same etymology. Similarly innumerable words like prakriti (nature), guna (attribute), nirguna (without attribute), nitya (eternal), anitya (transient), vikara (change), avikara (invariable), satya (truth), asatya (untruth), maya (illusion) Brahma Yoga (concentrational exercise), tapas (penance), dharma (duty, righteousness), bhoota (animate or inanimate object of creation) can be cited. All these words are no longer being used to convey the same meaning as they were during that age.
Keeping this in mind, the slokas in this book have not been translated verbatim. Instead, their essential meaning has been given, following the current manner of speech. In the case of the slokas whose background may not seem to be clear by such a rendering, I have commented upon the context.
While writing this commentary, I have always been convinced about my father’s statement that ‘it is extremely difficult to understand the essence of the Gita’. Nonetheless, whatever I have been able to understand, I am dedicating it to his sacred memory.
DAYANAND VERMA W-21, GREATER KAILASH, PART-I NEW DELHI - 110048
Mahabharata and the Gita
Gita is part of the great Indian epic — Mahabharata. Hence, it is necessary to understand the significance of some of the events that occur in the epic so that we can understand why and under what circumstances the sermon of Gita had been preached.
Some Major Incidents in the Mahabharata
In ancient times, Hastinapur was the capital of the Kuru Empire. It is a small town near present day Meerut, east of Delhi.
After several generations, Devavrata, son of Shantanu, was born and was the heir apparent of the empire. He took a vow to remain celibate and gave up his claim to the Kuru throne in favour of the progeny of his stepmother — Satyavati. Due to his difficult but irrevocable vow, he is well known as Bheeshma. Hence, even while he was alive, the throne of the Kuru Empire went to Satyavati’s son Vichitraveerya.
Vichitraveerya had two queens — Ambika and Ambalika. Neither of the queens bore any child for him for a long time, Dhritarashtra was born to Ambika and Pandu to Ambalika through niyoga (sexual intercourse) with Sage Vyasa.
Dhritarashtra was elder of the two, but being born sightless, he was considered unsuitable to handle the affairs of the state and his younger brother Pandu succeeded the throne of Hastinapur after his father’s death.
Pandu’s eldest son was Yudhishthira and Duryodhana was the eldest son of Dhritarashtra. After Pandu’s untimely death, Yudhishthira was entitled to the throne of Hastinapur, but as he was underage at the time, Dhritarashtra, his uncle, took over the kingdom, in the interim.
Dhritarashtra was a ceremonial king because Duryodhana always interfered in affairs of the state. He was constantly anxious that Yudhishthira will takeover the throne, and he would lose all his authority. Hence, he conspired again and again to eliminate the Pandavas. But every time, the Pandavas emerged safe and unhurt. In the meantime, the five Pandavas also got married to Princess Draupadi of the Panchal.
Hastinapur Kingdom
When the claims of the sons of Dhritarashtra and Pandu became more insistent and no compromise was in sight, it was decided that the kingdom of Hastinapur had to be divided. The Pandavas built the city of Indraprastha in the territory that was given to Yudhishthira. While th