¶ … Bhagavad-Gita is a conversation between Lord Krishna and Arjuna, narrated by the Bhisma-Parva of the Mahabharata. It is 18 chapters long, totaling 701 Sanskrit verses. Within these verses is found the basis for the path of spiritual enlightenment. It is highly symbolic and much is left to the interpretation of the reader.
The Bhagavad-Gita was originally written in Sanskrit as early as 200 BC. Since then, there have been many translations written in English and many other languages. Translations are subject to the translator's personal experiences and beliefs. It is difficult to determine which translation would be considered authoritative in light of these differences. Word choice in translation may effect the overall nuance or meaning of the piece. For this reason, many authors have included a commentary on their particular translation of the work. This commentary simply explains their perspective on the piece in order to give the reader a better understanding of their translation. There have been hundreds of commentaries written on the Bhavigdad Gita by many renowned authors and philosophers from many perspectives.
The Bhavagdad-Gita is a work, which reaches across many ages and cultures. It is able to do this because it has an outward story, the story of a civil war and of a master and student. But it also has a much deeper meaning hidden in the symbolism of the text. It is this symbolic meaning that makes it applicable to many persons and situations. This makes it a myth containing archetypal images much the same as the Norse Sagas and Greek Myths. The principles and concepts are many levels deep, which makes this truly a classical work.
As stated before, the Bhavagdad-Gita is 18 Chapters in length. The symbolism contained in those 18 Chapters is much too extensive for the scope of this work. Therefore only the First chapter will be considered. The translator may choose different words of similar meaning for their translation. When taken in the context of a mythological work, this could have an effect on the mythological archetypes presented. This research will involve comparing translations of five commentators of the first chapter of text. The work will be examined to learn if the translation indeed does have an effect on the overall meaning of the work.
A popular translation, first printed in 1938 by T. Subba Row, discusses the evolution of nature as being compared with the progress of a man's spiritual development.
He compared the forces in nature with the forces within in a man, those abilities, which are locked inside him. The cosmos represents the forces that are outside of his control. He mentions seven stages of development. This is source of disagreement among translations, as some report that there are eight stages of development. It would seem as if this is a matter of definition, as the other elements seem to coincide.
Geofrey Wells and Samuel Boothby discuss the absolute principles of society as found in Maharashi's commentary. Maharashi argues that the evolutionary principle is representative of an individual within a society and that the cosmos is representative of the larger society acting on the actions of an individual. The cosmos represents the larger web of society and family and that war and conflict arise from the individual acting outside the prescribed principles set forth by the larger fabric. If individuals think and act inside of natural law, there would be no war.
Both of these commentaries agree in the concept that the earth is representative of a smaller force and that the cosmos is representative of a larger, more structured force. However, Maharashi's concept contains more structure than does Row's model. Row's model views the large force as outside influences on a person's life, but does not give them as much structure as Maharashi. They are representative of a smaller force working inside a larger force. This is a good example of how two different translators and commentaries can view the same symbolism in a different manner.
Sanderson Beck offers a very symbolic representation of the concepts in the Bhavagdad -Gita, but it still has the same thread of the smaller object being represented by earthly symbolism and a larger object as being represented by the cosmos. His interpretation is more spiritual in nature. In his interpretation the earthly objects are represented by man and the cosmos as representative of God. He expands the concept to encompass the idea that man exists within the larger being of God and therefore is a part of God. He also explores the idea that man is a part of the larger fabric that makes up God. Therefore...
Rather than being the reward for one's earthly obedience to God, and therefore a destination in and of itself then, as it is within Islam, Christianity and Judaism; arrival at nirvana and therefore the ceasing of further reincarnations comes from finally reconciling non-attachment in one's present life with personal responsibility in one's present life - as Krishna advises Arjuna to do now, on the eve of this war. Holden further
Dante, Machiavelli, Bhagavad-Gita Epic Ethics The ethics of the epic quest, as expressed in Homer's "Iliad" and "Odyssey," to take just two examples of nationalist and epic heroic sagas, are ultimately justifications of cultural dominance of a particular ruling group and set of values. Although these heroic epics may highlight occasional great moments of individual morality, they ultimately provide support, justification, and legitimating narratives for the dominant, aristocratic form of government of
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