The Bhagavad-gita is India’s most concise expression of the perennial philosophy. Speaking directly to the soul, it pinpoints the cause of all suffering—material attachment—and offers a remedy to this common human malady: the paths of right livelihood, mystic insight, devotion, and ultimately unconditional love. In this edition, Swami B.V. Tripurari comments on the Gita’s philosophy in contemporary language, making it both traditional and contemporary at once. Replete with original Devanagari script, word for word transliteration, and English translation of the text, Swami Tripurari’s commentary brings to light the spiritual emotion of Krsna and Arjuna as they discuss the nature of enlightened life. A timeless text of inspired verse turns nearly narrative, gripping the reader in the story of the Gita, one that sheds light on its esoteric significance by way of explaining it in the context of Krsna’s entire divine life.
“The most arresting new Gita to cross my desk in the past year…a kind of postgraduate course in the cultural, metaphysical, and spiritual teachings inherent in this ancient treasure.”
Phil Catalfo, Yoga Journal
“This Gita is also unique in that its verse-by-verse commentary draws on other Hindu literature to more fully explore the characters of Arjuna and Krishna, as well as the relationship between them. This determination to study the Gita in the larger context of Hindu devotional writing distinguishes Swami Tripurari’s edition from the rest of the pack.”
Publishers Weekly
“This book’s focus and unique organization promise an in-depth journey into the pivotal Hindu text and offer the interested reader a new perspective.”
Bloomsbury Review
Comments
8 Responses
08.19.2010
Dear Swami Tripurari:
Accept my obeisance to your lotus feet.
Let me thank you for this wonderful service to comment on our beloved Bhagavad-gita. At the same time, let me ask this question:
In chapter 6, verse 1, last paragraph, there is this note:
“1. In the bhakti school of the Gaudiyas, dhyana is one of the fivefold aspects of smaranam (remembrance)”.
Please, Can you tell me, which are the other four aspects of smaranam?
Thank you for your attention to answer me.
I remain as yours servant:
gangamata g
gangamanta g,
Sri Jiva Goswami has subdivided smaranam into five developmental stages: general smaranam, dharana, dhyana, drhuvanusmriti, and samadhi. He also speaks of various types of smaranam in an order of progression from nama smaranam, to rupa smarnam, to guna smaranam, and ultimately lila smarnam. As there are various stages as well as types of smaranam, there are stages of eligibility for engaging in smaranam corresponding with its various stages and varieties.
You can also read more about samranam here: http://swamitripurari.com/2009/09/smaranam/
Dear Swami Tripurari:
Wanted to thank you very much for such a beautiful response and article “Smaranam”. I am deeply happy in my studies of BG, philosophy and feeling.
Please accept my obeisance to your lotus feet.
gangamata g
All glories to Sri Sri Guru and Gauranga!
My reverences at your lotus feet, my dear Swami Tripurari,
At this moment I have the great fortune to, according my possibility, be studying your beautiful and nectarean Bhagavad Gita, which came to me like an incomparably magnificent gift. I am reading both this one of yours and the one of our dear Srila Prabhupada.
In these studies appeared something, which I need to have explained, so I come to you.
I resume your comment on vers 26, 27, chapter 8:
“The jñana-yogis, who know Brahman, take the path of light and attain Brahman and do not return. The karma-yogis, who still have material desires, take the dark path and return, remaining in samsara.”
However, Srila Prabhupada says that an impersonalist attains Brahman with the desire of merging with the Supreme or becoming one with God, but that this dwelling is temporal, because sooner or later by nature, he will long for love and again return to this material world.
How can we harmonize these answers?
I would be very grateful if you can help me with your wisdom.
May Krishna bless you.
Aspiring to serve with great affection and admiration,
gangamata g
Taíba, Fortaleza, Brasil.
This is the verse Prabhupada often cites regarding falling from Brahman,
ye ‘nye ‘ravindaksa vimukta-maninas
tvayy asta-bhavad avisuddha-buddhayah
aruhya krcchrena param padam tatah
patanty adho ‘nadrta-yusmad-anghrayah
“O lotus-eyed Lord! Those who proudly think that they are liberated but do not render devotional service unto you certainly have impure intelligence. Although they perform severe austerities and penance, and rise up to a high spiritual position, they fall down again because they have no respect for devotional service to your lotus feet. (SB 10.2.32-33/ Srila Prabhupda’s translation.)
This verse speaks of those who think they are liberated and do not render devotional service. Their attainment—“a higher spiritual position”— does not speak explicitly of sayujya-mukti, or impersonal Brahman realization. But even if we take it to be speaking about Brahman realization, its point is that without bhakti there is no possibility of attaining complete liberation in any of its five forms.
Krsnadasa Kaviraja explains this Bhagavatam verse to be referring to jnanis who have no regard for bhakti but have attained jivan mukti, liberation while still within the body. He says they fall down. This means they never attain complete mukti, videha mukti. They fall from an incomplete form of mukti in which prarabdha karma is still operative.
So the idea is that so called liberation attained without bhakti is a fallible position. There are, however, others who engage in bhakti mixed with jnana. They attain their desired form of mukti—Brahman realization—from which there is no return.
Thank you very much Swami Tripurari, for your wonderful response!!!
I continuing my studies of our beautiful BG.
Krsna bless you!!!
your servant
gangamata g
Hare Krsna! SRI SRI GURU GAURANGAU JAYATAHA! Dear Swamiji, please accept my heartfelt dandavat pranamas at your feet. Just wanted to say, thank you very much for making the Gita its feeling and philosophy availabe in pdf. It has really enriched my Gita study experience. This is my fourth reading of the ‘ Bhagavat gita as it is’ and what I do is read and compare with around a dozen other editions, including Srila Narayana Maharaj, Srila Sridhara Majaraj, the 2 bhashya of srila baladeva vidyabhusana and srila visvanath chakravarti thakura by sripad bhanu swami, hindi gita of srila bharati maharaj of sri caitanya gaudiya math, and even some by impersonalists and advaita vada proponents like from chimayananda then gita press and ramakrishnamission and others……. I feel the 13th chapter is one of the most difficult to penetrate, how the kshetrajna is both the jiva, brahman and also referring to the Paramatma! Only our gaudiya vaishnav acharyas have revealed this profound mystery in verses 13.3 and 13.13 to 13.19. And I am delighted to read your purports Swamiji, they really gladden my heart. So thank you for your labor of love.
Dear Maharaja,
please accept my humble obeisances,
all glories to you, dear Maharaja!
I’m a fan of yours. Your Bhagavad Gita is wonderful. I love your great version. You explain everything more clearly than in other Gitas. You are spreading hope, dear Swamiji. And thank you for your compassion with women.
with lots of love
your humble servant,
sirina
Hare Krishna!