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Bhagavad Gita, with Commentary of Sri Sankaracharya

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Although translations by Swami Gambhirananda and Dr. A.G.Krishna Warrier present Shankara's bhasya (commentary) in a contemporary English idiom, yet Alladi Mahadeva Sastry's translation, imho, seems closer to the intent and purpose of the original. It is hard to believe that the first edition of this translation appeared in 1897! It is also amazing to think that the translator completed the translation when he was only 36 years old! It is a wonder of wonders that this book exists.

If you can be willing to put through "thous" and "shalts" of bygone era--and do not mind some theosophical leanings--then this translation can convey the gist of Shankara's commentary in a simple, pure, and unvarnished way. Sastry almost always gets to the essence of the original in the most direct way.

One only has to read Sastry's translation of Shankara's commentary on chapter 6, verse 4 and on chapter 18, verse 50 to realize the profoundity of his work.

Here are some examples by way of highlights:

Therefore, we have only to eliminate what is falsely ascribed to Brahman by avidya ; we have to make no more effort to acquire a knowledge of Brahman as He is quite self-evident. Though thus quite self-evident, easily knowable, quite near, and forming the very Self, Brahman appears--to the unenlightened, to those whose reason (Buddhi) is carried away by the differentiated phenomenon of names and forms created by avidya--as unknown, difficult to know, very remote, as though He were a separate thing. But to those whose reason (Buddhi) has turned away from external phenomena, who have secured the grace of the guru, and attained the serenity of the self (manas), there is nothing else so blissful, so well known, so easily knowable, and quite so near as Brahman. Accordingly, the knowledge of Brahman is said to be immediately comprehended. (Sastry, 1995, p. 487)

When attachment and other passions are purged from the heart, the realization by the Self of its own nature is attained without any effort. (Ibid, p. 503)

O desire, I know where thy root lies. Thou art born of thought. I shall not think of thee, and thou shalt cease to exist as well as thy root." (Shanti Parva, 177-25). And that `whatever actions a man does, all that is the effect of desire itself (Manu-Smrti 2.4) (p. 186)

Whatever forms the object of desire, that he wills; and whatever he wills, that he acts. (p. 186)

When he has learned to habitually renounce all thoughts which give rise to desire for objects of this world and of the next, then he is said to have become a Yoga-arudhah, to be one who is attained to yoga. (p. 186)

For a good translation of Bhagavad Gita in English, i consider Swami Swarupananda's version to be the most useful. This translation was completed in 1903. The wisdom of both of these books seem to grow with the passage of time.

I have almost every translation of this matchless scripture of scriptures in my library, but Sastri's and Swarupanada's are the ones i refer to the most.

If you still insist on a more detailed modern commentary rendered in the light of the teachings of Sri Ramakrishna, the one by Swami Chidbhavananda is very good indeed.

Happy reading.

satinder dhiman

Gita with the comments of Sankara charya gives a lot of insight into lige