Blurb:
The translator provides a blend of literal accuracy and religious insight on the “Bhagavad-Gita”. “Bhagavad-Gita” is universally renowned as the jewel of India’s spiritual wisdom. Spoken by Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to His intimate devotee Arjuna, the “Gita’s” 700 concise verses act as a guide to the science of self-realization. It explores revelations of man’s essential nature, his environment and, ultimately, his relationship with God.
My Review:
It took me 127 days to finish reading “Bhagavad Gita As It Is” from cover to cover.
It offers great preaching and lessons about the moral code of conduct and religion. However, I found some issues with the narration.
“Bhagavad Gita As It Is” doesn’t seem to be true to its name. It delves too much into the purport of a particular idea rather than just sticking to the original version. Based on word meanings and translation, it is clear that the Purport focuses on promoting an agenda rather than sharing the teachings of the Gita.
It also seems like it is written only for men and not for women. The only role of a woman, according to this, is to give birth. While the Sanskrit version doesn’t seem to mention any such distinction between men and women. It is the translation that is too focused on bias. The tone also seems quite degrading for anyone who doesn’t follow what’s written here or belongs to the so-called “lower castes”.
“O son of Pṛthā, those who take shelter in Me, though they be of lower birth—women, vaiśyas [merchants], as well as śūdras [workers]—can approach the supreme destination.”
“Nātimānitā, not expecting honor, applies to the śūdras, the worker class, which are considered, according to Vedic injunctions, to be the lowest of the four classes. They should not be puffed up with unnecessary prestige or honor and should remain in their own status. It is the duty of the śūdras to offer respect to the higher class for the upkeep of the social order.”
I truly believe that Krishna wouldn’t want anyone to be treated with disrespect just because they belong to some other class. He himself loved people from all classes and treated them with utmost respect.
I wanted to read Bhagavad Gita as a personal goal. It’s an achievement for me that I was able to do it, and I learnt some very valuable things as well. However, this is not the translation I would want to come back to.
Suitable for age: 15+