Re: Is there a way to read the Gita????
Originally Posted by
Forest0spirit555
Namaste,
I hope that my questions don't seem overly simple or what not.
I am rather new to Hinduism and was advised to try reading the Gita. I love literature and was very willing. I am currently reading a translated version of the Bhagavad Gita and was finding it enjoyable both as a story and a religious text. Yet coming from a Christian background I have been "trained" to read scripture as though you are searching for a much deeper meaning than what is directly being said. In other words seeing through the parables. I know that all religious texts have some sort of message behind the examples that they give but should I be straining myself to try and find deeper meaning in what apparently is self-explanatory or easily understood in the Gita?
Thank you for your time. Hope this doesn't seem irrelevant or stupid.
God be with you.
Namaste,
I think it is important when reading any book, to read with the purpose of understanding what the author/speakers were trying to say. This can become problematic when running up against statements which, due to poetic license, may seem convoluted or unclear by our current standards of thinking. Or when statements make reference to commonly understood concepts which are not so commonly understood by people of today. Because of such limitations, it is important to read with the help of a qualified commentary, specifically someone who is dedicated to research of the subject matter and putting it into practice.
Without a good commentary that can invoke the context of other scriptures (i.e. the Upanishads) to paint a clear and consistent picture, it will be difficult to come to a good understanding.
Below, I've provided a few sample links to commentaries spanning a variety of Vedantic traditions that might be helpful.
http://www.amazon.com/Bhagavad-Samka.../dp/8171202691
http://www.amazon.com/Sri-Ramanuja-G...9528685&sr=1-6
http://www.amazon.com/Bhagavadgita-M...hu-rd_add_1_dp
http://www.amazon.com/Philosophy-Bha...9528715&sr=1-2
http://www.exoticindia.com/book/deta...sition-NAC418/
http://www.amazon.com/Bhagavad-Gita-...5&sr=1-3-fkmr0
The last link is the ISKCON translation. This one has the advantage of being written for a non-Hindu audience, and thus you might find it easier to read than the others in order to get a sense of the different concepts involved. However, bear in mind that any translation you read will reflect the inherent biases of its translator. There is nothing wrong with that, provided that the translator does a good job supporting his interpretation with evidence. Be prepared to see very different opinions on some key verses, and don't be afraid to review each of them in full.
What I would suggest is to start with one Gita commentary, read from beginning to end a chapter at a time. Read the verses in any given chapter, then the verses + their commentary, and then the verses again before moving on to the next chapter. Take notes as you read. Make a schedule where you do this every day - preferably in the early morning time after bathing and before breakfast. Avoid eating meat or drinking intoxicating substances (i.e. alcohol), as these have deleterious effects on one's body and one's spiritual consciousness. Above all, don't hesitate to ask questions.
best wishes,
Philosoraptor
"Wise men speak because they have something to say. Fools speak because they have to say something." - Plato
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