Bhagavad Gita /discussion, thoughts

[atanu]

Can we please put ourselves in Arjuna's position and then analyse?

He is already in dire straits and has certain responsibilities, and conflicts thereof are paralysing him.

I was once in a bitter family dilemma. I was stuck between two females. I was in terrific trouble. I disclosed my trouble to a so called religious friend who gave me such a moral cold shoulder that it was worse than the main problem. I say that this kind of idealistic moralising is at best a christian attitude......and certainly not in the spirit of Gita.

This is my view. YMMV.

 

[DreadFish]

Can we please put ourselves in Arjuna's position and then analyse?

He is already in dire straits and has certain responsibilities, and conflicts thereof are paralysing him.

I was once in a bitter family dilemma. I was stuck between two females. I was in terrific trouble. I disclosed my trouble to a so called religious friend who gave me such a moral cold shoulder that it was worse than the main problem. I say that this kind of idealistic moralising is at best a christian attitude......and certainly not in the spirit of Gita.

This is my view. YMMV.

I think this provides a good perspective.

 

[LuisDantas]

Can we please put ourselves in Arjuna's position and then analyse?

He is already in dire straits and has certain responsibilities, and conflicts thereof are paralysing him.

I was once in a bitter family dilemma. I was stuck between two females. I was in terrific trouble. I disclosed my trouble to a so called religious friend who gave me such a moral cold shoulder that it was worse than the main problem. I say that this kind of idealistic moralising is at best a christian attitude......and certainly not in the spirit of Gita.

This is my view. YMMV.

Fair point indeed. It will be an interesting challenge to consider how best to express it.

 

[Jainarayan]

My anti-virus totally wigged out when I clicked that link. It said it blocked a virus, but it's probably just being polite and not saying what it thinks of Prabhupada's interpretation

I don't doubt it. I can't get Tapasyananda's version, which I like, on my computer at work. It's blocked by the network's anti-virus/anti-surf software.

 

[Madhuri]

Has anybody read Maharishi's version? My dad has been reading it and absolutely loves it. He has read many versions and this is his favourite (apparently a very balanced approach).

 

[Willamena]

Can we please put ourselves in Arjuna's position and then analyse?

He is already in dire straits and has certain responsibilities, and conflicts thereof are paralysing him.

I was once in a bitter family dilemma. I was stuck between two females. I was in terrific trouble. I disclosed my trouble to a so called religious friend who gave me such a moral cold shoulder that it was worse than the main problem. I say that this kind of idealistic moralising is at best a christian attitude......and certainly not in the spirit of Gita.

This is my view. YMMV.

Yes. The story is about Arjuna.

Moralizing about what lesson the story imparts misses the point if the story.

 

[Jainarayan]

Has anybody read Maharishi's version? My dad has been reading it and absolutely loves it. He has read many versions and this is his favourite (apparently a very balanced approach).

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi? I'll have to look for it. I have Eknath Easwaran's, but I haven't read that yet either. Paramahansa Yogananda has a version that is selected portions with commentary.

 

[LuisDantas]

Yes. The story is about Arjuna.

Moralizing about what lesson the story imparts misses the point if the story.

Except that if we are taking the story as scripture the moralizing is the point.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi? I'll have to look for it. I have Eknath Easwaran's, but I haven't read that yet either. Paramahansa Yogananda has a version that is selected portions with commentary.

And right here we have the true strength of Hinduism. Not so much its scriptures as its approach to them. Questioning and commentary are of paramount importance.

Sometimes I wonder what it must be like for a thriving Hindu community to deal with the Muslim mindset. India must have some very difficult situations.

 

[Willamena]

Except that if we are taking the story as scripture the moralizing is the point.

It doesn't have to be.

 

[Jainarayan]

And right here we have the true strength of Hinduism. Not so much its scriptures as its approach to them. Questioning and commentary are of paramount importance.

This is a strength of Judaism too, and I daresay Buddhism.

Sometimes I wonder what it must be like for a thriving Hindu community to deal with the Muslim mindset. India must have some very difficult situations.

Indeed, and then we have Christianity in India. This is not meant as a slam against Islam and Christianity, at their hearts they have great beauty, but they are pretty much fossilized. That is, set and not open to mainstream debate or interpretation. Not to mention proselytization, something Hindus, Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs do not do. In fact, out of all the world's religions I can think of, only Islam and Christianity proselytize.

 

[ratikala]

namaskaram jainarayan ji

I view Prabhupada's interpretations and purports as very narrow, if not downright odd.

whilst I would agree that Srila Prabhupada inturpretations and purports may not be to everyones liking , but I would hardly conscider them ''narrow'' or ''odd'',....It took me years of reading to fully understand and appreciate his mood , however what prehaps some fail to appreciate is that srila Prabhupada is a true devotees guru not a lay teacher , and like all good gurus he does not spare his punches in other words he is brutaly honest and to the point .

prehaps for some that want a gentler approach his inturpretations and purports are too direct , but for this reason there are different renditions of the gita some treating it ia a poetic work, and others as as does Prabhupada as a divinely revealed treatise on Dharma and Karma .
we may take our pick as to which version we favour and which one suits our level of devotion but it is prehaps unwise to dismiss the service of any servant of the lord.

it is also worth to bear in mind that much of his rendition will depend upon his gurus instructions , his methods of teaching and the mind set srila Prabhupada met within devotees when he first embarked upon giving his purports .

 

[Jainarayan]

That's why I said "I view..." meaning in relation to others I've read, and my understanding of the dharma. Everything in context.

 

[raw_thought]

Prabhupada's interpretation is too literal and misses the metaphorical spiritual message of the BG. The spiritual message of the BG is Atman = Brahman.* The story of Arjuna should be seen philosophically/spiritually and not literally.
See http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/philosophy/164027-norse-roman-philosophy.html#post3796489
* In other words our individuality is an illusion and ultimate reality is the only reality.

 

[raw_thought]

I do not care about the mundane literal message. The literal is mere signifier!
Signifier and Signified
Since signifier/signified's connection is arbitrary, I am currently into Zen.
'Zen is the unsymbolization of the world.'
R. H. Blyth

 

[Desert Snake]

Prabhupada's interpretation is too literal and misses the metaphorical spiritual message of the BG. The spiritual message of the BG is Atman = Brahman.* The story of Arjuna should be seen philosophically/spiritually and not literally.
See http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/philosophy/164027-norse-roman-philosophy.html#post3796489
* In other words our individuality is an illusion and ultimate reality is the only reality.

Eh..where's the 'message'? What the heck does "ultimate reality" mean?

 

[Desert Snake]

Prabhupada's interpretation is too literal and misses the metaphorical spiritual message of the BG. The spiritual message of the BG is Atman = Brahman.* The story of Arjuna should be seen philosophically/spiritually and not literally.
See http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/philosophy/164027-norse-roman-philosophy.html#post3796489
* In other words our individuality is an illusion and ultimate reality is the only reality.

That's not a spiritual message, that's pantheistic reasoning which allows oneself to call oneself a 'god'.

I don't think people are gods.
If, that were the message, then asking for devotion to the gods/demigods makes no sense.

 

[raw_thought]

This should answer your questions
Atman & Brahman
And yes, there are less sophisticated Hindus that treat their religion as worshiping an authority figure. However, devotions are honoring the divine within.
The search for God within is spiritual. It is not about ego ( individualism). Realizing that deep down all is God is not about having the ego thrill of throwing thunderbolts. Spirituality is not anthropomorphic.

 

[Desert Snake]

This should answer your questions
Atman & Brahman

Nah, I don't do links. You can't argue links.

 

[Poeticus]

Prabhupada's interpretation is too literal and misses the metaphorical spiritual message of the BG. The spiritual message of the BG is Atman = Brahman.* The story of Arjuna should be seen philosophically/spiritually and not literally.

As per Hindu tradition:

The translation of various scriptures follows differing approaches. For example:

adhyatmika (spiritual interpretation)
adhiyajna (ritualistic interpretation)
aitihasika (specific tradition/sect-related)

In other words, there is no overriding, correct translation of any scripture in
the Hindu conglomeration, including the Bhagavad Gita. To suggest otherwise
is intellectually careless. Plus, even the mere suggestion of one translation
being more correct is unheard of in the Dharmic tradition & its related paradigms.​

 

[raw_thought]

Explain. Are you saying that Brahman is Atman is not part of Hindu philosophy?