[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]
Flaws in BG as it is?
I SEEM to discovered two "flaws" in the "Bhavad Gita -as it is" by
Srila Prabhupada. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
FIRST "FLAW"-----
Chapter 7, 18th sloka.
udarah sarva evaite
jnani tv atmaiva me matam
asthitah sa hi yuktatma
mam evanuttamam gatim
WORD FOR WORD
udarah--magnanimous; sarve--all; eva--certainly; ete--these; jnani--one who is in knowledge;
tu--but; atma eva- just like Myself; me--My; matam--opinion; asthitah--situated; sah--he;
hi--certainly; yukta-atma--engaged in devotional service; mam--in Me; eva--certainly;
anuttamam--the highest; gatim--destination.
TRANSLATION
All these devotees are undoubtedly magnanimous souls, but he who is situated in knowledge of
Me I consider to be just like My own self. Being engaged in My transcendental service, he is
sure to attain Me, the highest and most perfect goal.
PURPORT
It is not that devotees who are less complete in knowledge are not dear to the Lord. The Lord says
that all are magnanimous because anyone who comes to the Lord for any purpose is called a
mahatma, or great soul. The devotees who want some benefit out of devotional service are accepted
by the Lord because there is an exchange of affection. Out of affection they ask the Lord for some
material benefit, and when they get it they become so satisfied that they also advance in devotional
service. But the devotee in full knowledge is considered to be very dear to the Lord because his only
purpose is to serve the Supreme Lord with love and devotion. Such a devotee cannot live a second
without contacting or serving the Supreme Lord. Similarly, the Supreme Lord is very fond of His
devotee and cannot be separated from him.
Doesn't Krishna say "MY VERY SELF" instead of "JUST LIKE ME" ?
"ATMA EVA" = "ONLY [MY] SELF". The entire meaning changes that way!
In Swami Chidbhavananda's translation, it says-
(7.18)-
Udarah noble; sarve all; eva surely; ete these; jnani wise; tu but;atma self;
eva very; me my;matam opinion; asthitah is established;sah he; hi verily;
yuktatama steadfast minded;maam me;eva verily;anuttamam the supreme;
gatim goal;
" Noble indeed are all these; but the wise man, I deem to be My very Self.
For steadfast in mind,he is established in Me alone as the supreme goal."
-------------------------------------------
SECOND FLAW------
In Chapter 11 of the "BG as it is", the slokas from 48 onwards are---
48-
O best of the Kuru warriors, no one before you has ever seen this universal form
of Mine, for neither by studying the Vedas, nor by performing sacrifices,
nor by charity, nor by pious activities, nor by severe penances can I be seen
in this form in the material world.
49-
You have been perturbed and bewildered by seeing this horrible feature of Mine.
Now let it be finished. My devotee, be free again from all disturbances.
With a peaceful mind you can now see the form you desire.
50-
Sanjaya said to Dhrtarastra: The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna,
having spoken thus to Arjuna, displayed His real four-armed form and at last
showed His two-armed form, thus encouraging the fearful Arjuna.
51-
When Arjuna thus saw Krsna in His original form, he said: O Janardana,
seeing this humanlike form, so very beautiful, I am now composed in mind,
and I am restored to my original nature.
52-
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: My dear Arjuna, this form of Mine you
are now seeing is very difficult to behold. Even the demigods are ever seeking
the opportunity to see this form, which is so dear.
Till here, things are fine. Note the "form you are now seeing" .
Okay, now comes the 53rd verse...
TEXT 53
naham vedair na tapasa
na danena na cejyaya
sakya evam-vidho drastum
drstavan asi mam yatha
WORD FOR WORD
na--never; aham--I; vedaih--by study of the Vedas; na--never; tapasa--by serious
penances; na--never; danena--by charity; na--never; ca--also;
ijyaya--by worship; sakyah--it is possible; evam-vidhah--like this;
drastum--to see; drstavan--seeing; asi--you are; mam--Me; yatha--as.
TRANSLATION
The form you are seeing with your transcendental eyes cannot be understood
simply by studying the Vedas, nor by undergoing serious penances, nor by
charity, nor by worship. It is not by these means that one can see Me as I am.
Things are fine except for the "one can see Me as I am". It should be,
"The way you are seeing me now". Is this the two-handed form or the
Universal form? Whatever it is, we'll take it as "this form".
In the next verse,
TEXT 54
bhaktya tv ananyaya sakya
aham evam-vidho 'rjuna
jnatum drastum ca tattvena
pravestum ca parantapa
WORD FOR WORD
bhaktya--by devotional service; tu--but; ananyaya--without being mixed with
fruitive activities or speculative knowledge; sakyah--possible; aham--I;
evam-vidhah--like this; arjuna--O Arjuna;jnatum--to know; drastum--to see;
ca--and; tattvena--in fact; pravestum--to enter into;
ca--also; parantapa--O mighty-armed one.
TRANSLATION
My dear Arjuna, only by undivided devotional service can I be understood as I
am, standing before you, and can thus be seen directly. Only in this way can
you enter into the mysteries of My understanding.
PURPORT
Krsna can be understood only by the process of undivided devotional service.
He explicitly explains this in this verse so that unauthorized commentators,
who try to understand Bhagavad-gita by the speculative process, will know that
they are simply wasting their time. No one can understand Krsna
or how He came from parents in a four-handed form and at once changed Himself
into a two-handed form. These things are very difficult to understand by study
of the Vedas or by...
WHERE DOES KRISHNA SAY "ONLY"??? That word seems to have been added.
Only with the word 'only' does the PURPORT hold. Otherwise, the purport
is invalid. I'll be more clear and write my crib like so-
Krishna says that He cannot be seen in "this form"
by Vedas, Tapas,et.al. The words "this form" indicates that there are other
forms of viewing Krishna. For instance, the Vedas,Tapas,etc. might reveal
another aspect of Krishna that may not be revealed by devotion alone.
"FLAW" : Krishna NEVER says that He can be understood "ONLY" by the process
of devotion. What He says is that He can be seen in "this form" ONLY(!) by
devotion.
Listen to the translation of the verses 53 and 54 by Swami Chidbhavananda-
53 -
Na not;aham I; vedaih by the Vedas;Na not;tapasa by austrity;na not;
danena by gift; ca and; ijyaya by sacrifice; sakyah (am) possible;
evam vidhah like this; drastum to be seen; drstavanasi (thou) hast seen;
maam me; yatha as.
"Neither by Vedas, nor by austerity, nor by gift,nor by sacrifice can I be
seen in this form as you have seen Me."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
54-
ananyaya single-minded; sakyah (am) possible; aham I; evam vidhah of this form;
Arjuna Arjuna; jnatum to be known;drastum to be seen; ca and;
tattvena in reality; pravestum to be entered into; ca and;
parantapa O scorcher of thy foes.
"But by unswerving devotion can I, of this form, be known and seen in
^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^
reality and also entered into, O scorcher of foes."
^^^^^^^
Swami Chidbhavananda's purport : Ananya Bhakti is unswerving devotion.
In this state, the sadhaka recognises nothing but Iswara. He makes over
his entire being to the Lord. All that he contacts through the senses
and the intellect is He. Whatever he does is the Lord's activity...
"MY" PURPORT : Krishna can be seen in "this form" , known, seen in reality
and entered into by devotional service.
He can be known in "another form", known,seen and entered into
by Jnana(knowledge). This SEEMS to be a plausible way of
interpretation since Krishna himself says in the 7th chapter,
18th Sloka...(please see the 'first "flaw"')
-------------------------------------------
Sincerely,
Kartik
