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Re: ISKCON : help define these terms
> > I never said I was a sanskrit scholar.
> And this is why I find it astonishing that you are
> quite confident about criticizing the work of those
> who are
I can give you my necessary credentials: I've studied 6 years of sanskrit and 12
years of English. Of course, Prabhupada might have studied MUCH more than I :-)
I have already asked the following question, but have not received a good reply:
I SEEM to have discovered a "flaw" in the "Bhagavad Gita -as it is" by
Srila Prabhupada. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
"FLAW"
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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 MY OWN SELF" ?
"ATMA EVA" = "ONLY [MY] SELF".
Another question : which sanskrit word is translated as "attain"? At least, how
does the meaning "is sure to attain Me" come out from the translation?
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."
> > this paramparaa thing goes see my response below.
> >
> Evidently, you consider this a minor detail.
N.B: I criticised the sanskrit translation, and not the philosophy behind it :-)
> -m
>
-Kartik
