The Beautiful Bhagavad Gita

Originally posted by Anna Knockee

Originally posted by gazerstar
Thanks, Skyfloating. I love reading this kind of stuff. I have New Age and 'Old' Age texts around here everywhere, but I don't have that one. I'll look for it on Amazon tonight.

I find A Course in Miracles does a better job of answering why "God" would create a Universe that has so much separation, pain, war, death, disease, etc.

Thanks! I'll try to find that one too.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/48cab2b595eb.jpg[/atsimg]

These ancient books are nowdays hijacked and repackaged as something else and sold for steep prices as new-agey books and workshops.

Those unfamiliar with the originals will go on about how unique and fantastic some new book is even when its only an obvious derivation of the Bhagavad Gita, the Tao Te Ching or some other classic.

Originally posted by bvproductions
As a researcher of many religions, I am a huge fan of this book.

Me too. Im not a religious person, but I recognize good literature when I see it

Originally posted by Solasis
I'm working on reading it right now. Only through the first two chapters, haven't had the focus for the third yet, but it is quite beautiful. I don't think I actually believe in it, but it's full of good thoughts.

It does require very slow reading. One verse is enough to contemplate on the whole day. Reading an entire chapter on a day would be too much for me.

Originally posted by Anna Knockee
I find A Course in Miracles does a better job

I think ACIM is mediocre new-age tripe (except for a few exercises of the workbook).

of answering why "God" would create a Universe that has so much separation, pain, war, death, disease, etc.

As the Gita explains suffering is not inherent in the Universe but in the souls choice to incarnate into a realm of contrast, as a sort of training-grounds / adventure-game. As mental resistance / anger is relaxed, suffering lessens.

Hi,

Thanks for informing me of this great work.

I'm in the uk, and have looked an amazon uk to find a copy, but there are many - which should I choose do you think?

Thank you so much

reply to post by Skyfloating


Ahh, philo-sophia (tr: the love of knowledge) is alive In well with those verses. They 'ring' true for a Reason and are timeless as our actions.

Most 'reli-gions' (rely on gentry of one's region) speak of self-evident 'common truths' and themes though I don't believe the Creator/Divinity has use for an 'official' name for the Truth. It Is and is becoming. ISMs just don't apply and never have.


[edit on 25-2-2010 by Perseus Apex]

Thanks for posting. Here are some of my favorite quotes from the Bhagavad Gita

"Act, without attachment to the fruit of action, nor hesitating to act."

"There was never a time when you, me, or these kings have not existed, therefore fight, Arjuna."

"Death is inevitable for the living. Life is inevitable for the dead."

"Your grieving words are sincere, Arjuna, but they have no cause, for the wise grieve not for the living or the dead."

"Win and conquer the earth, lose and inherit heaven. Therefore, fight Arjuna."

"Action is constant. Everything performs action at all times of its life cycle. Therefore do not hesitate to act."

(and my favorite, only because it is one of the few "dark" moments of the Gita):

"I am Time, destroyer of Worlds."

Awesome quotes, thanks!

In fact I think the vedic writings are sacred lore. They are at the base of religion on this planet.

The thing to remember about the Bhagavad Gita is that most of the ones you find are translated by the Krishna Consciousness people and as such push their viewpoint and agenda which is not exactly mainstream Hinduism and as such is rather one dimensional. If you can look around for another translation...you will be richly awarded if you do.

im not even religious i take science and maths over faith and religion any day...but some of these quotes relate to me or my thoughts very well.

Delusion arises from anger. The mind is bewildered by delusion. Reasoning is destroyed when the mind is bewildered. One falls down when reasoning is destroyed.

i sometimes suffer from this. sometimes i find myself getting angry in an argument...because of this i stop thinkin properly to my full potential and my reasoning and arguments become flawed...and because of this i lose the argument and end up lookin very small

Consciousness is eternal it is not vanquished with the destruction of the temporary body

i like to believe there is something after death...i dont know what...but i like to think that that thing that makes every single human being different..doesnt die when the body dies.

Unnatural work produces too much stress.

im sure that humans were never really meant to sit in offices 9 hours a day...clean toilets, answer phones, serve people food etc etc...i for one get stressed out with the thought of going to work each morning.

When the senses contact sense objects, a person experiences cold or heat, pleasure or pain. These experiences are fleeting they come and go. Bear them patiently.

this is very good advice i wish i could follow myself...every feelin you experience comes to an end sooner or later...you burn your hand on the iron? the pain wont last...you forget to wear a coat to go to the shops? you'l warm up later. you lose someone you love? might take a while but you get over it...unfortunately i never think about this when it happens to me.

Neither in this world nor elsewhere is there any happiness in store for him who always doubts.

pessimism often puts me in a bad mood.

I would like to know if this would be the book and translation I am looking for or if there is another suggestion .

Bhagavad-Gita
Upanishads
Translated by Kashinath Trimbak Telang

I found it for free download here :

www.4shared.com...

Could I get an honest opinion on this .

I was also able to find The Song Celestial :

www.4shared.com...

Translation by Sir Edwin Arnold

Thanks for this thread. S&F.

Read the Bhagavad Gita years ago, lost my copy, forgot about it. You've moved me to reread it. ...As I recall, the main criticism about the Bhagavad Gita was that it is Hindi, and so, rationalizes the caste system and other social injustices.

Still, it IS a beautiful work, and wise.

Thanks again.


ed to add.


Re: Your observation that New Age crud is just a simplification and repackaging of old works and wisdom. Uh huh. Over-simplified and often, misinterpreted, misapprehended.

...But at least such 'alien' ideas are being brought into the Western mainstream - and might motivate some to look further.



[edit on 25-2-2010 by soficrow]

Thank you for posting this. It is not only enlightening but fantastic advice and a nice benediction to start the day. There is nothing in what you said that could offend a Christian or a Moslem. I think the problem with the two is that we associate Hinduism with worshiping idols, which just logically has to be offensive to God. I don't claim to know what God might find offensive, but the Bible insists that idol worship is.But without idol-worship it is really a glorious religion.Anything that glorifies God has to be good. I think the Sikhs rejected Idol-worship although they revere things to do with the Gurus, but not like worship. Some people see the statues in Catholicism as idols. Some Moslems reject any and all pictures of anything except gourds and seeds and Arabic handwriting.
.


[edit on 25-2-2010 by m khan]

Try here as well:

World Public Library

There is a tremendous wealth of PDF books in their archive once you register for a account. Cost is $8.95/ year but well worth it. And no, I'm not advertising. Just passing along a GREAT source. All downloadable in PDF format.

Sky,
Glad to see another post of yours, this is one of my favorite passages.

"Thou hast power only to act not over the result thereof. Act thou therefore without prospect of the result and without succcumbing to inaction"

I do have a couple of questions:

The deities depicted in the artwork show blue skin color, I read that it implies the early Hindu gods had a copper based circulatory system versus homo sapiens that are iron based and knowledge about that ?

My study of ancient martial arts disipline led me to Buddahism, I learned that tents of Buddahism were derived from Hinduism..and many early Buddahist temples depict Buddah with bluish tint skin and facial features that look more "Indian" than Asian. Any insight into this?

Originally posted by captaintyinknots
Coincidentally, I just started reading it yesterday.

Thanks for this thread. Everyone should read the Bhagavad Gita.

Oh My goodness? I just was looking this up "out of the blue" for no reason other then I was originally looking up Krishna! Talk about coincidence?

Thank you to the OP!! I was looking to read this.

reply to post by Skyfloating


"As the Gita explains suffering is not inherent in the Universe but in the souls choice to incarnate into a realm of contrast, as a sort of training-grounds / adventure-game. As mental resistance / anger is relaxed, suffering lessens."

When I first heard this many years ago it drove me from reading the book for a long time... As truth haunted me those words came back to my consicence time and time again...30 years later...I know its the truth and it was gotten through great exspense.
This world is nothing but a finishing school... for some spirits who need attachment to flesh to really understand the more esoteric teaching of G-D..(which ever one you claim. ) As it seems there is free will in heaven as on earth ...



[edit on 25-2-2010 by jbmitch]

"
In fact I think the vedic writings are sacred lore. They are at the base of religion on this planet. "

the basis of my last question...the stories of the "Gita" I believe they are just as real as the records of ancient Sumeria .. you have any hint as to which culture (Vedic) predates the other (Smerian)?