The Bhagavad G!

t" and Its Traditions: A Short Overview for Students

The Bhagavad G!t"1 is considered an instrument of knowledge, of which the philosophers and theologians recognized three as primary: (1) Sense perception, (2) Reason or inference, (3) Authoritative words (!abda). The !abda-pram"#a, or the word as instrument of knowledge, or lingualknowledge is considered the only means by which Brahman (absolute reality) is revealed, it being unknowable by (1) and (2). In addition to Bhagavad G!t", Hindu theologians also recognize the Upani#ads and Ved"nta-S$tra as authoritative scriptures, and some also recognize the Pur"%as and Tantras Bhagavad G!t" is within the Mah"bh"rata, an epic poem about the Pandava dynasty The Narrative Context of the Bhagavad G!t" In Chapter 1 Arjuna, the protagonist, a trained warrior in the Pandava dynasty, provides arguments as to why he should not fight the war which has fallen upon him and his family, and instead retreat to the forest to live as a meditation practitioner and ascetic He has an emotional breakdown considered shameful for someone of his position. He submits to Lord Krishna for instruction about the nature of duty (dharma) and the most beneficial goal for human life (BG 2.7) The text is thus concerned with the nature of duty and religious action, as well as the forsaking of them, desire, the ultimate reality and what ought to be a persons highest aspiration In Chapter 2 Krishna discusses metaphysics, outlining what exists, what only appears to exist, and how God, self and world are interrelated The chapters that follow discuss a variety of yogas, various means of connecting to the divine and disconnecting from matter

Hindus say the BG was spoken by Krishna to Arjuna during a fratricidal war about 5000 years ago at the beginning of the final age (yuga) of a four-part cycle (cf. Ovid, Metamorphoses, Bk 1, Ages of gold, silver, bronze and iron), but BG 4.1 also says the text was originally taught many millions of years ago, and Hindu thinkers share this view. Academic Indologists date the BG between 500200 BC. Charles Wilkins (1785), a merchant in the East India Company, made the first English translation and was the subject of William Blakes painting Bramins; it was this translation that Emerson read and lent to his friends in Boston, Thoreau included.
Jonathan B. Edelmann, Philosophy and Religion

Metaphysics based on S"$khya: There are three things that really exist (BG 7.4-6). All three are eternal, but the first transforms and has impermanence, whereas the second two do not transform and are thus permanent: (1) Matter (prak%ti): 5 gross elements: earth, water, fire, air, space 3 subtle elements: mind, intellect, I-maker (2) Individual self (j&va or "tman) it wrongly thinks itself to be part of (1) for description of self, see BG 2.20 (3) God (bhagav"n) Some Primary Practices (s"dhanas2) discussed in Bhagavad G!t": Karma-yoga (esp. Ch 3): Vedic ritual and fidelity in civic life o religious action expressed through ritual, austerity, scriptural study, conducted in accordance with ones social position (var#a) and stage of life ("!rama), i.e. the individualized injunctions derived from scriptures such as the Vedas, Br"hma%as and Dharma-&"stra3 ! these actions purify the mind, liberating one from embodied life ! these actions must be aimed at liberation from the cycle of birth and death (mok'a)4 o there are two forms of karma-yoga: ! practitioner must perform ones duties without desire for the result (ni'k"ma-karma, BG 2.47 & 6.1),5 ! practitioner must perform ones duties as a dedication to Lord (BG 3.30-31) o one must have knowledge (j"na) of the selfs true nature, liberation and God to perform this yoga (BG 3.39) J"na-yoga (esp. Ch 6): Meditation and the circumscription of action o meditation (dhy"na) on the self, and control of mind and senses (6.13) ! associated with the meditational practices discussed in Patajalis Yoga S$tra o one must give up all attachment or affections (r"ja) and aversions or loathing (dve'a), seeing all as equal (6.8 ff.) o mediation gives perception of the selfs true nature (6.20)

2 3

S"dhana, literally = means to achieve an end Krishnas only discussions of the so-called caste system in the BG (4.13; 18.40-44) does not say anything about birth as a defining feature of ones station in life, rather he says ones activities and personal qualities define it, both of which are malleable. 4 Action based on scriptural injunctions aimed at goals other than liberation (e.g. the enjoyment of paradise-like worlds, the attainment of wealth, etc.) is called k"mya-karma, action motivated by desire. 5 Moral Religion of Kant and Karma Yoga of the G&t", Balbir Gauchhwal, Kant-Studien, 1965, Vol 55, pp.394-309.
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o (a)kara uses the term j"na-yoga to mean a practice aimed at non-dual knowledge, when subject and object elide, a state of pure and undifferentiated awareness, or awareness only ! this is achieved by the forsaking of all works, including familial, social and ritual practices, ty"ga or sanny"sa Bhakti-yoga (esp. Ch 12): Love and Devotion for the Lord o placing full trust in the Lord alone for all things (12.2, 12.8) o a means of attaining a direct vision of the Supreme Being, Krishna (11.52-55) o involves placing the mind on the Lord at all times and in all ways, while worshipping him with love and reverence in a community of other worshippers, while believing the Lord alone will enlighten one (10.8-11) o forsaking of all motives, aspirations, rituals, scriptural injunctions save those that are for devotion to the Lord (18.66)

Jonathan B. Edelmann, Philosophy and Religion

Theologians at work in Bhagavad G!t" commentaries6: Transpersonalism or Non-dualism (Advaita-Ved"nta) of (a)kara *c"rya (9th century) o BG ultimately teachs that all differences (e.g. between world/subject, subject/supreme self, etc.) are a superimposition of the mind, like seeing a rope as a snake o Action (karma) cannot produce non-dual knowledge, which is mans highest aim, so action must be forsaken; the only means of attaining non-dual knowledge is meditation on scriptural teachings o Krishna is Brahman (ultimate reality) covered by material qualities, but the highest reality is devoid of all qualities, names, attributes, forms, etc. o Karma and Bhakti Yoga, as well as personal conceptions of God, are false, but there to inspire those who have yet to attain non-duality Personalism or Qualified Non-dualism (Vi!i'+"dvaita-Ved"nta) of R"m"nuja *c"rya (11th century)7 o BG teaches that devotion for Vishnu s Goddess (r& who have a multiplicity of divine, spiritual embodiments such as Krishna and R"dh", R"ma and S&t", etc. is expressed through the performance of ones duties (dharma, karma, etc.) ! Surrender to Vishnu through duty is the means of liberation o The Supreme Person (Vishnu, who is transcendent and immanent, a panentheistic view), the individual souls and the world are part of a single, pure, and non-dual reality, but this reality has real qualifiers, which give God and soul bodies and personalities in the form of individual attributes o The Krishna of the Bhagavad G!t" is a person (the supreme being who is qualified by real, eternal and diverse properties such as all-knowingness and bliss) is an avat"ra, divine descent

Hindu thinkers are often termed philosophers, but they almost unanimously see themselves as scriptural exegetes, claiming that their worldview is constructed solely from the sacred text. I have argued they are more properly called theologians in Hindu Theology as Churning the Latent, Journal of the American Academy of Religion, February 2013, forthcoming. 7 It is widely believed that R"m"nuja wrote his commentaries with the inspiration of dualistic commentaries by Bh"sakara, who pre-dates (a)kara.
Jonathan B. Edelmann, Philosophy and Religion

Key Texts with Commentaries for Different Schools

KARMA YOGA 2.47: You are entitled to perform karma alone, not to the results of karma at any time. Never let the results of action be your motive; never let your attachment be to nonaction. 3.30: Giving over all your actions to me, with mind focused on the Self, being free from desire and selfishness, fight with grief cast-off. (BG 3.30) R"m"nujas 11th C. commentary from Personalist Perspective [] Be free from feverish concerns that originate in thoughts like, What will become of me, a one with an endless and ancient collection of evil deeds in beginningless time? [Answer:] Perform Karma Yoga with ease for the Supreme Person, who is worshipped by such actions this will free you from the chains of sin. J!NA YOGA 18.55 By Bhakti he knows me, as much as I am in truth. Then, knowing me in truth, he enters me immediately. 'a(karas 9th C. commentary from Non-Duality Perspective By Bhakti he knows me as I am in diverse forms that are differentiated by the produced adjuncts (up"dhi); and he knows me as I am the highest being who is like space ("k"&a) devoid of all differentiated adjuncts, [then] he knows me in truth as non-dual (advaita), in essence as awareness only, timeless, fearless, and endless [] As such, when knowing me in truth, he enters into me immediately upon attaining non-dual knowledge. The word Bhakti refers to J"na, which has the means required for the arising and development of non-dual knowledge of the self, which is free from impediments and rests on a firm convictions due experience of the self. The highest fixity on J"na is said to consist in knowledge of the oneness of the subject (k#etraja) and supreme self (param"tman), culminating in ones own experience and firm conviction of this it is produced by the teachings of the scripture and scripture-teacher. BHAKTI YOGA 18.65 Being mindful of me, with love offered to me, sacrificing for me, act out of reverence for me. Truly you shall come to me this I promise you for you are dearly loved by me. Vi&van"thas 18th century commentary from Personalist Perspective [The Lord Krishna says]: Being mindful of me, i.e. one should contemplate me. The meaning of this is one should not perform meditation on the Lord in the spirit of someone practicing J"na Yoga or A'+")ga Yoga [i.e. thinking of Krishna the way (a)kara does]. Furthermore, being mindful of me has the sense of, give over your own mind me, the Lord (y"masundara, who has a beautiful face like the moon, surround by locks of hair and ornamented with beautiful eyebrows, and whose glance showers one with the sweet ambrosia of
Jonathan B. Edelmann, Philosophy and Religion

compassionate love. The sense of with love offered to me is, give your senses, such as your ability to hear, etc., to me; perform devotions for me using all your senses, e.g. hearing and reciting [scriptures about me and my names], seeing my form as a deity [in the temple], cleaning the temple, picking flowers for me, making flower garlands fans and umbrellas for me. Sacrifice for me means give me ritual objects such as a ghee lamp, incense, flowers and perfumed oils. Act out of reverence for me means fall to the ground, offering me obeisance by touching eight parts of the body to the ground. [Paraphrase of the Lords statement]: Among these four items contemplating, serving, worshiping and respecting do any one and you will attain me: make an offering of your mind, senses, ritual objects or respect, and I tell you in truth, I will give myself to you. Bibliography Srinivasa Chari, S. M. 2005. The philosophy of the Bhagavadg!t": a study based on the evaluation of the commentaries of 'a(kara, R"m"nuja and Madhva. New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers. [Has a bias towards R"m"nuja]

Jonathan B. Edelmann, Philosophy and Religion