19900211 Talk On Release Kannada Gita by Jayapataka Swami and Bhanu Swami

https://archives.jayapatakaswami.com/courses/306577/lectures/5016083

11/FEB/1990

Lecture Code: 19900211

Kannada Gita release Lecture By

His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja

In Bangalore, Karnataka, India

vande 'ham sri-guroh sri-yuta-pada-kamalam sri-gurun vaisnavams ca

               sri-rupam sagrajatam saha-gana-raghunathanvitam tam sa-jivam

sadvaitam savadhutam parijana-sahitam Kṛṣṇa-caitanya-devam

sri-radha-Kṛṣṇa-padan saha-gana-lalita-sri-visakhanvitams ca

The following is the talk given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami on February 11, 1990 [Not clear 00:30] Kannada Gita release.

His Holiness Jayapataka Swami:

It’s a very great honor for me to be a at this occasion and with the permission of the honorable chief guest, and all the assembled vaishnavas and mothers. I just want to express a few things and the importance of this Bhagavad Gita. Of Course the first thing would be how happy a moment this is for our beloved spiritual master, the founder Acharya of the Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousnesses International.  He said that the most important thing was the dissemination of the transcendental knowledge and the spiritual knowledge, the education for the masters of people to bring that to be able to personally solve all the anxieties and problems of their life’s, to know the goal and purpose of their life, to reestablish the relationship with the Supreme Godhead. All these things are possible with Bhagavad Gita. So this is, I feel a very historical moment because, being here in Karnataka state, “Dahoma Madhvacharya, Dahoma Udupi Kṛṣṇa Balaram”  is the most important situation for ourselves . Since we are coming in the disciplic succession of Guru parampara from Madhvacharya. Sri Chaitanya maha prabhu accepted initiation into the vaishnava sampradaya coming from Sri Madhva and that is disciplic succession is known as Brahma Madhva Gaudiya sampradaya. Although it’s not surprising at the same time that  Bhagavad Gita has been translated in other languages first  because possibility the priority was more in the other languages since the people in Karnataka are very religious in higher one night even question what is the necessity of another translation of Bhagavad Gita in Kannada.  Although I am not sure how many translations there are in Kannada language, but since this Bhagavad Gita is the Bhagavad Gita which has convinced the people all over the world. The Americans, the Europeans, including the Russians, Nepolise, Scandanvians, the Africans, the South Americans, as well as even the Chinese have become convinced of the importance of the Bhagavad Gita and its teachings by reading this translation and commentary. Actually commentary is not used, that word commentary is not used anywhere in this  Bhagavad Gita, it’s Bhagavad Gita As it is, the word Prabhupada is used The author, he explained in that the introduction that when he first went to United States in the year 1966 with the Bhagavatam he was graced with, when he was in Vrindavanam he translated the Srimad Bhagavat pratham skand, the first skanda in to English from Sanskrit. With the Copious Purport. 

At that time the prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, they give a very good welcome to his work. So he has been ordered when he was youth in Gandhiji’s movement, he was ordered by his guru that you should seek to the spiritual oblishment of the people in the western country. They need Indian culture, they need Indian’s wisdom, they need the science of Bhagavad Gita and Srimad Bhagavatam. You are educated, you should preach the English speaking languages. So it took when he was 70 years old, he took up that order and he went by Scindia Steamship ocean crater journeying over 45 days over the Atlantic Ocean to reach to United States where he established the International Society of Kṛṣṇa Consciousnesses and he went in preach to all the different countries traveling about 14 times around the world. 

When he first arrived some people asked him Swamiji , we wanted to read the Bhagavad Gita. Could you recommend a particular version of Bhagavad Gita for us to read? At that time in English there is about 400 commentaries in Bhagavad Gita.  So he said I am very sorry, but most of the versions in fact all that I can think of somewhere other within the discussions within the commentations. The author has put forward his own feel or own idea through the Bhagavad Gita, so it’s difficult for me to recommend one which is a jest giving a very straight forward commentary. So he explained in the introduction, he felt compelled to himself to write a translation of Bhagavad Gita just giving the direct explanation. In other words when Kṛṣṇa says          

 sarva-dharmān parityajya

mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja

ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo

mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

That abandoning  or renounce all other duties and occupational duties and simply surrender on to me, that in the purport he explains this means Kṛṣṇa wants you to surrender on to Him.  He is the direct  without want to change anything just explaining what is the history of that what was have previous Acharyas like Madhva, like Ramanuja, like Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and His followers, what they have taught and from different puranas from Upanishads what are the references of all these instructions. So it's a very direct, very simple explanation. He didn’t write to impose he won’t find any deviation from the original text. Exactly he even put for every Sanskrit word the word for word translation then that translation into English and then the purport. So there was a such a demand that subsequently you hear about statistics so many different languages that had Bhagavad Gita translated about i don’t know the exact statistics but I think It’s somewhere between over 50 or so and the effect is that when someone reads the Bhagavad Gita they feel the same shelter, the same protection that Arjuna felt when he got the instruction from Kṛṣṇa. 

 Arjuna was the bewildered, he didn’t know what to do, he didn’t know what to do at the moment whether he, he should fight or not fight. In fact he decided not to perform his duties because of being so much bewildered, but finally he surrendered to Kṛṣṇa and said now I am your shishya, I am your disciple you kindly teach me what I should do and So here the great student Arjuna, under Supreme Master Kṛṣṇa, Srila Prabhpad he explained to understand Bhagavad Gita that the readers should try to understand from the point of view, that Kṛṣṇa is Bhagavan, he is the Parameshwar whether one believes that or not that may be matter of faith or realization.  But at least one should read the Bhagavad Gita from that point of view. Then the Bhagavad Gita has actual meaning if Kṛṣṇa was ordinary person speaking to his friends then after 5000 odd years why we will be still be concentrating on Bhagavad Gita there are so many novels coming out every day, but Bhagavad Gita is a such a work where the great thinkers of the world whether the Einstein or whether so, or even our Gandhiji, all have got unlimited inspiration from Bhagavad Gita that inspiration is going on unending because Bhagavad Gita is spoken by Bhagavan Uvacha and it is taught by his Partha, Dhanañjaya great devotee so the discussion naturally, who are the most intellectual, spiritual, philosophical level. Arjuna was the most qualified student, a great politician, a great leader, a great moralist, a great spiritualist and all these facts on the other hand Kṛṣṇa. Most of all he was a great devotee and Kṛṣṇa was speaking to his great devotee and friend. So in this way the discussion naturally revealed many many secrets. Kṛṣṇa explained “rāja-vidyā rāja-guhyaṁ pavitram idam uttamam“ 

In the Bhagavad Gita I am giving a great secret, the greatest education. So this has actually created a kind of tidal wave or revolution all over the world. People are now, you will be surprised to know that in Poland, in Russia, previously we could not get so freely imports the books that people publish there.  People were saving one month's salary to purchase Bhagavad Gita. One month's salary! Just to be able to get the Bhagavad Gita.  Now, Since the government has recognized the Kṛṣṇa consciousnesses movement in these countries.  Now we are printing in those countries at a very subsidized rate so that all the people are able to get it. So, in fact just in a month of November over two hundred and fifty thousand Bhagavad Gitas and other literatures were distributed in Russia. People are lining up and to get this work. Therefore we feel that it’s very important for the people of Karnataka to be able to read the Bhagavad Gita in Kannada, and most importantly this is for the youth.  Although the older generation many of them have studied Bhagavad Gita, most of them know it. But you will be surprised, we being in this field.  We always meeting all the people, the coming people, we have to meet everyone so we are meeting the students, and the students are telling us that they are studying science, mathematics, history but Bhagavad Gita they don’t study.  I met many college students and they never touched Bhagavad Gita in their life in India.  They know maths they know so many philosophies but the philosophy of Bhagavad Gita they don’t know.  So all of the parents here I am still looking up and appreciate how important it is that the youth should be able to study the Bhagavad Gita and know that’s early, so this Bhagavad Gita is it in very simple language and with the examples of the 20th century.  With examples that we can relate with now as well as with the ancient examples both.  So here in the land of Kṛṣṇa here in this very sacred place am sure that everyone can agree that, this is the most historical occasion and if everyone can take advantage and try to see that this Bhagavad Gita is given to all of the children in all of the schools and colleges so that they can know and appreciate the great wealth and wisdom of India the great classic of spiritual wisdom The Bhagavad Gita. 

Hare Kṛṣṇa! (Clapping) 

(devotee:) Thank you very much, His Holiness Jayapataka Swami.  Now I request His Holiness Bhanu Swami to kindly read certain quotes about what the scholars all over the world say about Bhagavad Gita As It Is by Srila Prabhupada. 

His Holiness Bhanu Swami:

Of Course there are many scholars, countless scholars around the world, many learned people who have praised His Divine Grace A.C Bhakti Vedanta Swami’s translations, and purports in the english language. So I can only read out a few of these, I selected some prominent scholars from prominent universities who have expressed their opinions of the translation of Bhagavad Gita As It Is in the english language. 

First course is from professor of Sanskrit Dr.Samuel D. Atkins from the Princeton university. Which is a very prominent university in America. So He has said this “I am most impressed with A.C BhaktiVedanta Swami Prabhupada’s scholarly and affirmative edition of Bhagavad Gita. It is most valuable work for the scholar as well as layman and it's a great utility as the reference book as well as a text book. I probably recommend this edition to my students. It is a beautifully done book” and there is, another university in America very famous, Columbia University and there the Dr.Frederick B. Underwood professor of religion has said this. I had the opportunity of examining the several volumes published by the BhaktiVedanta Book trust, and I found them to be of excellent quality and the great value for use in college classes on Indian religions. This is particularly true and BBT edition and translation edition of Bhagavad Gita. In America, Mexico, in Mexico, University of Mexico, Dr.Kailash Vajpai Director of Indian studies center for oriental studies, has said this. As a native of India now living in the west it is given me much grief to see so many of my fellow man coming to the west and in role of Guru’s and spiritual leader for this reason I am very much excited to see the publication of Bhagavad Gita as it is by Sri A.C BhaktiVedanta Swami Prabhupada.  It will help you to stop the terrible cheating of fault and unauthorized gurus and yogis. And will give the opportunity to all people to understand the actual meaning of oriental sculpture and Dr. Salagram Sukla Professor of linguistics department at GeorgeTown university has said it is a deeply felt powerfully compelled and beautifully explained work. I don’t know where to praise the translation of the Bhagavad Gita. It's a daring message of explanations or the endless fertility of his ideas. I have never seen any other work on Bhagavad Gita in such an important voice and style. It will occupy a significant place in the intellectual and ethical life of a modern man. For a long time to come and from the point of view of other religions, Dr.Paul Sue honorary professor of Catholic university of Paris, he has also praised the Bhagavad Gita. I can say that in Bhagavad Gita As It Is I have found the explanations and answers to the questions i have always told regarding the interpretations of the sacred work to spiritual discipline I greatly advise.

Transcribed By: Sravanti Eamani

Transcribed On: 14 May, 2020

Proof Reading By: Amrita Padma Devi Dasi

On 09/10/2020

Proof Reading By: V Meghana

 Date: 27/11/2020