It appears that there is no need of any further exposition of the
Geeta. Hundreds of commentaries, out of which more than fifty are in
Sanskrit, have been attempted so far. But, although there are scores of
interpretations, they have a common basis- the Geeta, which is only
one. Why then one may wonder, are there all these divergent opinions
and controversies when Yogeshwar Krishn’s message must of necessity
have been only one? The proclaimer verily speaks of the Truth that is only
one, but if there are ten listeners they construe his meaning in ten
different ways. Our grasp of what has been said is determined by the
extent to which we are under the domination of one of the three properties
of nature, namely, Sattwa (moral virtue and goodness), Rajas (passion
and moral blindness), and Tamas (ignorance and darkness). We cannot
comprehend beyond the limitations imposed by these properties. So it
is logical that there should be all these disputes about the import of the
Geeta-‘The Lord’s Song’.
Men fall prey to doubts, not only because many different views
are held on a given subject, but also because of the fact that the same
principle is often enunciated in different ways and styles at different
times. Quite a good many existing commentaries on the Geeta are
touched by the current of truth, and yet if one of them-even a just and
correct interpretation is placed among a thousand other interpretations
it is almost impossible to recognize it for what it is. Identification of
truth is an onerous task, for even falsehood wears the ‘brows’ of truth.
The many expositions of the Geeta all profess that they represent truth
even though they may not have any inkling of it. As against this, even
when quite a good many interpreters did succeed in coming by this
truth, for a number of reasons they were prevented from giving a public
utterance to it.
The much too common inability to get at the meaning of the Geeta
in its true perspective may be attributed to the fact that Krishn was a
yogi, an enlightened sage. Only another great and accomplished Soul-
man of knowledge and discernment-who has gradually attained to the
ultimate spiritual goal discoursed upon by Krishn can realize and reveal
the real intent of the Yogeshwar when he preached to his friend and
disciple Arjun. What is within one’s mind cannot be fully expressed by
mere words. While some of it is communicated by facial expression
and gestures, and even by what is named ‘eloquent’ silence, the rest
that is still unexpressed is something dynamic and seekers can know it
only through action and by actually traversing the path of quest. So
only another sage who has himself trodden the path and arrived at
Krishn’s sublime state may know what the message of the Geeta really
is. Rather than just reproducing lines from the scripture, he can know
and demonstrate its intent and significance, for Krishn’s insights and
perceptions are also his insights and perceptions. Since he is a seer
himself, he cannot only show the essence but also awaken it in others,
and even prompt and enable them to embark on the way that leads to it.
~Swami Adgadanand. ©
Source: Yatharth Geeta.
Freely Downloadable PDF’s of Yatharth Geeta in Hindi and English:
Freely Downloadable Audio Links of Yatharth Geeta in Hindi and English:
Humble Wishes.
~mrityunjayanand.
