The Bhagavad-Gita for the Modern Reader: History, Interpretations and Philosophy

334 Pages·2019·1.257 MB·English

by  M. V. Nadkarni

THE BHAGAVAD-GITA FOR
THE MODERN READER
What is the Bhagavad-Gita? Is it just a religious text? When was it
composed? How relevant is it to the modern world?
This book answers these foundational questions and more. It
critically examines the Bhagavad-Gita in terms of its liberal, humanist
and inclusive appeal, bringing out its significance for both present
times and novel applications. The author elaborates the philosophy
underlying the text as well as its ethical and spiritual implications. He
also responds to criticisms that have been levelled against the text by
Ambedkar, D. D. Kosambi and, more recently, Amartya Sen.
With additional material including chapter summaries of the
Bhagavad-Gita, the second edition of the volume proposes new ways
of utilising the text in diverse fields, such as business and management
and scientific research. Eclectic and accessible, this work will be of
interest to scholars of philosophy, religion, history, business and
management studies, as well as the general reader.
M. V. Nadkarni is presently Honorary Visiting Professor at the Institute
for Social and Economic Change (ISEC), Bengaluru, and a Member of
the Governing Body at the Centre for Multi-disciplinary Development
Research (CMDR), Dharwad, Karnataka, India. An economist by
professional training, with specialisation in agricultural and ecological/
environmental economics, he is actively interested in development
economics, political economy, history, sociology, philosophy, ethics,
religion and Gandhian Studies. He was the Indian Council of Social
Science Research (ICSSR) National Fellow for two years (2002–04)
and Vice Chancellor of Gulbarga University, Karnataka, India, from
1999 to 2002.

THE BHAGAVAD-GITA
FOR THE MODERN
READER
History, Interpretations and Philosophy
Second Edition
M. V. Nadkarni
Second edition published 2019
by Routledge
2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN
and by Routledge
52 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group,
an informa business
© 2019 M. V. Nadkarni
The right of M. V. Nadkarni to be identified as author of this work
has been asserted by him in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of
the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or
reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical,
or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including
photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks
or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and
explanation without intent to infringe.
First edition published by Routledge 2017
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Nadkarni, M. V., author.
Title: The Bhagavad-Gita for the modern reader: history,
interpretations and philosophy / M. V. Nadkarni.
Description: Second edition. | New York, NY: Routledge, 2019. |
Includes bibliographical references and index. |
Identifiers: LCCN 2018060714 (print) | LCCN 2019000606 (ebook) |
ISBN 9780429259401 | ISBN 9780367197544 (hardback:
alk. paper) | ISBN 9780429259401 (ebk.)
Subjects: LCSH: Bhagavadgåitåa—Commentaries.
Classification: LCC BL1138.66 (ebook) | LCC BL1138.66 .N33
2019 (print) | DDC 294.5/924047—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018060714
ISBN: 978-0-367-19754-4 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-0-429-25940-1 (ebk)
Typeset in Sabon
by Apex CoVantage, LLC
यसय मूलं त्वया प्रोक्ं ममेत् हयरय्प े कथम ् /
करोऽहमरण्प क्ा ्प सयां यसयासस्त्वं त्वया कृ्म ् //१//
त्वं स्ववीकुरुष्वाखिलकायक्प ्तः्प कृ्न्ु ककस्चि् ् ््व प्वीत्जा्म ् /
गवी्ाथस्प ारस्ु जनेषु गमयतः त्वदीयकाययेऽससम तनममत्मात्रम ् //२//
भखण्ा भग्वदगवी्ा बह्ववीमभतः भाषयभङ्गमभतः /
्ासां ्मलन्ातरय यं ग्रनथेऽससमन ् व्वतन्वेदद्म ् //३//
व्वभ्रमे भसतस््प ा गवी्ा व्व्कयेण व्वमरक्प ैतः /
स्कयं िण्डनं ्षे ां व्वनयेन्वै भावष्म ् //४//
कालक्रमेण गवी्ायातः प्यरोगा आग्ा न्वातः /
कथनं चिावर ्षे ां दह व्वस्रेण समवर््प म ् //५//
्वाचिकेषु वय्वसथातयन ् व्वश्वेरऽऽ व्वश्व्वतसल /
्वसनदत्वाsनेन ग्रनथेन व्वनम्ं त्वां यजामयहम ् //६//
Transliteration
Yasya mulam tvaya proktam mameti hyarpaye katham /
Koaham arpana-karta syam yasyastitvam tvaya kritam //1//
Tvam sweekurushwakhilakaryakartah kritam tu kimchit tava pritijatam /
Gitarthasarastu janeshu gamyah tvadiya karyesmi nimittamatram //2//
Bhanita Bhagavadgita bahvibhih bhashya-bhangibhih /
Tasam talina-tatparyam granthesmin viniveditam //3//
Vibhrame bhartsita Gita vitarkena vimarshakaih /
Satarkam khandanam tesham vinayenaiva bhashitam //4//
Kalakramena Gitaya prayoga agata navah /
Tesham kathanam chaapi savistarena samarpitam //5//
Vachakeshu vyavasthayin Vishwesha-a Vishwa-vatsala /
Vanditvaanena granthena vinamram tvam yajamyaham //6//
Translation
How can I dedicate this as mine whose source is (as) told by You?
Who am I to dedicate whose existence is created by You? //1//
Even then, Oh Doer of Everything, accept
what little is done born from your love!
The essence of the Gita needs to be disseminated among people;
I am just an instrument (nimitta) in Your own work. //2//
The Bhagavad-Gita is spoken of by numerous waves of (bhangibhih)
commentaries;
their underlying (talina) purport (tatparyam) is narrated in this book. //3//
The Gita has been criticised in confusion by critics with false arguments;
their refutation is presented (here) logically and politely only. //4//
In the course of time, new applications (prayogah) of the Gita have
come into vogue;
their narration is also offered in good detail. //5//
Through this book, I salute (and) propitiate (yajami) You in all mod-
esty, the Lord of the universe,
(who is) affectionate to all, and nicely abiding among the readers. //6//
[The original Sanskrit verses and their
translation are both by the author]
CONTENTS
Foreword xi
Preface to the second edition xiii
Preface to the first edition xvii
Key to transliteration xxii
1 Significance of the Gita, its date and authorship 1
2 Classical commentators of the Gita 27
3 The Gita goes global 59
4 Makers of modern India and their interpretations
of the Gita 77
5 Contemporary interpretations 118
6 Philosophy of the Gita 166
7 Criticisms of the Gita and responses 222
8 Novel applications 248
Appendix: Bhagavad-Gita: chapter summaries 277
Glossary 294
Bibliography 298
Name index 307
Subject index 310
vii

DETAILED CONTENTS
Foreword xi
Preface to the second edition xiii
Preface to the first edition xvii
Key to transliteration xxii
1 Significance of the Gita, its date and authorship 1
As a sacred text; As a part of the Mahabharata; Date and
authorship
2 Classical commentators of the Gita 27
The Gita in the rest of the Mahabharata, and the Puranas;
Shankara; Bhaskara; Ramanuja; Madhva; Others in the
Sanskritic tradition; Jnaneshwari – The Gita goes to people
at large; Appendix: The three Acharyas and their
philosophies
3 The Gita goes global 59
Wilkins’s English translation, impact and reactions;
Reception in Germany; Further spread
4 Makers of modern India and their interpretations
of the Gita 77
Raja Rammohan Roy; Bankimchandra; Theosophical Society
and Annie Besant; Bal Gangadhar Tilak; Swami Vivekananda;
Lala Lajpat Rai; Mahatma Gandhi; Aurobindo Ghose; Swami
Sahajananda Saraswati; Jawaharlal Nehru
ix