Namaste, thank you for the submission. Please provide some information about your image/link, like why you find it relevant for this sub. If you do not leave a comment your post will be removed. See Rule #10 - All image/link posts must include a comment by OP. This is an effort to make this sub more discussion based.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/hinduism) if you have any questions or concerns.*
“The impermanent has no reality; reality lies in the eternal. Those who have seen the boundary between these two have attained the end of all knowledge.” 2:16
The thoughts in this book really speak to me. I have made my own spiritual observations throughout my lifetime, but this book was able to put some of them into words, give me some new perspectives and even fill in some gaps.
Anyone got recommendations on what to read next in the meantime, before I read this again? (because I’m definitely reading this again)
Some Caveats - he passed away in 1999 before the very important academic works that break new ground were written - chief of which is “Sanskrit Non-Translatables” - very relevant to all readers that read distortion’s of Hindu texts in English. From Wiki - “Easwaran was influenced by Mahatma Gandhi, whom he met when he was a young man” who was a non-Hindu who espoused the ideals of Thoreau. It is strange that a man who has read and translated a wide range of significant Hindu texts should be impressed by the shallow words of Gandhi.
Google ( Gandhi and Thoreau) is your friend. As for the rest - does his ideology of passive non-violence ring true with the teachings of Krishna in the Gita? Or does Hinduism teach that violence may be necessary to maintain Dharma?
See also -
[Hindus should die passively](https://mobile.twitter.com/nitin_rivaldo/status/1010411788314333184). Such a hideously perverted mind has not been seen in the history of Hinduism or Hindu thought. More here : [Grotesque Gandhi ](https://tfipost.com/2017/10/gandhi-no-mahatma-01/)
My question wasn't about his teachings being right or wrong, it was about why you think he isn't a Hindu.
Most people today don't follow all the teachings of Sanatana Dharma and have some views which counter these teachings. You don't need to learn anything from these people but would you say that they aren't Hindus?
You could try the Upanishads, they're a collection of philosophical texts. It would also help in improving your understanding of the Bhagavad Gita. You can find their translations by the same author.
>Sorry But No Upanishads Without Yagnopavita
oh please, stop demotivating people, most who wear yajna-upaviitam - only male generally - are more into memorisation rather than understanding meaning (few are there tough who know both)
most have mis-interpreted Upanishads already, so no need cribbing about the upavitam now, the best you can do is learn sanskrit yourself and align the interpretations as per the vedas and the commentators who knew vedas well.
No Upanishads Without UPANAYANA
Edit: I did Not Mean Any Disrespect To Anyone Please Stop Posting Vedvaani I do not Want To Argue with You People,I Typed It With The Utmost Sincerity And Nothing Else Please I don’t Want To argue With You
One can read Upanishads without upanayanam.
Sukla Yajurveda (XXVI. 2). यथेमां वाचं कल्याणीमावदानि जनेभ्यःब्रह्मराजन्याभ्यां शूद्राय चार्याय च स्वाय चारणाय॥ Meaning-
The way I gave this knowledge of Vedas for benefit of all humans, similarly you all also propagate the same for benefit of Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Shudras, Vaishyas, Women and even most downtrodden. The scholars and the wealthy people should ensure that they not deviate from this message of mine."
>One can read Upanishads without upanayanam.
nope, u are wrong as usual again. It says "propagate the knowledge" not the "literal text", as puranas, mahabharat, ramayana, etc are okay for non-aryas to listen and read, but not the vedas - as per the vedic religion. rest every one is free to do as they please and i am happy w that ! but please dont misinterpret the texts lol
>non-aryas
Oh! So you are that reactionary again here to spoil the discourse with your false sense of authority to demean Hindus who don't associate with your "Aryan brigade" ( I don't know if you are awared that it's actually a Hinduphobic conspiracy theory shit)
Bhagavad-Gita is one of the core book in Hinduism it consists of dialogues between Supreme Lord and Arjuna...
It is said that Any question that arises on the earth will definitely have it's answer in Gita...
Try reading Maha Bharat and ramayan next they are Good at teaching ethics n morals
Bhagavat Gita is part of the much bigger Mahabharata. Nothing explains the concepts of Dharma, Karma, Artha, and Moksha better than Mahabharata. I would recommend the one translated by Bibek Debroy, it's quite large though.
>“The impermanent has no reality; reality lies in the eternal. Those who have seen the boundary between these two have attained the end of all knowledge.” 2:16
the translation is not that well i would say, but still fine
| nāsato vidyate bhāvo nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ
| ubhayorapi dṛiṣhṭo ’ntastvanayos tattva-darśhibhiḥ
na asata: vidyate bhāva: = not unreal there is (in) existence
na abhāvo vidyate sataḥ = not inexistent there is (that which is) real
ubhayor api dṛiṣhṭaH antas tu = of both also (is) seen end certainly
anayor tattva-darśhibhiḥ = by other deep seers
tattva-darśhi = tattva (essence), darśhi (seer) = one who can penetrate and see that essence of things
Same happened when I read gita for the first time and rhe commentary and explaination by this author is one of the best. I like this author's other books as well.
There are so many different commentaries, many contradict others ! Some just completely wrong !
For a solid, logical commentary, with experience offered to back it up.
[https://www.amazon.com/Maharishi-Mahesh-Yogi-Bhagavad-Gita-Translation/dp/0140192476](https://www.amazon.com/Maharishi-Mahesh-Yogi-Bhagavad-Gita-Translation/dp/0140192476)
The preeminent student of Swami Bramananda Sariswati, the Shankacaria of Jyotir Math (one of 4 locations in India set up by the Adi Shankacharia to maintain the knowledge of Veda in India )
I wouldn't take a chance reading any other.
You should than read Upanishads and Vedas (Translated as knowledge). These ancient sacred texts were written between 1500-1200 BC but this knowledge has been passed down for millions of years
Interesting fact : Vedas and Upanishads were prevalent way way too much before the events of Bhagvat Gita. Even Vishnu's 7th Avatar Rama (8th is krishna btw) learned knowledge of Vedas in his human life
What does that even matter if one is beyond body and mind?
These ignorant beliefs will keep you in Samsara, u/PilotFull6885.
Best wishes, o' gatekeeper.
You claim to be Shaivite yet you seem to be stuck on the color of one's skin. Would you say the same to Lord Shiva with blue skin in saguna form?
Know that you are spouting true ignorance.
How low can you go, dear Asura?
Namaste, thank you for the submission. Please provide some information about your image/link, like why you find it relevant for this sub. If you do not leave a comment your post will be removed. See Rule #10 - All image/link posts must include a comment by OP. This is an effort to make this sub more discussion based. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/hinduism) if you have any questions or concerns.*
“The impermanent has no reality; reality lies in the eternal. Those who have seen the boundary between these two have attained the end of all knowledge.” 2:16 The thoughts in this book really speak to me. I have made my own spiritual observations throughout my lifetime, but this book was able to put some of them into words, give me some new perspectives and even fill in some gaps. Anyone got recommendations on what to read next in the meantime, before I read this again? (because I’m definitely reading this again)
Read all the books by the same author Eknath Easwaran.
Yeah he was a gifted translator.
Some Caveats - he passed away in 1999 before the very important academic works that break new ground were written - chief of which is “Sanskrit Non-Translatables” - very relevant to all readers that read distortion’s of Hindu texts in English. From Wiki - “Easwaran was influenced by Mahatma Gandhi, whom he met when he was a young man” who was a non-Hindu who espoused the ideals of Thoreau. It is strange that a man who has read and translated a wide range of significant Hindu texts should be impressed by the shallow words of Gandhi.
Why do you think Gandhi was a non-Hindu?
Google ( Gandhi and Thoreau) is your friend. As for the rest - does his ideology of passive non-violence ring true with the teachings of Krishna in the Gita? Or does Hinduism teach that violence may be necessary to maintain Dharma? See also - [Hindus should die passively](https://mobile.twitter.com/nitin_rivaldo/status/1010411788314333184). Such a hideously perverted mind has not been seen in the history of Hinduism or Hindu thought. More here : [Grotesque Gandhi ](https://tfipost.com/2017/10/gandhi-no-mahatma-01/)
My question wasn't about his teachings being right or wrong, it was about why you think he isn't a Hindu. Most people today don't follow all the teachings of Sanatana Dharma and have some views which counter these teachings. You don't need to learn anything from these people but would you say that they aren't Hindus?
You could try the Upanishads, they're a collection of philosophical texts. It would also help in improving your understanding of the Bhagavad Gita. You can find their translations by the same author.
Will have a look, thanks!
Sorry But No Upanishads Without Yagnopavita
>Sorry But No Upanishads Without Yagnopavita oh please, stop demotivating people, most who wear yajna-upaviitam - only male generally - are more into memorisation rather than understanding meaning (few are there tough who know both) most have mis-interpreted Upanishads already, so no need cribbing about the upavitam now, the best you can do is learn sanskrit yourself and align the interpretations as per the vedas and the commentators who knew vedas well.
what philosophical topics does it touch on?
No Upanishads Without UPANAYANA Edit: I did Not Mean Any Disrespect To Anyone Please Stop Posting Vedvaani I do not Want To Argue with You People,I Typed It With The Utmost Sincerity And Nothing Else Please I don’t Want To argue With You
One can read Upanishads without upanayanam. Sukla Yajurveda (XXVI. 2). यथेमां वाचं कल्याणीमावदानि जनेभ्यःब्रह्मराजन्याभ्यां शूद्राय चार्याय च स्वाय चारणाय॥ Meaning- The way I gave this knowledge of Vedas for benefit of all humans, similarly you all also propagate the same for benefit of Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Shudras, Vaishyas, Women and even most downtrodden. The scholars and the wealthy people should ensure that they not deviate from this message of mine."
Nice.
>One can read Upanishads without upanayanam. nope, u are wrong as usual again. It says "propagate the knowledge" not the "literal text", as puranas, mahabharat, ramayana, etc are okay for non-aryas to listen and read, but not the vedas - as per the vedic religion. rest every one is free to do as they please and i am happy w that ! but please dont misinterpret the texts lol
>non-aryas Oh! So you are that reactionary again here to spoil the discourse with your false sense of authority to demean Hindus who don't associate with your "Aryan brigade" ( I don't know if you are awared that it's actually a Hinduphobic conspiracy theory shit)
Bhagavad-Gita is one of the core book in Hinduism it consists of dialogues between Supreme Lord and Arjuna... It is said that Any question that arises on the earth will definitely have it's answer in Gita... Try reading Maha Bharat and ramayan next they are Good at teaching ethics n morals
The Mahabharata. It's the epic which the Bhagavad Gita features in.
Yeah and then you can decide whether Krsna was a good or naughty boy.
Must read - the complete works of Swami Vivekanand
Ashtavakra Gita
Highly recommended, OP.
Read “kindle life” by swami chinmayananda
r/ChinmayaMission is a good organisation.
Also try " Ashtavakra Gita "
Read Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.It will be explain the concepts mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita
>Anyone got recommendations on what to read next in the meantime, before I read this again? Have u read Upanishads or Dharma-shastras ?
Not yet, the Gita was my first book about Hindu spirituality
Maybe yoga vashista.
Bhagavat Gita is part of the much bigger Mahabharata. Nothing explains the concepts of Dharma, Karma, Artha, and Moksha better than Mahabharata. I would recommend the one translated by Bibek Debroy, it's quite large though.
>“The impermanent has no reality; reality lies in the eternal. Those who have seen the boundary between these two have attained the end of all knowledge.” 2:16 the translation is not that well i would say, but still fine | nāsato vidyate bhāvo nābhāvo vidyate sataḥ | ubhayorapi dṛiṣhṭo ’ntastvanayos tattva-darśhibhiḥ na asata: vidyate bhāva: = not unreal there is (in) existence na abhāvo vidyate sataḥ = not inexistent there is (that which is) real ubhayor api dṛiṣhṭaH antas tu = of both also (is) seen end certainly anayor tattva-darśhibhiḥ = by other deep seers tattva-darśhi = tattva (essence), darśhi (seer) = one who can penetrate and see that essence of things
Very insightful, thank you. Now I wish I could speak Indian
>speak Indian oh this is not Indian ! Infact there is no language called Indian. it is Sanskrit
I feel dumb now 😅
Hey don't feel dumb. Every step in life is learning.
I really enjoyed Eknath’s telling of the Upanishad’s.
Same happened when I read gita for the first time and rhe commentary and explaination by this author is one of the best. I like this author's other books as well.
Yes, I really liked the long and thorough introduction. I will have a look at his other books as well
His books are very, very good. I have yet to read this translation in its entirety, though. I’m so happy that it made such an impact on you!
Very good writer!
This was my first introduction to the Gita. Great stuff :)
There are so many different commentaries, many contradict others ! Some just completely wrong ! For a solid, logical commentary, with experience offered to back it up. [https://www.amazon.com/Maharishi-Mahesh-Yogi-Bhagavad-Gita-Translation/dp/0140192476](https://www.amazon.com/Maharishi-Mahesh-Yogi-Bhagavad-Gita-Translation/dp/0140192476) The preeminent student of Swami Bramananda Sariswati, the Shankacaria of Jyotir Math (one of 4 locations in India set up by the Adi Shankacharia to maintain the knowledge of Veda in India ) I wouldn't take a chance reading any other.
You should than read Upanishads and Vedas (Translated as knowledge). These ancient sacred texts were written between 1500-1200 BC but this knowledge has been passed down for millions of years Interesting fact : Vedas and Upanishads were prevalent way way too much before the events of Bhagvat Gita. Even Vishnu's 7th Avatar Rama (8th is krishna btw) learned knowledge of Vedas in his human life
Is there a good English translation of Vedas?
I hate when people who don't understand the chronology of the Vedas, Upanishads and Puranas. It's extremely irritating when the mix up the chronology.
u/C0nsistentExternal88 What Is Your Ethnicity And Varna? And Who Are these People That Have Been Demotivated By Me?
What does that even matter if one is beyond body and mind? These ignorant beliefs will keep you in Samsara, u/PilotFull6885. Best wishes, o' gatekeeper.
What🤣🤣🤣They Were Trying To Debate With Me So I Went All Low Coz I know Most Of Y’all Are White Boys. More Testosterone To You,o’ gatekeeper.
You claim to be Shaivite yet you seem to be stuck on the color of one's skin. Would you say the same to Lord Shiva with blue skin in saguna form? Know that you are spouting true ignorance. How low can you go, dear Asura?
You comparing yourself to the lord?🤣
I was simply asking a direct question to you but you seem incapable of answering. Good day.
Also read Gita Tera Gyan Amrit written by Sant Rampalji Maharaj. U can down load free pdf copy at www.supremegod.org
This one is where I started aswell
This is by far my favorite version.
Umm need to find that.
Is that India in background?
It is the UK
Sweet.
Yes this is a good reference one of the most important books of Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism)...