Most recently, I read Juan Mascaro's translation of the Gita more than three times. It is very short - 80 pages. Only translation, no original Sanskrit text, no transliteration, and no commentary.
Sunday, 26 March 2016: It took me four hours to finish the conversation between Arjuna and Krishna. That is a long and dense conversation!
I really like what Mascaro writes in the Introduction:
The greatness of the Bhagavad Gita is the greatness of the universe; but even as the wonder of the stars in heaven only reveals itself in the silence of the night, the wonder of this poem only reveals itself in the silence of the soul. We may begin when children to feel the mystery and wonder of this universe. One day, when very young, a few verses of the Gita may find their way into our hearts. We learn Sanskrit for the sake of the Bhagavad Gita. We read every translation we can find and compare different interpretations. We read the commentaries of Sankara and Ramanuja, histories of Indian philosophy and Sanskrit literature, and every publication on the Bhagavad Gita we can find. And far more than that: we may read the Bhagavad Gita in Sanskrit again and again, until we know the most important verses by heart, and chant them in Sanskrit, and the language of those verses becomes as familiar to us as our mother tongue. We may go to that poem in times of sorrow and joy and thus connect it with the deepest moments of our life; and write down the thoughts and emotions that the verses wake in us; and our reading may go on for years; and suddenly one day we may feel that we are reading the Bhagavad Gita for the first time. And why? Because new wonders have revealed themselves to us and we feel that the words of Arjuna are our own words: 'Speak to me again of thy power and thy glory, for I am never tired, never, of hearing thy words of life' 10.18.
2.11
Thy tears are for those beyond tears; and are thy words words of wisdom? The wise grieve not for those who live; and they grieve not for those who die - for life and death shall pass away.
2.12
Because we all have been for all time: I, and thou, and those kings of men. And we all shall be for all time, we all for ever and ever.
2.13
As the Spirit of our mortal body wanders on in childhood, and youth and old age, the Spirit wanders on to a new body: of this the sage has no doubts.
2.1
Then arose the Spirit of Krishna and spoke to Arjuna, his friend, who with eyes filled with tears, thus had sunk into despair and grief.
2.2
Whence this lifeless dejection, Arjuna, in this hour, the hour of trial? Strong men know not despair, Arjuna, for this wins neither heaven not earth.
2.3
Fall not into degrading weakness, for this becomes not a man who is a man. Throw off this ignoble discouragement, and arise like a fire that burns all before it.2.14
From the world of the senses, Arjuna, comes heat and comes cold, and pleasure and pain. They come and they go: they are transient. Arise above them, strong soul.2.15
The man whom these cannot move, whose soul is one, beyond pleasure and pain, is worthy of life in Eternity.2.16
The unreal never is: the Real never is not. This truth indeed has been seen by those who can see the true.2.17
Interwoven in this creation, the Spirit is beyond destruction. No one can bring to an end the Spirit which is everlasting.2.18
For beyond time he dwells in these bodies, though these bodies have an end in their time; but he remains immeasurable, immortal. Therefore, great warrior, carry on thy fight.2.19
In death thy glory in heaven, in victory thy glory on earth. Arise therefore, Arjuna, with thy soul ready to fight.2.38
Prepare for war with peace in thy soul. Be in peace in pleasure and pain, in gain and in loss, in victory or in the loss of a battle. In this peace there is no sin.2.40
No step is lost on this path, and no dangers are found. And even a little progress is freedom from fear.2.48
Do thy work in the peace of Yoga and, free from selfish desires, be not moved in success or in failure. Yoga is evenness of mind - a peace that is ever the same.2.70
Even as all waters flow into the ocean, but the ocean never overflows, even so the sage feels desires, but he is ever one in his infinite peace.2.71
For the man who forsakes all desires and abandons all pride of possession and of self reaches the goal of peace supreme.2.72
This is the Eternal in man, O Arjuna. Reaching him all delusion is gone. Even in the last hour of his life upon earth, man can reach the Nirvana of Brahman - man can find peace in the peace of his God.9.26
He who offers to me with devotion only a leaf, or a flower, or a fruit, or even a little water, this I accept from the yearning soul, because with a pure heart it was offered with love.
18.59
If thou wilt not fight thy battle of life because in selfishness thou art afraid of the battle, thy resolution is in vain: nature will compel thee.
18.60
Because thou art in the bondage of Karma, of the forces of thine own past life; and that which thou, in thy delusion, with a good will dost not want to do, unwillingly thou shalt have to do.
18.61
God dwells in the heart of all beings, Arjuna: thy God dwells in thy heart. And his power of wonder moves all things - puppets in a play of shadows - whirling them onwards on the stream of time.18.63
I have given thee words of vision and wisdom more secret than hidden mysteries. Ponder them in the silence of thy soul, and then in freedom do thy will.
18.65
Give thy mind to me, and give me thy heart and thy sacrifice, and thy adoration. This is my Word of promise: thou shalt in truth come to me, for thou art dear to me.
18.72
Hast thou heard these words, Arjuna, in the silent communion of my soul? Has the darkness of thy delusion been dispelled by thine inner Light?
Last updated: 8 May 2016