Sri
SrimathE rAmAnujAya namaha
SrimathE nigamAntha mahadesikAya namaha
Dear Members,
I could not continue this series due to many academic circumstances. Well,
now that they are done with (producing very good results), I will start with the
frequent posting of Gita Sara translation series. As informed before, Gita Sara
is a commentary by Abhinava Desika, Uttamur Viiraraghavachar. The Gitartha
Sangraha of YamunAcharya provided Bhagavan Ramanuja a base and a basic framework
to compose the latter's commentary on the Gita. The Gita Bhasya stands foremost
in explaining and understanding the Gita of PrathamAcharya Lord Krishna.
During the course of time, Sarvatantra Swatantra, Swami Desikan composed
another commentary also titled Gitartha Sangraha. Various objections were raised
to this composition. Swami Desikan composed Gitartha Sangraha Raksha which is
one of the five famous Raksha Granthams of SriVaishnava Sampradayam.
The Gita Sara was translated to English by Sri K Bhasyam. This book
was published in 1966 by Sri Visisthadvaita Pracharini Sabha in Chennai. This
series is essentially an electronic format of the English translation. I will
try to have the Tamil Version online for the benefit of readers who are
comfortable reading Sri Sookthis in Tamizh.
Regards,
Adiyen Ramanuja Dasan,
Malolan Cadambi
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srIh
srIkrishnAya paramatmane namaha
Gitartha Sangraha
sva-dharma-jnAna-vaiiraghya-sAdhya-bhaktyeka-gOcharaha |
nArAyana param brahmA giitashAstre samIrItaha || (Verse 1)
The subject matter of Geeta Shastra is Sri Narayana, the highest Brahman
within the range of the vision of Bhakti alone. Bhakti attainable only by
performing one's duty(without attachment), by the acquisition of (true)
knowledge and by the detachment( absence of worldly desires).
This Geeta Sastra is divided into three shatkas - parts of six chapters
each. Of these the first Shatka (aggregate of six) is divided into two
sub-divisions.
(1) The first two chapters (Adhyayas) deal with respectively the griefof
Arjuna and necessity for a person to realise jIvatman to get rid of this
grief.
(2) The next four Adhyayas get into details as to the means of realising
the jeevatman. The second shatka is to be divided into two sub-divisions of
three Adhyayas each. The first sub-division deals with the competency of a
person to perform Bhakti Yoga and the nature of such yoga; the second
sub-division deals with the methods and means to be practised for the sprouting
of and the growth Bhakti. The third shatka also is divided into two parts of
three Adhyayas each -- the first sub-division dealing with the truths-Tatvas and
the net with Hita-the means of attaining the ultimate end(purushArtha).
This analysis is found in the beginning of the Tatparya Chandrika of Sri
NigamAntha Mahadesikan in 13th Adhyaya, and his commentary on Gitartha
Sangraha.
"Sva Dharma" - the duties of one's own Varna and Ashrama.
"Swa JnAna" - the knowledge of jeeva with his natural characteristic
quality and also knowledge that it is ever Sesha(servant) of the Lord.
"Vairaya" - Turning away from allegiance to any thins but the lotd. this
vairagya is a necessary ingredient of Karma and JnAna - the roots cayse of the
means by which moksha can be attained. This leads to Atma SakshAtkara
(realisation of one's own self), and then through such realisation, to the
attainment of Bhakti Yoga which like the flow of oil must be constant and
uninterrupted; and this must be practised every day upto the last minute of
one's ;ife time. This destroys all sins and leads to salvation.
"Bhakti-eka Gochara" - attainable by bhakti alone, i.e Narayana comes
within the range of Bhakti alone, or narayana is both the upaya(means) and the
upeya(end).
"Narayanaha Param Brahma" Narayana is the Para-Brahman(Supreme Brahman).
Brahman is only Purushottama(Narayana). Then the word Param is illustrativeof
the very many beneficences of the Brahman, perhaps also to refute the paksha of
some people that there is sombody over and above the three moorties.
"Sastre" since Geeta sepaks the truth and the way to attain (Hita), itis
purposely called as Sastra, the BEST of the Sastras.
"Sameerita" (explained fully and clearly). Note the preposition
"sam".
Thus this sloka tells us what the gist of whole Geeta Sastra is.The
next three slokas tell us in brief the subject treated in the Geeta dividedinto
three parts of six chapters each.
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Next Posting: Verse 2
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