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00 - Introduction - Bhagavad Gita · Philosophy and Faith

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  Speaker 1: Bolgovov Ghita translated by Sir Edwin Arnold introductory note. During
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  Speaker 1: the centuries in which Buddhism was establishing itself in the
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  Speaker 1: east of India, the older Brahmanism in the West was
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  Speaker 1: undergoing the changes which resulted in the Hinduism, which is
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  Speaker 1: now the prevailing religion of India. The main ancient sources
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  Speaker 1: of information with regard to these Hindu beliefs and practices
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  Speaker 1: are the two great epics, the Ramayana and the Maha Brata.
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  Speaker 1: The former is a highly artificial production based on legend
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  Speaker 1: and ascribed to one man Vall Mikua. The latter, a
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  Speaker 1: huge conglomeration of stirring adventure, legend, myth history and superstition,
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  Speaker 1: is a composite production, begun probably as early as the
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  Speaker 1: fourth or fifth century before Christ and completed by the
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  Speaker 1: end of the sixth century of our era. It represents
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  Speaker 1: many strata of religious belief The Boghovodgita, of which a
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  Speaker 1: translation is here given, occurs as an episode in the
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  Speaker 1: Mahabarata and is regarded as one of the gems of
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  Speaker 1: Hindu literature. The poem is a dialogue between Prince Arjuna,
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  Speaker 1: the brother of King Yuristira and Vishnu, the supreme God,
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  Speaker 1: incarnated as Khrushna and wearing the disguise of a charioteer.
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  Speaker 1: The conversation takes place in a war chariot stationed between
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  Speaker 1: the armies of the Kauravas and Bandavas, who are about
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  Speaker 1: to engage in battle. To the western reader, much of
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  Speaker 1: the discussion seems childish and illogical, but these elements are
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  Speaker 1: mingled with passages of undeniable sublimity. Many of the more
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  Speaker 1: puzzling inconsistencies are due to interpolations by later rewriters. It is,
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  Speaker 1: says Hopkins, a medley of beliefs as to the relation
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  Speaker 1: of spirit and matter and other secondary matters. It is
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  Speaker 1: uncertain in its tone in regard to the comparative efficacy
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  Speaker 1: of action and inaction, and in regard to the practical
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  Speaker 1: man's means of salvation, but it is at one with
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  Speaker 1: itself in its fundamental thesis that all things are each
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  Speaker 1: a part of one Lord, that men and gods are
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  Speaker 1: but manifestations of the one divine Spirit. End of introductory
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  Speaker 1: note