Review - The Bhagarad Gita

[wilderthan]

I feel silly trying to give this a rating. Much as I'd feel silly about giving the Bible a rating. It's about beliefs that I haven't been brought up in, so it's hard to understand it all in one reading -- it's not even a faith I've done much research into before now. I suppose one could read it in a purely literary way, but I didn't, really. It was hard to focus on how good the translation was or whatever when I was trying to focus on understanding exactly what was being suggested. There were things I recognised from studying Buddhism, but for the most part it was quite new to me.

The introduction (and translator's introduction) is reasonably helpful, giving some context. I should probably reread it now that I've actually read the main text, and see if it illuminates everything a bit more.

Maybe I'll do a better review when I've thought about it some more. It's interesting, though, reading something outside of my own experience. It's worth reading something like this, to try and get to some new ideas. In itself, this isn't hard to read, and there are some lovely passages about Krishna.

I might also try reading a different translation, at some stage.

Comments

[samuraiter.livejournal.com]

"Why must I go and fight? Is it not against the precepts?"
"Go forth, Arjuna. To do what you must is holy."

:-) I have fond memories of studying this at the university.