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5.0 out of 5 stars
Sipping as a humble bumble bee . . ., Mar 13 2004
Despite the fact that there are now 279 English translations of the 'Bhagavad Gita' in existence, Alan Jacob's own recently pubished edition is one of the most beautiful. A transcreation rather than a translation, the author has endeavoured to preserve the essence of the nondualist teachings (also known as Advaita Vedanta) interwoven in Hinduism's best known spiritual text as well as introduce his own poetic touch.Literally meaning the 'Song of God', the 'Bhagavad Gita' recounts a key moment in the ancient Indian epic, the 'Mahabharata'. Set on the battlefield of Kurashetra between two rival royal households, Arjuna, leader of the Pandavas, is rendered impotent in the face of impending bloodshed. Krishna, Avatar and Arjuna's charioteer, thus takes the opportunity to deliver the Dharma or moral code. Indeed, the battle can be interpreted as an allegory of the inner warfare between dharma (harmony) and adharma (discord) within in all of us in the face of life's challenges and troubles. Together with his 'Principal Upanishads', the profundity of this particular edition of the 'Bhagavad Gita' is owing to the author's accessible and yet exquisite poetry: This epic Mahabharata
Is a bright blue water lily
Her Gita is the precious pollen;
Sipping as a humble bumble bee,
Relish her sweet nectar
And bathe yourself in her
Honey of Wisdom Interspersed between the verses, the author offers interpretations of the text as well as cross references to other sages and writers of great wisdom. Jesus, Plato, Shakespeare and Schopenhauer amongst others reiterate the nondualist message - that ultimately, all is the Divine, all is One: Why Arjuna should I reveal this!
It is enough to know
That upholding this Creation
With a piece
Of My Self, Consciousness,
Peace, Awreness,
I am That, I am.
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