The Gita as an Upanishad

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

Here is the colophone verse to the Bhagavad Gita that occurs at the end of each chapter. This is the 18th chapter in particular, but it is nearly identical for the other chapters as well. It states the Bhagavad Gita to be an Upanishad, to be Yoga-shastra, and to be Brahma-vidya.

 

om tatsaditi shrimad bhagavadgitasupanishatsu

brahmavidyaya yogashastre shri krishnarjuna samvade

moksha sannyasayogo namashtadasho 'dhyayah

 

"Thus with the utterenance of Om, Tat, Sat, in the Upanishad of the Bhagavad Gita, the knowledge of brahman (brahma-vidya), the science of yoga (yoga-shastra) and the dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna, this is the eighteenth chapter, titled moksha sannyasa yoga."

 

[talasiga]

Originally posted by jndas:

Here is the [colophon] to the Bhagavad Gita that occurs at the end of each chapter. This is the 18th chapter in particular, but it is nearly identical for the other chapters as well. It states the Bhagavad Gita to be an Upanishad, to be Yoga-shastra, and to be Brahma-vidya.

1. These do not seem to be there in my Radhakrishnan translation of the Bhagavad Geeta but I do note that it ends after 18:78 with

"iti shreemad bhagavad geetaa upanishadaha samaaptaaha"

meaning here ends the Bhagavad Geeta Upanishad.

 

2. Certain persons would probably dispute with Vyaasadeva about his description of Bhagavad Geeta as Upanishad because those certain persons probably consider the Rishis who "heard" and recorded the other Upanishads as more authoritative and credible than Vyaasadeva. They probably have not bothered to examine the basis of such beliefs.

 

3. The broad meaning of "shrooti" in Sanskrit and languages derived from same is "sound vibration". We use the term in music theory and so on. The epistemological meaning is something like the sound vibration of revelation or that which is heard on realisation.

 

In discussion we may say that "shrooti says" etc, but epistemologically shrooti is HEARD in realisation and when uttered in a state of Realisation it may heard by others as shrooti. When someone utters the text of shrooti without divine understanding, it is just a recitation, a memorable utterance which may eventually assist in Realisation - smirti.

 

Therefore when God utters the Divine Song it is shrooti and when the Perfect Disciple realises it, He or She hears shrooti.

 

When Buddha speaks the Dhamma springing from Enlightenment and the Disciples realise that which he speaks, that utterance is shrooti.

 

Ditto for Jesus.

 

4. But how does one know whether someone who claims to be divine or enlightened is indeed in a state of Revelation, a Revelant truly conveying shrooti?

 

Some say that they are known by the fruits but isn't that just another saying to be questioned? Talasiga says that if such a one leads one to the Divine it will be self evident. A Revelant who does not reveal the Divine for you is not relevant to you.

 

Some may say that none can lead you to the Divine for the Divine presents by Divine Grace alone - Divine whim. Talasiga says that the Revelant who leads one to the Divine is the Divine Grace presenting by Divine whim.

 

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