Ashtavakra |
Preface
The Gita literature in Sanskrit is the spontaneous outpouring of the sages and seers that have realized the Self. It is the expression of their direct experience of the Divine – the Self, the Brahman, the Atman in whatever way IT is apprehended in their supreme consciousness. It is, therefore, no surprise that every Gita sets the realization of the Self as its ideal. All of them point to one Truth, the only Truth – Ekam Sat.
The Bhagavad-Gita is the most widely known classic of Sanatana-dharma, translated and commented upon by hundreds of spiritual seekers in almost every language in the world. The Hindu monks who are the torch-bearers of the Sanatana-dharma have either translated and/or commented upon a few of the other Gitas in English. It may be that most of the Gitas remain to be given free translation and brief commentary in English for an easy understanding of their spirit, for the benefit of aspirants not knowing Sanskrit.
Shri Veda Bharathi, Hyderabad intends to bring out a series of volumes titled Ekam Sat containing free translation in English of each verse of all the available Gitas other than the Bhagavad-Gita, with brief commentary wherever necessary. The idea is that the translation is a true reflection of the spirit of the verse (sloka) in Sanskrit as far as practicable and the commentary is consistent with the central thought of the Gita. The division of each Gita into chapters may be arbitrary, but indicative of the subject handled therein.
Ekam Sat (1) – Volume 1 – contains the Astavakra-Gita. Ekam Sat (2) – Volume 2 - contains the Avadhuta-Gita. Ekam Sat (3) – Volume 3 - contains the Yoga Vasista Sara – titled the Vasista-Gita. And so is the series. The liberal translation of each sloka (verse) is rendered against the corresponding serial number of each chapter of the Gita concerned. Explanatory paragraphs are added to each translated verse, wherever considered necessary, to elaborate the essence of the content of the verse from the point of view of Monistic Advaita.
Shri Veda Bharathi
Hyderabad
Next Page: Monism