The Bhagavadgîtâ, with the Sanatsugâtîya and the Anugîtâ — SBE Vol. 8 (trans. K. T. Telang, 1882)
The translator’s English as printed (K. T. Telang). The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.
Vaisampâyana said:
Thus addressed, that best of speakers, Kṛishṇa, possessed of great glory, replied in these words after embracing Arguna.
Vasudeva said:
From me, O son of Pṛtha! you heard a mystery, and learnt about the eternal (principle), about piety in (its true) form, and about all the everlasting worlds * It is excessively disagreeable to me, that you should not have grasped it through want of intelligence. And the recollection (of it) now again is not possible (to me). Really, O son of Pâṇḍu! you are devoid of faith and of a bad intellect. And, O Dhanañgaya ! it is not possible for me to repeat in full (what I said before). For that doctrine was perfectly adequate for understanding the seat of the Brahman. It is not possible for me to state it again in full in that way. For then accompanied by my mystic power *, I declared to you the Supreme Brahman. But I shall relate an ancient story upon LS VS PRE that subject, so that adhering to this knowledge, you may attain the highest goal. O best of the supporters of piety! listen to all that I say. (Once), O restrainer of foes! there came from the heavenly world and the world of Brahman!, a Brâhmaṇa difficult to withstand”, and he was (duly) honoured by us. (Now) listen, without entertaining any misgivings, O chief of the descendants of Bharata! O son of Pṛithâ ! to what he said on being interrogated by us according to heavenly rules *.
* Cf. Bhagavadgîtâ, chapters X and XI passim.
* Le. in the Bhagavadgita.
* This may also be taken with piety thus : ‘and learnt about the eternal piety in (its true) form.’
* As to the plural, see Śaṅkara on Muṇḍaka, p. 320. ° Cf Gita, p. 78. For ‘understanding’ here we might, perhaps, substitute ‘attaining. The original word means both understanding and attaining. ° Cf. Gita, p. 82.
Vaisampâyana said:
Thus addressed, Kṛishṇa, that most eloquent of speakers, full of great glory, embraced Arjuna and replied in these words.
Vasudeva said:
From me, O son of Pṛtha! you heard a mystery, and learnt about the eternal principle, about piety in its true form, and about all the everlasting worlds. It is deeply painful to me that you failed to grasp it through want of intelligence. And now I cannot recall it again. Truly, O son of Pâṇḍu! you are lacking in faith and of poor understanding. O Dhanañjaya! it is not possible for me to repeat in full what I said before. For that doctrine was perfectly adequate for understanding the seat of the Brahman, and I cannot set it out again in full in the same way. At that time I declared the Supreme Brahman to you, accompanied by my mystic power. But I shall relate an ancient story on that subject, so that by holding fast to this knowledge you may attain the highest goal. O best of the supporters of piety! listen to all that I say. Once, O restrainer of foes! there came from the heavenly world and the world of Brahman a Brâhmaṇa difficult to withstand, and he was duly honoured by us. Now listen without misgiving, O chief of the descendants of Bharata! O son of Pṛithâ! to what he said when we questioned him according to heavenly rules.
* Cf. Bhagavadgîtâ, chapters X and XI passim.
* i.e. in the Bhagavadgita.
* This may also be taken with piety thus: 'and learnt about the eternal piety in (its true) form.'
* As to the plural, see Śaṅkara on Muṇḍaka, p. 320. ° Cf. Gita, p. 78. For 'understanding' here we might, perhaps, substitute 'attaining.' The original word means both understanding and attaining. ° Cf. Gita, p. 82.