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.
SANATSUGÂTÎYA.
THE Sanatsugatiya is, like the Bhagavadgita, one of the numerous episodes of the Mahabharata’. It is true, that it has never commanded anything like that unbounded veneration which has always been paid in India to the Bhagavadgita. Still it is sometimes studied even in our days, and it has had the high distinction of being commented on by the great leader of the modern Vedântic school—Śañkarâkârya². The Sanatsugâtiya purports to be a dialogue mainly between Sanatsugâta on the one side and Dhṛitarâshṭra on the other, Sanatsugâta, from whom it takes its name, is said to be identical with Sanatkumara, a name not unfamiliar to students of our Upanishad literature. And Dhṛitarâshṭra is the old father of those Kauravas who formed one of the belligerent parties in the bellum plusquam civile which is recorded in the Mahabharata. The connexion of this particular episode with the main current of the narrative of that epos is one of the loosest possible character—much looser, for instance, than that of the Bhagavadgitâ. As regards the latter, it can fairly be contended that it is in accordance with poetical justice for Arguna to feel despondent and unwilling to engage in battle, after actual sight of ‘teachers, fathers, sons, and all the rest of them, arrayed in opposition to him; and that therefore it was necessary for the poet to adduce some specific explanation as to how Arguna was ultimately enabled to get over such natural scruples. But as regards the Sanatsugatiya, even such a contention as this can have no place. For this is how the matter stands. In the course of the negotiations for an amicable arrangement¹ between the Pâṇḍavas and the Kauravas, Sañgaya, on one occasion, came back to Dhṛitarâshṭra with a message from the Pâṇḍavas. When he saw Dhṛitarâshṭra, however, he said that he would deliver the message in the public assembly of the Kauravas the next morning, and went away after pronouncing a severe censure on Dhṛitarâshṭra for his conduct. The suspense thus caused was a source of much vexation to the old man, and so he sent for Vidura, in order, as he expresses it, that Vidura might by his discourse assuage the fire that was raging within him. Vidura accordingly appears, and enters upon an elaborate prelection concerning matters spiritual, or, perhaps, more accurately quasi-spiritual, and at the outset of the Sanatsugatiya he is supposed to have reached a stage where, as being born a Sûdra, he hesitates to proceed. After some discussion of this point, between Vidura and Dhṛitarâshṭra, it is determined to call in the aid of Sanatsugâta, to explain the spiritual topics which Vidura felt a delicacy in dealing with; and Sanatsugata is accordingly introduced on the scene in a way not unusual in our epic and purâṇic literature, viz. by Vidura engaging in some mystic process of meditation, in response to which Sanatsugâta appears. catechised by Dhyitarâshsra ; and with one or two exceptions, all the verses which constitute the Sanatsugatiya are Sanatsugâta’s answers to Dhyitarâshrra’s questions ”,
1 Mahabharata, Udyoga Parvan, Adhyâÿa 41-46.
2 Mâdhavâkârya, in speaking of Sañkara’s works, describes him as having commented on the Sanatsugâtiya, which is ‘ far from evil (persons) ’ [asatsudtiram]. Sankara-vigaya, chapter VI, stanza 62.
SANATSUJÂTÎYA.
THE Sanatsujâtîya is, like the Bhagavadgita, one of the numerous episodes of the Mahabharata¹. It is true that it has never commanded anything like the unbounded veneration that has always been paid in India to the Bhagavadgita. Still, it is sometimes studied even in our own day, and it has had the high distinction of being commented on by the great leader of the modern Vedântic school—Śañkarâkârya². The Sanatsujâtîya purports to be a dialogue mainly between Sanatsujâta on the one side and Dhṛitarâshṭra on the other. Sanatsujâta, from whom it takes its name, is said to be identical with Sanatkumara, a name not unfamiliar to students of our Upanishad literature. And Dhṛitarâshṭra is the old father of those Kauravas who formed one of the belligerent parties in the bellum plusquam civile recorded in the Mahabharata. The connexion of this particular episode with the main narrative of that epos is of the loosest possible character—much looser, for instance, than that of the Bhagavadgitâ. In the case of the latter, it can fairly be argued that it is in accordance with poetical justice for Arjuna to feel despondent and unwilling to fight after actually seeing teachers, fathers, sons, and all the rest of them arrayed against him, and that the poet therefore needed to offer some specific explanation of how Arjuna eventually managed to overcome such natural scruples. But no such argument can apply to the Sanatsujâtîya. The situation is as follows. During the negotiations for an amicable arrangement¹ between the Pâṇḍavas and the Kauravas, Sañjaya returned on one occasion to Dhṛitarâshṭra carrying a message from the Pâṇḍavas. On seeing Dhṛitarâshṭra, however, he said that he would deliver the message in the public assembly of the Kauravas the following morning, and departed after pronouncing a severe censure on Dhṛitarâshṭra for his conduct. The suspense this caused was a great source of distress to the old man, and so he sent for Vidura, expressing his hope that Vidura's discourse might assuage the fire raging within him. Vidura accordingly appears and embarks on an elaborate discourse concerning matters spiritual—or, perhaps more accurately, quasi-spiritual. At the point where the Sanatsujâtîya opens, he is supposed to have reached a stage at which, being born a Sûdra, he hesitates to continue. After some discussion of this point between Vidura and Dhṛitarâshṭra, it is decided to call upon Sanatsujâta to explain the spiritual topics that Vidura felt a delicacy in handling. Sanatsujâta is accordingly brought onto the scene in a manner not unusual in our epic and purâṇic literature: Vidura engages in a mystic process of meditation, in response to which Sanatsujâta appears. He is then catechised by Dhyitarâshrra, and with one or two exceptions all the verses that make up the Sanatsujâtîya are Sanatsujâta's answers to Dhyitarâshsra's questions².
1 Mahabharata, Udyoga Parvan, Adhyâÿa 41-46.
2 Mâdhavâkârya, in his account of Sañkara's works, describes him as having written a commentary on the Sanatsujâtîya, which is "far from evil (persons)" [asatsudtiram]. Sankara-vigaya, chapter VI, stanza 62.