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.
34 | BHAGAVADGITA. en of the Bhagavadgita and its position in Sanskrit literature. Although, as stated at the very outset, the conclusions we have deduced in the course of that examination are not all such as at once to secure acceptance, I venture to think that we have now adequate grounds for saying, that the various and independent lines of investigation, which we have pursued, converge to this point, that the Gita, on numerous and essential topics, ranges itself as a member of the Upanishad group, so to say, in Sanskrit literature. Its philosophy, its mode of treating its subject, its style, its language, its versification, its opinions on sundry subjects of the highest importance, all point to that one conclusion. We may also, I think, lay it down as more than probable, that the latest date at which the Gita can have been composed, must be earlier than the third century B.C., though it is altogether impossible to say at present how much earlier. This proposition, too, is supported by the cumulative strength of several independent lines of testimony.
Before closing this Introduction, it is desirable to add a word concerning the text of the Bhagavadgîtâ. The religious care with which that text has been preserved is very worthy of note. Schlegel and Lassen’ have both declared it as their opinion, that we have the text now almost exactly in the condition in which it was when it left the hands of the author. There are very few real various readings, and some of the very few that exist are noted by the commentators. Considering that the Mahabharata must have been tampered with on numerous occasions, this preservation of the Gita is most interesting. It doubtless indicates that high veneration for it which is still felt, and has for long been felt, by the Hindus, and which is embodied in the expression used in the colophons of the MSS. describing the Gita as the ‘Upanishad sung by God?” In view of the facts and deductions set forth in this essay, that expression existing as, I believe, it does, almost universally in Indian MSS. of the Gita, is not altogether devoid of historical value.
1 See the latter's edition of the Gita, Preface, p. xxvii.
3 In the edition of the Gita published in Bombay in Saka 1782, there is a stanza which says that the Upanishads are the cows, Kṛishṇa the milkman, Arguna the calf, and the milk is the nectar-like Gita, which indicates the tradi-
34 | BHAGAVADGITA. of the Bhagavadgita and its place in Sanskrit literature. As I said at the very outset, not all the conclusions we have reached in the course of that examination are likely to win immediate acceptance; yet I venture to say that we now have adequate grounds for asserting that the various independent lines of investigation we have pursued converge on a single point: that the Gita, on numerous and essential topics, belongs, so to say, to the Upanishad group in Sanskrit literature. Its philosophy, its way of treating its subject, its style, its language, its versification, its views on several matters of the highest importance — all point to that one conclusion. We may also, I think, establish as more than probable that the Gita cannot have been composed later than the third century B.C., though it is altogether impossible to say at present how much earlier it may be. This proposition too is supported by the cumulative force of several independent lines of testimony.
Before closing this Introduction, a word about the text of the Bhagavadgîtâ is in order. The religious care with which that text has been preserved is very much worth noting. Schlegel and Lassen have both declared it their opinion that we have the text today almost exactly as it left the author's hands. There are very few genuine variant readings, and some of the very few that exist are noted by the commentators. Given that the Mahabharata must have been tampered with on numerous occasions, this preservation of the Gita is most remarkable. It doubtless reflects the deep veneration that the Hindus have long felt for it, and still feel, a veneration embodied in the expression used in the colophons of the MSS. that describe the Gita as the "Upanishad sung by God." In light of the facts and conclusions set out in this essay, that expression — existing, as I believe it does, in almost every Indian MS. of the Gita — is not entirely without historical value.
1 See the latter's edition of the Gita, Preface, p. xxvii.
3 In the Bombay edition of the Gita published in Saka 1782, there is a stanza which says that the Upanishads are the cows, Kṛishṇa the milkman, Arjuna the calf, and the milk is the nectar-like Gita, which indicates the tradi-