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.
And, O best of the gods! piety being thus confused and abounding in contradictions, we are deluded, and come to no determination. People are acting, (saying) this is good, this is good. And he who is attached to a certain (form of) piety, always esteems that. Here (therefore) our understanding breaks down, and our mind is distracted. We wish, O best (of beings)! to be informed of what is good. Be pleased now to proceed to state what is (so) mysterious, and what is the cause of the connexion between the Kshetragña and nature. Thus addressed by those Brâhmaṇas, the venerable, holy,and talented creator of worlds told them accurately (what they asked).
Saugatas; knowledge is one, but the ego and non-ego are two different principles, the Yogâkâras ; mixed, Ûdulomas ; one, is the view of the worshippers of the Brahman as possessed of qualities ; distinct, other Mîmâṃsakas, who hold that the special actions are the cause (of everything, is meant, I presume); manifold=the atomists ; time and space=astrologers. Those who “say that is not so,” that is to say, that what we see has no real existence at all, are the Vṛiddhas, ancient philosophers ; omission to bathe =the condition of Naishtḥika Brahmafarins; bathing=householder’s condition; “means should be resorted to, that is not so,” those who are against all meditation, &c., according to the Sruti text, which Nîlakaṇṭha quotes; “merit and glory, that is not so,” some say there is no merit as the Lokâyatas or Kârvakas; “knowledge, renunciation,” the former is to be gained only by means of the latter; “ponder on elements” =who are intent on the investigation of the true nature of things; nature=abundance of resources, by which alone knowledge is produced, not by mere renunciation.’ It will be understood, that this commentary assumes a different syntactical construction of the original in some places from that adopted in our translation.
And, O best of the gods! With piety so confused and so full of contradictions, we are left bewildered and unable to reach any conclusion. People go about acting on what they call good—this is good, this is good—and whoever is committed to a particular form of piety always holds that form in the highest regard. Here, then, our understanding fails us and our minds are pulled in every direction. We wish, O best of beings! to be told what is truly good. Be pleased now to set forth what is so mysterious, and what is the cause of the connexion between the Kshetrajña and nature. Thus addressed by those Brâhmaṇas, the venerable, holy, and gifted creator of worlds told them accurately what they had asked.
Saugatas; knowledge is one, but the ego and non-ego are two different principles, the Yogâkâras; mixed, Ûdulomas; one, is the view of the worshippers of the Brahman as possessed of qualities; distinct, other Mîmâṃsakas, who hold that the special actions are the cause (of everything, is meant, I presume); manifold=the atomists; time and space=astrologers. Those who "say that is not so," that is to say, that what we see has no real existence at all, are the Vṛiddhas, ancient philosophers; omission to bathe=the condition of Naishtḥika Brahmacarins; bathing=householder's condition; "means should be resorted to, that is not so," those who are against all meditation, etc., according to the Sruti text, which Nîlakaṇṭha quotes; "merit and glory, that is not so," some say there is no merit, as the Lokâyatas or Kârvakas; "knowledge, renunciation," the former is to be gained only by means of the latter; "ponder on elements"=those who are intent on investigating the true nature of things; nature=abundance of resources, by which alone knowledge is produced, not by mere renunciation. It will be understood that this commentary assumes a different syntactical construction of the original in some places from that adopted in our translation.