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Thread: Bhagavad Gita of Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda

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    Bhagavad Gita of Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda

    Namaste,

    has anyone of you read the Bhagavad Gita of Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda, entitled God Talks With Arjuna? Would you recommend it?

    Thanks for your answers.

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    Re: Bhagavad Gita of Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda

    Namaste,

    A search of the forum for Bhagwad Gita should yield the numerous translations available, many online. Since every swami/guru/master gives a personal touch to the translation, it is up to you to decide which one to read. Generally, the translation by Gita Press is recommended more often than others as it sticks to the spirit of the message without injecting personal flavors. Hope that helps.

    BTW, how long have you been reading/studying Hindu philosophy/theology and have you read any BG translations before?

    Pranam

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    Re: Bhagavad Gita of Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda

    Namaste,

    well, I know that I’m an amateur , but I’ve been interested in Hinduism for 16 years now. I started with a translation in my native language, German, then I read Prabhupada’s “Bhagavad Gita As It is” (German and English), then I sought for a copy of Adi Shankara’s Bhagavad Gita commentary (English) because I wanted to know what was about those so-called “mayavadis”. I also read the translation and commentary of Swami Rama which gives a lot of psychological interpretation. As for Paramahansa Yogananda, I read his “Autobiography of a yogi” which was a bit too mystical for my taste. His Bhagavad Gita commentary comes in 2 volumes and is not cheap, so I wondered whether some would recommend it.

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    Re: Bhagavad Gita of Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda

    Namaste,

    Quote Originally Posted by Cosinuskurve View Post
    ....I wondered whether some would recommend it.
    Some may, but I would not waste time on it and definitely would not pay for it. The reason being that the Xitian missionary school educated Indian gurus who pander primarily to the Westerners don't represent Hinduism. For them it is/was a business which by its very nature must accept Abrahamic deities and their concept of divinity for the package to be acceptable to the Westerners. So, his views are Xitianized Hinduism. If that is what you are looking for, by all means spend your money and read 'his version'. But I would not touch it even with a ten foot pole. Auf Wiedersehen.

    Pranam.

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    Re: Bhagavad Gita of Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda

    Quote Originally Posted by Believer View Post
    Namaste,


    Some may, but I would not waste time on it and definitely would not pay for it. The reason being that the Xitian missionary school educated Indian gurus who pander primarily to the Westerners don't represent Hinduism. For them it is/was a business which by its very nature must accept Abrahamic deities and their concept of divinity for the package to be acceptable to the Westerners. So, his views are Xitianized Hinduism. If that is what you are looking for, by all means spend your money and read 'his version'. But I would not touch it even with a ten foot pole. Auf Wiedersehen.

    Pranam.
    Namaste,

    Sri paramahansa Yogananda was a proponent of Kriya Yoga (which was first revived in modern times by mahavtar Babaji). I have not read Bhagavad Gita Translation of paramhansa Yogananda ji, so cannot comment on them. But book which makes Yogananda ji famous is Autobiography of a Yogi. While Gurus of modern times, such as Yogananda ji and Prabhupada do accept Christ as an Avatar , a thing not authenticated by Hindu scriptures, it is wrong to say that Sri Yogananda was preaching xianized Hinduism. It is blasphemy in Christianity to see God in one's own self. God/jesus are separate entity from man according to Christianity. Yogananda's preachings were exactly opposite in that he asked his followers to seek God in one's own self or experience God inside one's own soul. In essence he was a preacher of Vedanata. Also Yoga is thought to be an invitation to satan according to Christianity, so by no means Yogananda ji was teaching xianised Hinduism to anyone. I will ask you to please read his work before dismissing him altogether.
    When the light has risen, there is no day, no night, neither existence nor non-existence; Siva alone is there. That is the eternal, the adorable light of Savitri, - and the ancient wisdom proceeded thence (Svetasvatara Upanishad IV-18). :)

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    Re: Bhagavad Gita of Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda

    Vannakkam: I agree with Believer. At the time (maybe 70 or more years back, America was really dominated by Christianity. Today things have changed dramatically. So swamis of that era, in order to get anyone to listen to them at all, had to water down Hinduism. The Christianity they added wasn't fundamentalist variety, but more in line with something akin to Eastern Orthodoxy, which had more of a mystical flavour.

    Some swamis and organisations still follow this pattern today, and personally I no longer think it's necessary at all. There are far more people today who remain totally unfamiliar with Abrahamism, and like their Hinduism in the pure unadulterated form.

    But nobody can change what you want to study. The mix suits some people, especially those with a strong Christian subconscious.

    Still I would caution anyone responding on this thread that we no longer allow posting to certain sections here.

    This thread is about Gita recommendations, and nothing else.

    Aum Namasivaya

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    Re: Bhagavad Gita of Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda

    Not to derail OP's original question but If I may also ask something akin in relevancy; rather than starting a new topic. How is Swami Sivananda's Gita Translation? I have been reading this one quite often recently.
    I did a forum search but could not find any opinions on its validity.
    Thanks.

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    Re: Bhagavad Gita of Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda

    Namaste,

    Quote Originally Posted by isavasya View Post
    I will ask you to please read his work before dismissing him altogether.
    I started with a limited amount of time on this planet and most of it is gone. There are lot fewer grains of sand left in the top half of the hour glass of my life than in the bottom half. I am not going to be shopping around and sampling each yogi's views in the few years that I have left for practicing my sadhana. So, thank you for your suggestion, but I will just read the best available translations and not waste any time in validating the contaminated ones. You are free to read what inspires you and choose the path that suits you.

    Pranam.

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    Re: Bhagavad Gita of Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda

    Namaste Cosin,

    Quote Originally Posted by Cosinuskurve View Post
    has anyone of you read the Bhagavad Gita of Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda, entitled God Talks With Arjuna? Would you recommend it?
    Bhagwad Gita commented upon by Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda contains very high philosophy of Advaita VedAnta. The whole war is seen in a very different perspective. Here Arjuna is the soul who must win war against the hundreds of Kauravas who are the delusion-created forces within himself. It is an excellent read but not recommended for the beginners. Mahabharata has not been a one-time war which has been won ... this war is constantly going on within all of us and everyone must win this war for his own self.

    If you are a beginner and not comfortable with Advaitic teachings, I would recommend that you read Bhagwad Gita translation in English from Gita Press which is available free on internet.

    OM
    "Om Namo Bhagvate Vaasudevaye"

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    Re: Bhagavad Gita of Sri Sri Paramahansa Yogananda

    hari o
    ~~~~~~
    namasté

    Quote Originally Posted by Cosinuskurve View Post
    Would you recommend it?
    I would recommend as many views as one is able to pursue... I have read yoganada-ji's book and it added value to my understanding. I also read other authors - some popular, some not¹. Why read several authors ? It is the difference between reading and studying.

    iti śiva

    1. other authors:
    • Śrīānadeva's bhāvāra dīpikā some call Jñāeśvarī ( his commentary the Bhāgavad gītā)
    • the bhāgavad gītā by abhinavagupta-ji
    • the bhāgavad gītā by mahaṛṣi mahesh yogī
    • the bhāgavad gītā by svāmī prabhupāda
    यतस्त्वं शिवसमोऽसि
    yatastvaṁ śivasamo'si
    because you are identical with śiva

    _

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