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Show HN: Bhagavad Gita Android App for searching verses by topics like anxiety

90 points by launchiterate 5y ago

ttonkytonk 5y ago
I like the idea expressed in the story that suggests the three energies of activity, inertia and knowledge.
dr_dshiv 5y ago
But doesn't actually keyword search the text? I looked for "music"
- launchiterate 5y ago
  Yes should be topic and keyword.
throwaway_nkp 5y ago
Never read religious texts before, but I remember Oppenheimer's famous quote, "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds." What stuff might be interesting in Bhagavad Gita for a scientist like him?
- launchiterate 5y ago
  The Bhagavad Gita is really a philosophy of living life by calmly performing duty while being outcome independent. It’s one of the popular philosophies that discusses what is right action. Especially what is right action in extremely uncertain and difficult circumstances such as what Oppenheimer faced. The main protagonist of the Gita is a warrior facing his own kinsmen in the battlefield and his charioteer the symbolic representation of the divine guides him through his moral dilemma. Their dialogue is the Bhagavad Gita translated as “The song of the Lord”.
  - deleted 5y ago
    [deleted]
  - caddybox 5y ago
    The Bhagavid Gita attempts to define a person's response to a life event by decomposing it into "dharma" and "karma". Dharma is external and is specified by a person's birth, caste, etc. (essentially societal factors) whereas Karma is more personal and rises out of actions from a man's conscious volition. It attempts to propose the right action by checking what is good dharma and good karma but as I've read in a beautiful introduction to the Mahabharata translation by John D. Smith, Dharma and Karma can often point in opposite directions. I thoroughly agree that the central idea of the Bhagavad Gita is to do your job without unnecessary worry or anxiety about the outcome. I've seen similar ideas in Epictetus's Enchiridion (put yourself to things in your control and forget about things beyond your power) and more recently in the notion of "separation of tasks" central to Alfred Adler's works. Irrespective of the source, the idea of focussing on my job without worrying about the outcome has been immensely helpful to me in moments of great anxiety and uncertainty.
    - eklavya 5y ago
      I think that’s really really wrong interpretation of it. It tells you your karma (actions) should always be dictated by your dharma (the right thing to do, nothing to do with caste btw, not sure how that got into the translation if it did). Krishna tells Arjun (the warrior being mentioned here) that it doesn’t matter that it’s your kinsmen including some which are the salt of the earth on the other side. You fight them because they are standing for adharma (injustice) and you should always stand for dharma (justice) no matter the personal cost.
      - unmole 5y ago
        > your dharma (the right thing to do, nothing to do with caste btw, not sure how that got into the translation if it did). The right thing to do is not universal. Dharma doesn't place the same responsibilities on a king and a peasant. Your dharma is dependent on your role in the larger order and thus on your caste. The Mahabharata itself has more than a hundred references to Kshatriya dharma which is unsurprising given its martial context.
        5y ago
- forgingahead 5y ago
  What stuff might be interesting in Bhagavad Gita for a scientist like him? There shouldn't be an implication that science and religion are at odds - perhaps the cartoon interpretation of religion by some segments of intellectual society, but scientists of old were often struggling to reconcile their desire of increased knowledge of the physical world with their faiths. Isaac Newton for example, wrote more papers about religion than he did about science and math[0]: How much of Newton’s writing has survived? A huge amount. There’s roughly 10 million words that Newton left. Around half of the writing is religious, and there are about 1 million words on alchemical material, most of which is copies of other people’s stuff. There are about 1 million words related to his work as Master of the Mint. And then roughly 3 million related to science and math. [0]https://www.wired.com/2014/05/newton-papers-q-and-a/ https://www.wired.com/2014/05/newton-papers-q-and-a/
- iamshs 5y ago
  Bhagvad Gita is a proponent of just war. Ambiguity in Bhagvad Gita can be used to endorse any position you find yourself in. Act but don’t act - perfect text which gives ample manoeuvring space if you are feeling spiritual.
  - Xplune13 5y ago
    Not really. War is definitely the context there as it is said that it was spoken during the war itself, but it lays out what to do at what time. It isn't ambiguous enough so that anyone can interpret it in any way. It lays out the scenarios and just states what is right to do in that scenario.
    - sudosysgen 5y ago
      The ambiguity lies in which scenario you're choosing as an analog to your present. And yes the Bhagavad Gita is great for justifying atrocities to the individual, hence why Himmler carried it around.
      - Xplune13 5y ago
        No. As with everything else in life, context is important. One can easily just read it and then proceed to justify their doings using it if they either don't know or choose to ignore the context of it. Whole of Bhagvad Gita was spoken during the Mahabharata War. It contains some overall guidance i.e. it can be applicable to normal day life as well as situational guidance on the context of the going war.
        wolfretcrap 5y ago
        In mahabharata war countless men died. It was all justified by someone who goes by name Krishna in ancient text. Krishna origin is questionable as he's not one person throughout his history but fusion of multiple personalities which existed in past. Krishna could as well be a master manipulator who convinced other's that God and him are actually just one. Many Kings of that time actually did try to become God the prime example was Pondrak who believed he's the real Vasudev. His version couldn't survive because he lost the battle against Krishna. Mahabharata is not useful to for an average person, reading it will not enlighten you or anything. It's not a guide on how to live your life, it has many flaws, questionable ethics and morality defined in the text, bringing God into it to make beyond contest. If it had anything of use, India where this religious text is most popular would be epicenter of good behavior, technological advancements, ethics and morality. Is it? No it's far away from it. Before anyone questions my religion, I am Hindu from north India (Uttarakhand Purohit clan to be specific)
- sudosysgen 5y ago
  It's a useful thought framework to rid yourself of the anxiety of doing things you think are morally questionable.
- svat 5y ago
  See "The Gita of Robert Oppenheimer" by James Hijiya, Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society 144 (2) (June 2000): https://web.archive.org/web/20131126020921/http://www.amphilsoc.org/sites/default/files/proceedings/Hijiya.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20131126020921/http://www.amphil...
- naravara 5y ago
  Oppenheimer’s quote is, while not quite a mistranslation, incomplete. The original quote would more properly translate as an incarnation of “time” rather than “death.”
- FooBarBizBazz 5y ago
  Side note, I understand that's a minor mistranslation: "Death" is more like "Time" (which eventually destroys all things). In that line, I imagine a Hindu analogue of Chronos -- Time the Reaper, which mows men down at the end of their season, like so much grass. Ozymandias as well. This, then, would have less to do with the explosive power of the Trinity test, and more to do with the decaying remnants of missile silos, which are already ruins.
- kumarvvr 5y ago
  The Bhagavid Gita is not a religious book. It's a philosophical treatise. It is a book that is to be analyzed, contemplated and debated. It clarifies on the way of the world, the duties of a human being, on how to decide what is right and wrong (or what is sin and not). Ultimately, it posits that what we suffer as humans, are essentially results of our own actions (karma). However these effects are not limited to the lifetime of the human form (because Gita posits that the human body is perishable, but the soul is non-perishable and carries forward the karmic effects). It puts the cause of human suffering on humans themselves and posits that to escape this never ending cycle of cause-reaction, detachment is the only way forward. Gita then explains what is detachment. How to be detached from our actions, thereby breaking the cycle of re-birth and ending our suffering. So, in the context of Oppenheimer, I speculate that his reading of Gita made him aware of his actions and the karmic effects of it on his soul. Background Note : Hinduism puts forth that this universe and our existence is not the outcome of some being / God. As, logically, speaking, if the universe came to be from the actions of some superior being, then it is implied that some higher being made this superior being, and the hierarchy goes on without end. Hinduism posits that this is absurd and that the universe is nothing but god. Every molecule, every atom, every soul is an expression of god.
  - omarfarooq 5y ago
    > Background Note : Hinduism puts forth that this universe and our existence is not the outcome of some being / God. As, logically, speaking, if the universe came to be from the actions of some superior being, then it is implied that some higher being made this superior being, and the hierarchy goes on without end. Hinduism posits that this is absurd and that the universe is nothing but god. Every molecule, every atom, every soul is an expression of god. Your statements are directly refuted by the Gita itself: BG 10.39: I am the generating seed of all living beings, O Arjun. No creature moving or non-moving can exist without me. BG 10.42: What need is there for all this detailed knowledge, O Arjun? Simply know that by one fraction of my being, I pervade and support this entire creation. BG 10.8: I am the origin of all creation. Everything proceeds from me. The wise who know this perfectly worship me with great faith and devotion. There is no problem of infinite regress when God is defined as the uncaused cause. Neither is a scripture being both religious in nature and philosophical a mutual exclusivity.
- alex_smart 5y ago
  Anybody who is honest will tell you that Hindu religious texts are ultimately about justification for "varnashrama dharma". (Varnas are obviously a little different from its contemporary form - caste, but also shares many essential features. Namely, pre-determination of social status and broad occupations based on birth and endogamy, although it's more like a woman from a higher varna can not marry a man from a lower varna.) Why is Arjuna's dharma to fight? Because he is a Kshatriya. Why shouldn't Arjuna worry about what consequences the war might have on his family and society? Well, because Krishna himself is the upholder of Varnashrama Dharma. Arjuna should only worry about doing his duty, and not worry about such lofty matters.
  - rramadass 5y ago
    >Hindu religious texts are ultimately about justification for "varnashrama dharma" No! That is a very shortsighted and narrow view of a complex and nuanced subject. For details, I recommend that you look into the works on Dharma and Ashrama System by the noted Indologist Patrick Olivelle.
- rramadass 5y ago
  >What stuff might be interesting in Bhagavad Gita for a scientist like him? A specific Worldview and cultivating a Mindset to go with it which takes Death and Total Destruction as part of a Universal Lifecycle.
kaushalc 5y ago
Great app!! Loved it
- launchiterate 5y ago
  Grateful for your support :)
unmole 5y ago
Which translation does it use?
- alex_smart 5y ago
  Seems to be the Ramanand Prasad (International Gita Society) one.
quaintdev 5y ago
If you are interested in Bhagvad Gita I recommend watching this episode of Mahabharata [1]. It has English subtitles. https://youtu.be/dyt2FkRN2TY https://youtu.be/dyt2FkRN2TY
- reallymental 5y ago
  Wow it's safely been a decade and a half since I've even thought about these episodes! Thanks for bringing it's memory back to life. On a slightly different note, these episodes (essentially, plays) didn't capture some of the spirit that the book shares. The book is more sombre in my opinion, it informs the reader of the things that happened (albeit in a Hardcode history - like manner, very fantastical and poetic), and it doesn't offer any pre or post-amble. A drive-by epic, if you'd like.
  - naravara 5y ago
    The story itself is extremely layered. The “comic book” layer with the epic heroes and battles are certainly valid and get people hooked young. Then you can get into the character studies, the sociological theories, the philosophy and metaphysics, etc.
- anshumankmr 5y ago
  I wonder why does it have 9k dislikes.
superasn 5y ago
Recently came across a very good video on YouTube by a guy named cogito(1) which mentions Bhagavad gita, vedas and gives a good unbiased intro to Hinduism. If you're curious about it and how the whole thing like caste system, etc evolved it's a good intro. (1) xlBEEuYIWwY
- thunderbong 5y ago
  I think you meant this link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlBEEuYIWwY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlBEEuYIWwY
- alex_smart 5y ago
  Overall a good video, but it gets one part wrong: caste has always been from birth, not ability. This is a dishonest interpretation that has been attempted to seemingly make Hinduism more compatible with modern values. As an example, in Ramayana, in a story starting from chapter 73 (The Death of a Brahmin's Son), Rama kills a Shudra for performing ascetic rituals. The unrighteousness of this Shudra performing these rituals - suitable for Brahmins - was apparently the reason for the death of the child.
  - random314 5y ago
    Most of the caste aspects afaik were introduced into the original texts after 400BC. These include Balakand, uttarakand (shambuka), Gita etc. This implies some form of birth based caste system existing before 400BC which was solidified via new religious texts and additions to already popular old texts culminating with the Manusmriti and rigid caste system by 200 AD. The obvious beneficiaries were the Brahmins who wrote the text. Older texts are a bit more fluid in terms of birth based caste.
Kevin_S 5y ago
I read Bhagavad Gita for a philosophy course. It made me very interested in religion and philosophy. Highly recommend it for anyone, it's a relatively chill read as well.
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
stonecharioteer 5y ago
If anyone is curious about good versions of the text, or about the Mahabharata in general, I recommend Bibek Debroy. His 20 volume Mahabharata is very well written, and includes the Bhagavad Gita. However he has other translations of the Gita in and of itself. They're all worth a look-see.
soul4krsna 5y ago
Great app and good work! Altough I havent used it. Maybe you can make an platform to load different versions of the Gitopanisad? IMHO, hands down, Prabhupada's 1972[1] translation is authorized and clear as day for all scientists. The only authority a child can trust is his mother when it comes to knowledge of the father. It's silly to still refer to the true and original knowledge base as just another religion of a civilization from yore. Sanskrit is the original language and its power and effectiveness needs not any qualification from the speaker. The only requirement is a humble attitude to actually desire the solution to all problems of life. The Vedas is Krsna Himself and do explain it all and Krsna is the most proper name we have for the Supreme Person of Godhead. God doesn't have a name we give Him one based on His qualities. Honestly there is nothing wrong in making yet another app and more complexity, more websites and more of anything because this simple 700 verse song is the open source code for the soul and its ultimate goal so anything relating to any of the translations is a movement of good energy and karma for all involved. While reading actual paper books is the most basic of skills, most people cant/wont do it anymore. People are not interested in solving death, they simply want to enjoy life. Kali-yuga doesn't help the probabilities either so most people wont even reach the most fundamental principles of no eating meat, fish or eggs, no intoxicants, celibacy and zero gambling(speculations; any/all). Which is simple austerity and self-control. If we cant control this machine of material energy how could we ever perfect our consciousness and realize our true religion is service to the Lord forever? Why is that such a difficult concept to fathom? A king has a servant that enjoys all his riches too. How then do we all have an issue understanding we are either controlled by force in karmic reactions and machine evolution from shit eating worms to humans to demigods or we can cleanse our mind by using the correct dharma for this age? Chanting Hare Krsna! The vibration of sound from the Maha-mantra is actually The incarnation of God for this time so its God Himself because He is absolute. Most folks will dismiss it as philosophy/religion/rhetoric and never even question in an open way the fact, that is not established in our minds, we as souls are eternal and are the same as the Lord in quality. The real truth is the Lord is in everyone's heart and in every atom and is time itself and we each have a particular and unique relationship we fulfill for Him in the real world. Our sojourn in this dimension is temporary but certainly a dangerous one. Chant Hare Krsna and be happy! [1] https://bg-ai.github.io https://bg-ai.github.io
amriksohata 5y ago
This is brilliant thank you, some great real world advice in Hindu texts. I wonder if Yoga is now mainstream, and Mindfulness aka Meditation which is one of the Eight limbs of Yoga. THe west will now start reading more into Hindu scriptures. If anyone wants to read the original texts of the Gita its here https://asitis.com/ https://asitis.com/
- unmole 5y ago
  A head's up to anyone who decides to use this source: The translation and commentary in Bhagawat Gita As It Is are from ISKCON's particular interpretation of the Gaudiya Vaishna perspective. While they get a disproportionate amount of press relative to their size, they are not representative of mainstream Hinduism.
  - amriksohata 5y ago
    This is true about it being from ISKCON however it is incorrect to say they are not representative of mainstream Hinduism, at least not in the UK. A huge number of the Gita book distribution is in their format as its a trusted source (rather than British Raj time interpretations). Even the average Hindu who is not from ISKCON will happily attend and follow ISKCON teachings as they are considered bona fied, look how many turned up to Janmashtami celebrations this week: https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/19538987.35-000-expected-hindu-janmashtami-festival-bhaktivedanta-manor/ https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/19538987.35-000-expec... I would rather trust this translation from a trained lineage.
    - unmole 5y ago
      The Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition sees Krishna as the original form of god. Every other school considers Krishna to be an avatar of Vishnu. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is considered an avatar of Krishna by Gaudiya Vaishnavas while everyone else sees him as a mortal devotee of Krishna and not Krishna himself. These are fundamental differences in theology. Prabubada's translation is in service of the beliefs of his lineage which at times are decidedly against what the mainstream believes. The fact that ISKCON is popular in a country where less than ~1.5% of the population identifies as Hindu doesn't mean that they are representative of mainstream Hinduism. There are probably dozens of other translations by bonafide practitioners of other lineages which are closer to what the vast majority of Hindus actually believe.
ketanmaheshwari 5y ago
Nice! It also happens to be Krishna's birth anniversary tomorrow -- Monday, August 30 2021.
rramadass 5y ago
The Bhagavad Gita is one of the most extensively translated texts in the world. Unfortunately this allows a lot of not-so-good and personal interpretations to pollute an unbiased study of the text. I found the following two translations/interpretations pretty good to get at the fundamental ideas; * The Bhagavad Gita (Oxford World's Classics) translated by W.J.Johnson - This is a very good and succinct translation in the spirit of the original text and should be the first one you read. * The Bhagavad Gita (2 vols in 1) translated and interpreted by Franklin Edgerton - Contains one of the best interpretations of the Gita based on the underlying Hindu Worldviews. Edgerton was a giant in Sanskrit studies and his brilliance shows here.

90 points by launchiterate 5y ago

ttonkytonk 5y ago

I like the idea expressed in the story that suggests the three energies of activity, inertia and knowledge.

dr_dshiv 5y ago

But doesn't actually keyword search the text? I looked for "music"

launchiterate 5y ago
Yes should be topic and keyword.

throwaway_nkp 5y ago

Never read religious texts before, but I remember Oppenheimer's famous quote, "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds." What stuff might be interesting in Bhagavad Gita for a scientist like him?

launchiterate 5y ago
The Bhagavad Gita is really a philosophy of living life by calmly performing duty while being outcome independent. It’s one of the popular philosophies that discusses what is right action. Especially what is right action in extremely uncertain and difficult circumstances such as what Oppenheimer faced. The main protagonist of the Gita is a warrior facing his own kinsmen in the battlefield and his charioteer the symbolic representation of the divine guides him through his moral dilemma. Their dialogue is the Bhagavad Gita translated as “The song of the Lord”.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- caddybox 5y ago
  The Bhagavid Gita attempts to define a person's response to a life event by decomposing it into "dharma" and "karma". Dharma is external and is specified by a person's birth, caste, etc. (essentially societal factors) whereas Karma is more personal and rises out of actions from a man's conscious volition. It attempts to propose the right action by checking what is good dharma and good karma but as I've read in a beautiful introduction to the Mahabharata translation by John D. Smith, Dharma and Karma can often point in opposite directions. I thoroughly agree that the central idea of the Bhagavad Gita is to do your job without unnecessary worry or anxiety about the outcome. I've seen similar ideas in Epictetus's Enchiridion (put yourself to things in your control and forget about things beyond your power) and more recently in the notion of "separation of tasks" central to Alfred Adler's works. Irrespective of the source, the idea of focussing on my job without worrying about the outcome has been immensely helpful to me in moments of great anxiety and uncertainty.
  - eklavya 5y ago
    I think that’s really really wrong interpretation of it. It tells you your karma (actions) should always be dictated by your dharma (the right thing to do, nothing to do with caste btw, not sure how that got into the translation if it did). Krishna tells Arjun (the warrior being mentioned here) that it doesn’t matter that it’s your kinsmen including some which are the salt of the earth on the other side. You fight them because they are standing for adharma (injustice) and you should always stand for dharma (justice) no matter the personal cost.
    - unmole 5y ago
      > your dharma (the right thing to do, nothing to do with caste btw, not sure how that got into the translation if it did). The right thing to do is not universal. Dharma doesn't place the same responsibilities on a king and a peasant. Your dharma is dependent on your role in the larger order and thus on your caste. The Mahabharata itself has more than a hundred references to Kshatriya dharma which is unsurprising given its martial context.
      - 5y ago
forgingahead 5y ago
What stuff might be interesting in Bhagavad Gita for a scientist like him? There shouldn't be an implication that science and religion are at odds - perhaps the cartoon interpretation of religion by some segments of intellectual society, but scientists of old were often struggling to reconcile their desire of increased knowledge of the physical world with their faiths. Isaac Newton for example, wrote more papers about religion than he did about science and math[0]: How much of Newton’s writing has survived? A huge amount. There’s roughly 10 million words that Newton left. Around half of the writing is religious, and there are about 1 million words on alchemical material, most of which is copies of other people’s stuff. There are about 1 million words related to his work as Master of the Mint. And then roughly 3 million related to science and math. [0]https://www.wired.com/2014/05/newton-papers-q-and-a/ https://www.wired.com/2014/05/newton-papers-q-and-a/
iamshs 5y ago
Bhagvad Gita is a proponent of just war. Ambiguity in Bhagvad Gita can be used to endorse any position you find yourself in. Act but don’t act - perfect text which gives ample manoeuvring space if you are feeling spiritual.
- Xplune13 5y ago
  Not really. War is definitely the context there as it is said that it was spoken during the war itself, but it lays out what to do at what time. It isn't ambiguous enough so that anyone can interpret it in any way. It lays out the scenarios and just states what is right to do in that scenario.
  - sudosysgen 5y ago
    The ambiguity lies in which scenario you're choosing as an analog to your present. And yes the Bhagavad Gita is great for justifying atrocities to the individual, hence why Himmler carried it around.
    - Xplune13 5y ago
      No. As with everything else in life, context is important. One can easily just read it and then proceed to justify their doings using it if they either don't know or choose to ignore the context of it. Whole of Bhagvad Gita was spoken during the Mahabharata War. It contains some overall guidance i.e. it can be applicable to normal day life as well as situational guidance on the context of the going war.
      - wolfretcrap 5y ago
        In mahabharata war countless men died. It was all justified by someone who goes by name Krishna in ancient text. Krishna origin is questionable as he's not one person throughout his history but fusion of multiple personalities which existed in past. Krishna could as well be a master manipulator who convinced other's that God and him are actually just one. Many Kings of that time actually did try to become God the prime example was Pondrak who believed he's the real Vasudev. His version couldn't survive because he lost the battle against Krishna. Mahabharata is not useful to for an average person, reading it will not enlighten you or anything. It's not a guide on how to live your life, it has many flaws, questionable ethics and morality defined in the text, bringing God into it to make beyond contest. If it had anything of use, India where this religious text is most popular would be epicenter of good behavior, technological advancements, ethics and morality. Is it? No it's far away from it. Before anyone questions my religion, I am Hindu from north India (Uttarakhand Purohit clan to be specific)
sudosysgen 5y ago
It's a useful thought framework to rid yourself of the anxiety of doing things you think are morally questionable.
svat 5y ago
See "The Gita of Robert Oppenheimer" by James Hijiya, Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society 144 (2) (June 2000): https://web.archive.org/web/20131126020921/http://www.amphilsoc.org/sites/default/files/proceedings/Hijiya.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20131126020921/http://www.amphil...
naravara 5y ago
Oppenheimer’s quote is, while not quite a mistranslation, incomplete. The original quote would more properly translate as an incarnation of “time” rather than “death.”
FooBarBizBazz 5y ago
Side note, I understand that's a minor mistranslation: "Death" is more like "Time" (which eventually destroys all things). In that line, I imagine a Hindu analogue of Chronos -- Time the Reaper, which mows men down at the end of their season, like so much grass. Ozymandias as well. This, then, would have less to do with the explosive power of the Trinity test, and more to do with the decaying remnants of missile silos, which are already ruins.
kumarvvr 5y ago
The Bhagavid Gita is not a religious book. It's a philosophical treatise. It is a book that is to be analyzed, contemplated and debated. It clarifies on the way of the world, the duties of a human being, on how to decide what is right and wrong (or what is sin and not). Ultimately, it posits that what we suffer as humans, are essentially results of our own actions (karma). However these effects are not limited to the lifetime of the human form (because Gita posits that the human body is perishable, but the soul is non-perishable and carries forward the karmic effects). It puts the cause of human suffering on humans themselves and posits that to escape this never ending cycle of cause-reaction, detachment is the only way forward. Gita then explains what is detachment. How to be detached from our actions, thereby breaking the cycle of re-birth and ending our suffering. So, in the context of Oppenheimer, I speculate that his reading of Gita made him aware of his actions and the karmic effects of it on his soul. Background Note : Hinduism puts forth that this universe and our existence is not the outcome of some being / God. As, logically, speaking, if the universe came to be from the actions of some superior being, then it is implied that some higher being made this superior being, and the hierarchy goes on without end. Hinduism posits that this is absurd and that the universe is nothing but god. Every molecule, every atom, every soul is an expression of god.
- omarfarooq 5y ago
  > Background Note : Hinduism puts forth that this universe and our existence is not the outcome of some being / God. As, logically, speaking, if the universe came to be from the actions of some superior being, then it is implied that some higher being made this superior being, and the hierarchy goes on without end. Hinduism posits that this is absurd and that the universe is nothing but god. Every molecule, every atom, every soul is an expression of god. Your statements are directly refuted by the Gita itself: BG 10.39: I am the generating seed of all living beings, O Arjun. No creature moving or non-moving can exist without me. BG 10.42: What need is there for all this detailed knowledge, O Arjun? Simply know that by one fraction of my being, I pervade and support this entire creation. BG 10.8: I am the origin of all creation. Everything proceeds from me. The wise who know this perfectly worship me with great faith and devotion. There is no problem of infinite regress when God is defined as the uncaused cause. Neither is a scripture being both religious in nature and philosophical a mutual exclusivity.
alex_smart 5y ago
Anybody who is honest will tell you that Hindu religious texts are ultimately about justification for "varnashrama dharma". (Varnas are obviously a little different from its contemporary form - caste, but also shares many essential features. Namely, pre-determination of social status and broad occupations based on birth and endogamy, although it's more like a woman from a higher varna can not marry a man from a lower varna.) Why is Arjuna's dharma to fight? Because he is a Kshatriya. Why shouldn't Arjuna worry about what consequences the war might have on his family and society? Well, because Krishna himself is the upholder of Varnashrama Dharma. Arjuna should only worry about doing his duty, and not worry about such lofty matters.
- rramadass 5y ago
  >Hindu religious texts are ultimately about justification for "varnashrama dharma" No! That is a very shortsighted and narrow view of a complex and nuanced subject. For details, I recommend that you look into the works on Dharma and Ashrama System by the noted Indologist Patrick Olivelle.
rramadass 5y ago
>What stuff might be interesting in Bhagavad Gita for a scientist like him? A specific Worldview and cultivating a Mindset to go with it which takes Death and Total Destruction as part of a Universal Lifecycle.

kaushalc 5y ago

Great app!! Loved it

launchiterate 5y ago
Grateful for your support :)

unmole 5y ago

Which translation does it use?

alex_smart 5y ago
Seems to be the Ramanand Prasad (International Gita Society) one.

quaintdev 5y ago

If you are interested in Bhagvad Gita I recommend watching this episode of Mahabharata [1]. It has English subtitles. https://youtu.be/dyt2FkRN2TY https://youtu.be/dyt2FkRN2TY

reallymental 5y ago
Wow it's safely been a decade and a half since I've even thought about these episodes! Thanks for bringing it's memory back to life. On a slightly different note, these episodes (essentially, plays) didn't capture some of the spirit that the book shares. The book is more sombre in my opinion, it informs the reader of the things that happened (albeit in a Hardcode history - like manner, very fantastical and poetic), and it doesn't offer any pre or post-amble. A drive-by epic, if you'd like.
- naravara 5y ago
  The story itself is extremely layered. The “comic book” layer with the epic heroes and battles are certainly valid and get people hooked young. Then you can get into the character studies, the sociological theories, the philosophy and metaphysics, etc.
anshumankmr 5y ago
I wonder why does it have 9k dislikes.

superasn 5y ago

Recently came across a very good video on YouTube by a guy named cogito(1) which mentions Bhagavad gita, vedas and gives a good unbiased intro to Hinduism. If you're curious about it and how the whole thing like caste system, etc evolved it's a good intro. (1) xlBEEuYIWwY

thunderbong 5y ago
I think you meant this link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlBEEuYIWwY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlBEEuYIWwY
alex_smart 5y ago
Overall a good video, but it gets one part wrong: caste has always been from birth, not ability. This is a dishonest interpretation that has been attempted to seemingly make Hinduism more compatible with modern values. As an example, in Ramayana, in a story starting from chapter 73 (The Death of a Brahmin's Son), Rama kills a Shudra for performing ascetic rituals. The unrighteousness of this Shudra performing these rituals - suitable for Brahmins - was apparently the reason for the death of the child.
- random314 5y ago
  Most of the caste aspects afaik were introduced into the original texts after 400BC. These include Balakand, uttarakand (shambuka), Gita etc. This implies some form of birth based caste system existing before 400BC which was solidified via new religious texts and additions to already popular old texts culminating with the Manusmriti and rigid caste system by 200 AD. The obvious beneficiaries were the Brahmins who wrote the text. Older texts are a bit more fluid in terms of birth based caste.

Kevin_S 5y ago

I read Bhagavad Gita for a philosophy course. It made me very interested in religion and philosophy. Highly recommend it for anyone, it's a relatively chill read as well.

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stonecharioteer 5y ago

If anyone is curious about good versions of the text, or about the Mahabharata in general, I recommend Bibek Debroy. His 20 volume Mahabharata is very well written, and includes the Bhagavad Gita. However he has other translations of the Gita in and of itself. They're all worth a look-see.

soul4krsna 5y ago

Great app and good work! Altough I havent used it. Maybe you can make an platform to load different versions of the Gitopanisad? IMHO, hands down, Prabhupada's 1972[1] translation is authorized and clear as day for all scientists. The only authority a child can trust is his mother when it comes to knowledge of the father. It's silly to still refer to the true and original knowledge base as just another religion of a civilization from yore. Sanskrit is the original language and its power and effectiveness needs not any qualification from the speaker. The only requirement is a humble attitude to actually desire the solution to all problems of life. The Vedas is Krsna Himself and do explain it all and Krsna is the most proper name we have for the Supreme Person of Godhead. God doesn't have a name we give Him one based on His qualities. Honestly there is nothing wrong in making yet another app and more complexity, more websites and more of anything because this simple 700 verse song is the open source code for the soul and its ultimate goal so anything relating to any of the translations is a movement of good energy and karma for all involved. While reading actual paper books is the most basic of skills, most people cant/wont do it anymore. People are not interested in solving death, they simply want to enjoy life. Kali-yuga doesn't help the probabilities either so most people wont even reach the most fundamental principles of no eating meat, fish or eggs, no intoxicants, celibacy and zero gambling(speculations; any/all). Which is simple austerity and self-control. If we cant control this machine of material energy how could we ever perfect our consciousness and realize our true religion is service to the Lord forever? Why is that such a difficult concept to fathom? A king has a servant that enjoys all his riches too. How then do we all have an issue understanding we are either controlled by force in karmic reactions and machine evolution from shit eating worms to humans to demigods or we can cleanse our mind by using the correct dharma for this age? Chanting Hare Krsna! The vibration of sound from the Maha-mantra is actually The incarnation of God for this time so its God Himself because He is absolute. Most folks will dismiss it as philosophy/religion/rhetoric and never even question in an open way the fact, that is not established in our minds, we as souls are eternal and are the same as the Lord in quality. The real truth is the Lord is in everyone's heart and in every atom and is time itself and we each have a particular and unique relationship we fulfill for Him in the real world. Our sojourn in this dimension is temporary but certainly a dangerous one. Chant Hare Krsna and be happy! [1] https://bg-ai.github.io https://bg-ai.github.io

amriksohata 5y ago

This is brilliant thank you, some great real world advice in Hindu texts. I wonder if Yoga is now mainstream, and Mindfulness aka Meditation which is one of the Eight limbs of Yoga. THe west will now start reading more into Hindu scriptures. If anyone wants to read the original texts of the Gita its here https://asitis.com/ https://asitis.com/

unmole 5y ago
A head's up to anyone who decides to use this source: The translation and commentary in Bhagawat Gita As It Is are from ISKCON's particular interpretation of the Gaudiya Vaishna perspective. While they get a disproportionate amount of press relative to their size, they are not representative of mainstream Hinduism.
- amriksohata 5y ago
  This is true about it being from ISKCON however it is incorrect to say they are not representative of mainstream Hinduism, at least not in the UK. A huge number of the Gita book distribution is in their format as its a trusted source (rather than British Raj time interpretations). Even the average Hindu who is not from ISKCON will happily attend and follow ISKCON teachings as they are considered bona fied, look how many turned up to Janmashtami celebrations this week: https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/19538987.35-000-expected-hindu-janmashtami-festival-bhaktivedanta-manor/ https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/19538987.35-000-expec... I would rather trust this translation from a trained lineage.
  - unmole 5y ago
    The Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition sees Krishna as the original form of god. Every other school considers Krishna to be an avatar of Vishnu. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is considered an avatar of Krishna by Gaudiya Vaishnavas while everyone else sees him as a mortal devotee of Krishna and not Krishna himself. These are fundamental differences in theology. Prabubada's translation is in service of the beliefs of his lineage which at times are decidedly against what the mainstream believes. The fact that ISKCON is popular in a country where less than ~1.5% of the population identifies as Hindu doesn't mean that they are representative of mainstream Hinduism. There are probably dozens of other translations by bonafide practitioners of other lineages which are closer to what the vast majority of Hindus actually believe.

ketanmaheshwari 5y ago

Nice! It also happens to be Krishna's birth anniversary tomorrow -- Monday, August 30 2021.

rramadass 5y ago

The Bhagavad Gita is one of the most extensively translated texts in the world. Unfortunately this allows a lot of not-so-good and personal interpretations to pollute an unbiased study of the text. I found the following two translations/interpretations pretty good to get at the fundamental ideas; * The Bhagavad Gita (Oxford World's Classics) translated by W.J.Johnson - This is a very good and succinct translation in the spirit of the original text and should be the first one you read. * The Bhagavad Gita (2 vols in 1) translated and interpreted by Franklin Edgerton - Contains one of the best interpretations of the Gita based on the underlying Hindu Worldviews. Edgerton was a giant in Sanskrit studies and his brilliance shows here.