Bhagavad Gita As It Is
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| Bhagavad Gita As It Is | |
|---|---|
| Name | Bhagavad Gita As It Is |
| Caption | Cover of a common edition |
| Author | A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada |
| Country | India / United States |
| Language | English with Sanskrit quotations |
| Subject | Hindu scripture translation and commentary |
| Genre | Religious text, commentary |
| Publisher | Bhaktivedanta Book Trust |
| Pub date | 1968 (first US edition) |
| Pages | varies by edition |
| Isbn | varies |
Bhagavad Gita As It Is is an English translation and commentary of the Bhagavad Gita produced by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness Bhakti movement-related organization International Society for Krishna Consciousness and the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. The work presents verse-by-verse Sanskrit transliteration, word-for-word meanings, English translations, and extensive commentary reflecting Gaudiya Vaishnava theology connected to figures such as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Rupa Goswami, and Jiva Goswami.
Background and Publication History
Prabhupada began teaching in Calcutta and later established missions in New York City, leading to publication efforts through the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust in the 1960s. The text draws on a long lineage of commentarial traditions including links to classical sources like Sridhara Svami and medieval exponents such as Ramanuja and Madhvacharya for comparative exposition. Early distribution occurred alongside ISKCON temple activities in cities including Los Angeles, London, Vrindavan, and Mayapur with reprints across presses in India and the United States.
Translation and Commentary
The presentation uses Sanskrit transliteration and Romanized script with verse numbers and literal glosses, echoing techniques used in editions by scholars like Swami Vivekananda and Annie Besant while emphasizing devotional readings aligned with Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Commentary cites Purports that interpret Krishna as the supreme personality of Godhead in continuity with texts such as the Bhagavata Purana and exegetical traditions exemplified by Baladeva Vidyabhushana. Editorial apparatus was produced by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust editorial team and assistants who helped compile lectures and letters from Prabhupada delivered in locations like London and New York City.
Doctrinal Themes and Interpretations
Primary doctrines include exclusive devotion to Krishna, understanding of dharma as articulated in the Gita episode of the Mahabharata battlefield at Kurukshetra, and the practice of bhakti-yoga contrasted with ideas attributed to karma-yoga and jnana-yoga. The commentary emphasizes eternal identity of the soul (atma) versus temporary bodily designations, reliance on devotional service (sevā) inspired by figures such as Sanatana Goswami and distinctions drawn from Vedanta sub-schools. Interpretive stances engage debates with modern commentators including Aurobindo, S. Radhakrishnan, and scholars associated with Oxford University and Harvard University traditions.
Reception and Influence
The work became central to ISKCON teaching worldwide, cited in lectures at venues ranging from Columbia University to community centers in Calcutta and Hawaii, and is present in devotional practices among followers across Europe, North America, and South Asia. Academic responses ranged from recognition of its role in globalizing Gaudiya theology to comparative analyses alongside editions by B. R. Ambedkar-era translators, Max Müller, and twentieth-century scholars such as Winthrop Sargeant. Political and cultural figures encountered translations in contexts from university courses at University of Oxford to library collections at the Library of Congress.
Controversies and Criticism
Critics have raised issues about doctrinal exclusivity, translational choices favoring theological commitments, and editorial decisions attributed to the ISKCON leadership; these critiques appear in journals connected to scholars from University of Chicago, Harvard, and University of Cambridge. Controversies have intersected with legal disputes over copyrights managed by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust and debates on representation of the Bhagavad Gita within curricula in places such as India and United States Congress-adjacent discussions. Scholarly critiques compare literal renderings with historical-critical methods practiced at institutions like SOAS University of London.
Editions and Translations
Multiple editions exist, including large-format commentarial volumes, compact pocket editions, and annotated study editions printed by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust in locations such as Mayapur and Los Angeles. Translations into languages such as Hindi, Spanish, French, German, Russian, Chinese, and Portuguese have been produced by ISKCON-related publishers and collaborators in cities like Mumbai and São Paulo. Parallel-projects include bilingual editions marketed for study use in academic contexts at universities like Columbia University and University of California, Berkeley.
Cultural Impact and Use in Practice
The text functions as liturgical reading in temple services at ISKCON centers in Vrindavan and Mayapur and informs outreach programs, educational curricula at ISKCON-affiliated schools, and public chanting festivals (kirtan) in urban centers such as New York City, London, and Berlin. It has influenced popular culture references alongside other religious works appearing in global discourses alongside authors like Ralph Waldo Emerson and speakers in interfaith forums at venues such as United Nations events. The book remains a focal point for devotional communities, comparative religion courses, and translation studies in departments across institutions like University of Oxford and Harvard University.
Category:Religious texts