Gita-Kosha (Trisati)

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The Kalpatharu Research Academy, Bangalore is an Institution running with the benign blessings of His Holiness Jagadguru Shankaracharya, Sri Sri Sri Bharathi Tirtha Mahaswamiji under the auspices of Dakshinamnaya Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham, established in l98l. Kalpatharu Research Academy has strided across the horizon of Indological Research and Publications with giant steps, and today stands as an Institution known for its unique quality of Research work.

Kalpatharu Research Academy is dedicated to the cause of preservation of ancient heritage of India; it has encouraged Research in the fields of Agama, Veda, Tantra, Jynarisha, Mantra-Sastra, Vastu, Yoga, Silpa, Ayurveda etc.

Among its prestigious publications (numbering more than Hundred till now), are Six Volumes of Pratima-Kosha, Twelve Volumes of Agama-Kosha, Vastu-Shilpa-Kosha in Three Volumes. Three Volumes of the Art and Architecture of Indian Temples, and several Koshas like Ganesha-Kosha, Lalita-Kosha and Navagraha-Kosha, Oshadhi-Kosha, Salagrama-Kosha, etc.

The Academy has plans of undertaking intensive Research in the field of Veda and Vedanga, and intends publishing "Bharatiya-Samskriti-Sarvasva-K0sha" an encyclopaedic work in several volumes dealing with all aspects of Indian Tradition and Culture. It seeks to promote Education, Culture, Science, Art and learning in all its branches. The approach will be broad-based and multi- disciplinary.

An extensive, comprehensive and specialist reference library has been built up to assist the Research Workers in the Indological disciplines. A valuable collection of Palm—Leaf manuscripts relating to Veda, Vedanta, Vedanga and allied subjects has already been made; the collection work is continuing.

Dakshinamnaya Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham has been running a Guru-Kala type of Institution on traditional lines to impart Vedic Education at several places. Some of these Institutions are over IOO years old. It is the intention of Kalpatharu Research Academy to take an active part in continuing this age-old tradition and act as the Research & Publication wing for these Institutions.

Our ambition is to develop as a National Centre for higher learning in Veda, Vedanga and Shastras and facilitate the propagation of unique Sanskrit and Vedic Texts in the National and International arena.

This Publication is the 105th (One hundred and fifth) of its achievement in this field.

Vidyalankara, Sastra—Chudamani, Sangita-Kalaratna, Professor Saligrama Krishna Ramachandra Rao is a Well-known scholar who combines traditional learning with modern research. Well versed in Sanskrit, Pali, Ardhamagadhi and several modern Indian languages and acquainted with Tibetan and some European languages, he has written extensively on Vedanta, Buddhism, Jainism, Indian Culture, Art and Literature.

In his professional career, however, he was a Professor of Psychology. He has headed the Department of Clinical Psychology in the National institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, and the Department of Indian Culture in the Collision College Study Center of the University of the Pacific (U.S.A). At present, he is the Senior Associate of National institute of Advanced Studies (Indian Institute of Science), Bangalore, and Guest Faculty, Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore and member of the Governing Council of TTD (SVCL Research Centre), Tirupati. He is at present the Visiting Professor, Vivekananda Chair, University of Mysore.

He has been Member of Karnataka State Lalitha Kala Academy and Sangita Nritya Academy; he has served on the Agama Board (Govt. of Karnataka). He is President of Silpa-Kala Pratishtana. The Govt. of Karnataka has honoured him with the 1986 Rajyotsava Award. He has received awards from Lalita—Kala Academi and Sangita Nritya Academi and Sahitya Academi.

He has been the recipient of Veda Sanman (for 2000) by the Maharshi Sandipani Veda-Vidya Pratishthan of Ujjaini (Govt. of India, Ministry of HRD).

Among his numerous English Publications are three volumes of Encyclopaedia of Indian Medicine (Popular Prakashan. Mumbai), Tibetan Tantric Tradition and Tibetan Meditation (Arnold Heinemann, Delhi), Consciousness in Advaita. and a series of six books on Indian Temples (IBH Prakashana, Bangalore) and Origins of Indian Thought (Bangalore University); Kalpatharu Research Academy has published his Pratima-Kosha in six volumes. Agama-Kosha in Twelve volumes, Art and Architecture of Indian Temples in three volumes. He has also authored books in Kannada and Sanskrit.

He is at present engaged in the 30-volume project Rgveda-Darsana (seven volumes of which have appeared).

He is also a musicologist, sculptor and painter, and has held some one-man shows.

Kalpatharu Research Academy, Bangalore is happy to present to the students and scholars of Indian culture this volume on Bhagavad-Gita -gita, which by all standards is the most excellent Indian book; it has justly become exceedingly popular among the masses, and it has a place of importance as one of the Prasthanas. While there are many books on Gita, our publication has a distinction : it comprehends the essential contributions made by great Indian minds with regard to Gita’s import. In this sense, it is a Kosha. We are indebted to Vidyalankara, Sastrachudamani, Sangita Kalaratna Prof. S.K.Ramachadra Rao for preparing this volume in this series of publications under the project on Bharatiya-Samskriti—Sarvasva Kosha.

We are greatly beholden to the benign blessings of the revered Jagadguru of Sringeri Sharada Peetham, Sri Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Swamiji. and to the keen interest shown in our work by Sri V.R. Gowrishankar, our chairman and the Administrator of Sringeri Sharada Peetham. This publication is humbly dedicated to Sri Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji to mark his fifty—first vardhanti mahotsva during the present month.

We also thank the Authorities of the Ministry of Human Resources Development, Govt. of India. New Delhi and the Authorities of Ministry of Education, Govt. of Karnataka and we also thank the printers M/s. Omkar Offset Printers for their expeditious and neat work.

There is hardly a scriptural text in India which can rival Bhagavad-Gita in its popular appeal and as a book of guidance in life. It is no doubt one of the great books of the world. Indians have relied on this book for centuries, for it has a message for good living. And scholars have seen in it shades of meanings that suit all philosophical viewpoints and religious practices. It is itself encyclopaedic (Kosha) in nature, as it covers all aspects of life, and incorporates all aspirations of mankind.

The present volume attempts to provide a complete account of the text by selecting three hundred verses out of the seven hundred. The selected verses (trisati) contain the essential teachings of Bhagavad-gita; included also here are the relevant and significant comments of great acharyas (Samkara, Ramanuja, Madhva, Vallabha) and other respected authorities on the subject.

I acknowledge the kind courtesy of my friends Sri Suryaprakasa Pandit and Sri Madhugiri Sudarshan, who helped me in passing the proofs.

I am as usual grateful to Daivajna K.N.Somayaji, Sri Sri Sri Bharathi Tritha Swamiji ofthe Sringeri Sharada Peetham, the chief patron Sri V.RGowrishankar, the chairman, and the printers for their co-operation.