December 21 Hindus around the world celebrate a holiday dedicated to «the Bhagavad Gita». Gitagata noted in one of the days of the lunar month of Margasirsa (Keshava), corresponding to the Western December, shortly before the New year. This year the date Gitagata, meaning «birthday (of the phenomenon) the Holy book «Gita» was on 21st of December. The name of this most popular in India sacred text means in Sanskrit «Song of God».
According to legend, this prominent religious-philosophical poem was sung to Shri Krishna about 5150 years ago (data explorers is a bit different) before the Grand battle on the field of Kurukshetra (now a place of pilgrimage for Hindus), when the troops came the birth of Pandavas and Kauravas. Resorting to different arguments, Krishna inspired the warrior Arjuna to do his duty in the name of justice. «Gita» interwoven seamlessly into the fabric of the epic Mahabharata, a vast cultural and historical works of Ancient India, but at the same time lives an independent life, representing the most important Hindu religious text.
In particular, Vaishnava (hare Krishna), referring to the words of Krishna, as the author, are convinced in addition, that «the Gita» — is generally a separate philosophical treatise, descending in different epochs from the divine source, according to the press service of the Center of societies of consciousness of Krishna in Russia, received by the editors NEWSru.com. In the Bhagavad-Gītā describes such fundamental topics Vedic philosophical thoughts, as Atma (individual soul is eternal and immortal), Bhagavan (the personality of Godhead, the source of all things), Prakriti (the material world, nature), Kala (time) and karma (activities away from God or lead to God). These aspects are considered through the prism of Jnana (analytical knowledge of the world), karma yoga (art in mind) and bhakti yoga (the path of unconditional surrender to God).
The influence of the «Bhagavad-Gita» on the culture and worldview of the Hindus and to this day remains quite significant. Along with the Upanishads (she of the «Bhagavad Gita» is considered one of the Upanishads, that is, philosophical and religious texts which demand authoritative interpretation) and Vedantasutra «Gita» serves as a key canonical works, the comment on which the community of scholars shall render its decision, to consider any philosophical school is reputable or not.
At the time, Krishna was required, according to the testimony of the Scriptures, only about an hour to reason with the warrior Arjuna to perk up and go into battle, thereby fulfilling their civic duty in order to establish the righteous rule of the Pandavas. As compelling arguments against the «cowardice» of Arjuna, Krishna unfolded the knowledge of the immortality of the soul, defiles the influence of materialistic life and sins on originally pure consciousness of the soul and justified from different points of view, the need for unconditional surrender yourself to God and unselfish service to Him (bhakti). In Russia «the Bhagavad Gita» first appeared under Ivan the terrible (1530-1584), however, the first translation into Russian language was published by Imperial decree of Catherine II and with the blessing of the Holy Synod («this book is spiritual») in 1788 in the printing of Nicholas Novikov.
The translation was made from English source and was called «Bagual-Geeta, or the Conversation of Krishna with Arjuna». The second time the Gita was published in 1902 in Vladimir, and for the third time in 1907. Here how about the merits and value of the Gita for human culture tells the famous translator and poet of the Silver age, Maximilian Voloshin. «But the most precious contribution of the collection (the first issue of «Issues of theosophy», 1907) is a beautiful translation of the XI dialogue the Hindu poem «Bhagavad Gita», made Moscow the field of Sanskrit, M. E. (apparently, Mikhail Alexandrovich II, historian, son of the writer A. I. II). As far as I know, the translation of this dialogue is an excerpt of an already finished a complete translation of the Mahabharata, still not used to European scientists.
This manuscript was sent by the Great Mogul in the gift of John the terrible and is now kept in Moscow archives of the Ministry of foreign Affairs. The appearance of this translation in Russian will be an event not only of great literary importance, but also historical. «Bhagavad-Gita» is one of the greatest Gospels of humanity, and therefore its embodiment in the Russian language carries the same spirit of revelation, which carried with them the Slavonic translation of the Bible». «In the eyes of believers, the Hindus, says the translator in the Preface, is only a commentary on the divine Veda, revealing to the bottom of her innermost essence. In it all the heavenly and earthly bliss all the hope, all the knowledge of God and all the earthly path of the believer. In it the quintessence of ancient Hindu theology and morality; it is the climax of Brahmanism.
Together she and the catechism and the gospel of Hinduism. In this work, as the focus is concentrated all the knowledge, all theosophy, philosophy, religion and morals of the Hindus. Even more esoteric is the meaning of this great poem. In shining characters of the «Bhagavad Gita» are all the deepest secrets drevneindiysky Theosophical wisdom, and all this marvelous creation is a great precept, which followed all Indian teachers, preparing students fluttering to the great act of consecration». XI a dialogue, printed in «Matters of theosophy», describes the Transfiguration of Krishna, which is before Arjuna in his universal form.
This is the most ecstatic part of the poem, in which to worship the deity found the most fiery words ever expressed in human language». Globally, there are over 600 known translations of the Bhagavad-gītā. The greatest popularity was gained translation with commentary of A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada (1896-1977), is a recognized authority and made strictly in the spirit of Vaishnava (vesnitskii) the tradition of bhakti («the service of God with devotion», «divine ownership»). In 2011, the Tomsk Prosecutor tried to refute the opinion of nearly 800 million Hindus on the credibility of the review Bhaktivedanta Swami on the Gita and applied in the court of Tomsk on the recognition of the Russian edition of this sacred book «extremist material».
The court lasted until the spring of 2012, and turned the strongest resonance not only in Russia and in India, but all over the world. As regards India, there were riots in response to the threat of a ban in Russia the most popular sacred Hindu text. Stayed twice work loksabha (lower house of Indian Parliament) deputies protested and demanded explanation from the management, which, in turn, was forced to seek explanations to Russia. In fact, Russia became the first country in the world, in which an attempt was made the official ban of the Holy Scriptures, has global significance. Fortunately, the court found unsubstantiated the arguments of the Prosecutor of Tomsk and left his statement without satisfaction.
By the way, the trial of the Bhagavad-Gita in Tomsk have resulted in unprecedented resurgence in popularity of ancient books in India, and she instantly disappeared from the shelves of bookstores. Recently an ancient Scripture once again in the spotlight, which is due to the initiative of the Minister of foreign Affairs in the government of Narendra modi, MS Sushma Swaraj, who proposed to declare the Gita an official national treasure of India.
«I am able to perform the duties of the Foreign Minister only because of the teachings of the «Bhagavad Gita,» said Sushma Swaraj during Gitagata last year. — This book is able to answer the questions of any person and therefore deserves the status of national Scripture». In Soviet times, the publication, the study and dissemination of the «Bhagavad-Gita» were stopped by the authorities and other religious texts. Free distribution of «the Bhagavad Gita» began in 1988, when was registered the first Soviet Vaishnava religious organization — the Moscow society for Krishna consciousness. In modern Russia the study and promotion of «the Bhagavad Gita» is daily in the course of lectures in the Krishna temple and spiritual centers of the international Society for Krishna consciousness and related religious communities «Gaudiya Matha», is also practicing the way of Bengal Vaishnavism, initiated by the Holy Lord Sri Caitanya (1486-1534), as well as in-depth theological courses «Hectically», which is offered in communities of Vaishnavas (hare Krishnas).
Place on the field of Kurukshetra, where he was pronounced «Geeta», has survived to the present day. Every year, here on Gitagata numerous pilgrims flock to here to read the Bhagavad-Gita from early morning until the next morning. Now this place, now known as Jotikasthira, installed statues of Parthasarathi (that is, kṛṣṇa in the form of a charioteer) and Arjuna. The inmates of the Ashram caring for this sanctuary, they say that the tree that grows nearby, is a descendant of the very tree under which was sung the «Song of God». Vaishnavas offer arati to Bhagavad-Gita and Krishna with Arjuna on a chariot, bring lamps to the lake of Brahma (Brahmavar), recite Slokas and explain the meaning of the «Bhagavad-Gita».
Those who do not have the opportunity to visit Jyotisar, celebrate this event in the temple or home altar. For the past many years on the day of Gitagata such ceremonies are held in Russia. The recitation of all 700 shlokas (verses) «Bhagavad-Gita» takes approximately three and a half hours. On the day of Gitagata even many Hindus fast till evening, until you hear the last verse.