Introduction To The Course: Upnishad'S Teachings 1

Introduction to the Course
I
n this course, we will be exploring the teachings presented by Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gītā con-
cerning the nature of God and the relationship between human beings and the Supreme Deity.
The Bhagavad-gītā is one of the principal sources of religious teaching for the Hindu tradition
and as such is regarded by adherents of the Vedānta system as one the three components of the
Prasthāna-trayī (literally the three sources or foundations) along with the major Upaniṣads and
Bādarāyaṇa’s Vedānta Sūtras. Hence the main ācāryas of the Vedānta system have presented
commentaries on the Gītā in which they attempt to show how its doctrines conform to their own
particular brand of theology. And because the different ācāryas have different ideas, they do at
times offer different interpretations of verses and passages of the text. Moreover, the ācāryas
attempt to demonstrate that despite apparent differences of emphasis, the Bhagavad-gītā, the
Upaniṣads and the Vedānta Sūtras are all offering the same fundamental teaching.
Hindu ideas on the nature of God vary dramatically. Some worship Śiva as the Supreme Deity,
some worship the Goddess as Supreme, some ascribe that status to Viṣṇu and his avatāras, whilst
others regard all these as manifestations of the one absolute truth, which is without form and
cannot be described in words or conceived of by the limited mind. Most Hindus regard Viṣṇu
and Śiva as two aspects of the same Supreme Deity, and this view also finds support in ancient
texts. Even amongst those who follow the Vedānta system there are significant differences of
doctrine, ranging from Śaṅkarācārya (8th c. AD) who taught that the absolute truth is non-dif-
ferent from one’s own true self (Advaita Vedānta), to Madhvācārya (1197-1276 AD) who taught
that the human soul and the Supreme Deity are absolutely different (Dvaita Vedānta).
In terms of the sacred texts the ācāryas commented upon, the Vedānta Sūtras is written in
a very terse style and is hence rather difficult to understand without one or more of the com-
1.
Upnishad's mentaries. The major Upaniṣads tend to emphasise the idea of Brahman as the ultimate reality,
teachings defining it as that which is all things and which is identical to one’s own innermost self. The
Upaniṣads further teach that2.one should seek liberation from rebirth (mokṣa) by means of realised
knowledge of one’s identity with Brahman. In the Bhagavad-gītā, however, we find alternative
ideas that do not appear in the Upaniṣads. The ultimate reality is here presented as a personal
Bhagvad Gita's Deity and worship of that Deity (bhakti) is recommended as the best form of religious practice.
teachings
Indeed, Kṛṣṇa, the speaker of the Gītā, reveals himself to be that Supreme Deity, and hence the
text is a self-revelation by the divine of its own identity.
In this course, we will look in detail at those passages of the Bhagavad-gītā in which the
question of the divine identity is most specifically addressed. This task is not quite as easy as
it might sound because, as noted above, the different ācāryas offer different explanations of its
meaning. Therefore we will also look at the commentaries made by three of the principal ācāryas
of Vedānta schools, Śaṅkarācārya, Madhvācārya, and also Rāmānujācārya whose doctrines stand
somewhere between these two and whose theology is usually known as viśiṣṭādvaita (qualified
oneness). The study will focus in particular on Chapters 7, 9, 12 and 15 of the Gītā but we will also
include less detailed reference to other chapters where the same subject is touched upon. Hence
it is fair to say that although this course is primarily about the theology of the Bhagavad-gītā,
it is also seeking to illustrate the approaches to sacred text taken by three of the principal
1
God in the Gita
exponents of Hindu doctrine, and thereby to offer an insight into the variation of doctrine out
of which Hinduism is composed and the range of ideas included under the heading of Vedānta.
As we seek to determine exactly what Kṛṣṇa is teaching, we will consider the interpreta-
tions of these three ācāryas and see how it is that they can perceive quite different meanings
within the same Sanskrit words. So each week the notes will include translations of the verses,
explanation of the meanings of the most significant Sanskrit words, extracts from the Gītā
commentaries of Śaṅkara, Rāmānuja and Madhva, and finally an overview and analysis of how
we might understand the passages to be considered in that session.
Of course, there are no absolutely right or wrong answers here. It is quite possible to properly
understand the Bhagavad-gītā from the perspective of Advaita (non-dualism), Dvaita (dualism)
or Viśiṣṭādvaita (qualified non-dualism), although, as we shall see, there are times when the
text itself seems to be closer to one interpretation than the other two.
Set Books
For this course it would be useful if you have access to a translation of the Bhagavad-gītā that
includes the Sanskrit text. The well-known ISKCON version is very useful for our purposes as
it provides a word for word breakdown. The purports section of this book represent Swami
Prabhupada’s own commentary, which is quite close to the interpretation of the text given by
Rāmānuja. The commentaries of Śaṅkarācārya and Rāmānujācārya are both available in English
translation from the Sri Ramakrishna Math. Madhvācārya’s commentaries are very difficult to
access in an English translation and are no longer in print, although versions of them can be
found online. If you search under the name of Nagesh Sonde you should be able to locate them.
For the purposes of this course, sections of all three commentaries will be made available to you
in the notes and you only need to purchase copies of the complete works if you wish to pursue
your study of this topic in greater depth.

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