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COMPENDIUM OF REVIEWS OF 'THUS SPAKE KRISHNA' - PAGE 2
11. REVIEW IN SANSKRIT BY ‘VEDABHASHYARATNA’ SHASTRARATNAKARA’MAHAMAHOPADHYAYA Dr. R. KrishnamurthySastrigal
आमुखम्
“गीता सुगीता कर्तव्या किमन्यैः शास्त्रविस्तरैः” इति गीतायाः माहात्म्यम् उक्तम्। सर्ववेदान्तशास्त्रसंग्रहः अयं ग्रन्थः इति भगवत्पादैः गीताभाष्यारम्भे लिखितम्। अस्याः गीताभाष्यव्याख्यानमालायाः अतिदीर्घायाः इदानीमपि अनुवृत्तिः नैकासु भाषासु प्रवर्तते। अत एव भगवद्गीता किञ्चिदधीता इति सुष्ठु कथितम्।
इदं ग्रन्थरत्नं न केवलं वेदान्तशास्त्रमात्रस्य व्याख्यानम्, परन्तु मानवजीवनस्य सम्पूर्णस्य सर्वदा मार्गप्रदर्शने सूर्यप्रकाशायमानं वरीवर्ति।
विश्वोपकारकज्ञानखनिः भगवद्गीता इति वक्तुं शक्यते। खनेः अन्तःप्रवेशे बहूनि स्वर्णमण्यादीनि अमूल्यानि वस्तूनि लभ्यन्ते।
प्रकृतोऽयं ग्रन्थः “Thus Spake Krishna” मदुक्तानां पूर्वतनवाक्यानां सत्यतां प्रतिपादयति। एतस्य रचयितारः वयसा, ज्ञानेन, शीलेन च वृद्धाः गणितादिषु पारंगताः यथा; तथैव परंपराप्राप्ते वैदिकशास्त्रीयविषयेष्वपि कूलंकषं पाण्डित्यं लब्धवन्तः आत्मविज्ञानसागररूपायाः गीतायाः सकाशात् नैकानि बहुमूल्य-विषयरत्नानि समुद्धृत्य अस्यां ग्रन्थमालायां संग्रथितवन्तः इति अस्माकं पठितृणां सौभाग्यम् – भाग्योदयः सञ्जातः।
गणितादिविज्ञानप्रकर्षेण एते गीताश्लोकानां व्याख्यानेन सह तत्र तत्र सम्यग्विवरणं, तस्य विषयस्य विश्लेषणं नूतनोदाहरणैः पठितृणां प्रमोदममन्दं आवहति। अस्य ग्रन्थस्य आमूलचूलाः इतरासाधारणाः दरीदृश्यन्ते। तानहं संक्षेपेण अत्र उल्लेखयितुम् उत्सहे –
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XXIX (२९) उपोद्घाते key to citation शीर्षके प्रतिपादनशैली
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page 1-14 CHAPTER 0 ग्रन्थसारस्य कथनम्।
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page 66-78 TRADE SLOKAS विशेषरूपेण विश्लेषणरूपम् एवम् अनेके विषयाः इतरव्याख्यातृभिः अस्पृष्टाः लसन्ति।
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(Trade ) Appendix A सप्त नक्षत्राणि ----
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Appwndix B 3 सर्वोत्तमाः विशेषाः हृदयङ्गमाः
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Appendix B 8 अत्र ( 565 to 590) सर्वैः चर्च्यमानः Fate free will विवादः सुनिपुणं प्रतिपादितः।
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Page 605 अत्र श्रीरमणमहर्षिप्रणीत ULLadu NArpadu
एवं रीत्या परिशीलने क्रियमाणे इदमेव सुनिश्चितं वक्तुं शक्यते यत् गीताविवरणभूतेषु सर्वेषु ग्रन्थेषु विशिष्टं स्थानं अध्यारोहति अयं ग्रन्थः। ग्रन्थकारस्यास्य इतोऽपि प्रत्युपकारः अन्यः न भवेत् यत् एतस्य पूर्णस्य ग्रन्थस्य पुनः पुनः पठनं कृत्वा गीतास्वादं प्रतिदिनं कुर्युः।
एतान् ग्रन्थामरान् ईदृशप्रखरपण्डितान् प्रणम्य एते इतोऽपि चिरकालं अरोगदृढगात्रप्रतिभा जीवन्तु शरदां शतम् इति भगवन्तं गीताचा अभ्यर्थये।
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इत्थं रा कृष्णमूर्तिशास्त्री
TRANSSLATION INTO English of the above, by Uma Jayaraman
Bhagavad-gita must be learnt well. Where is the need for other Shastras? This is the saying about the greatness of Gita. In the very beginning of Gita-Bhashya Bhagavatpada Shri Shankaracharya had mentioned that the Gita is the collection of the entire Vedanta philosophy. The Gita-Bhashya’s explanation is being taken up in many languages even to this day. Therefore the saying that Bhagavadgita learnt a bit is an appropriate saying indeed!
This gem of a Book is not only a book on Vedanta philosophy but it is in fact a guiding source of sunshine or light for the entire life for mankind. It can be said that the Gita is a treasure mine for the entire world. On entering this mine one can find precious gems and gold!
This particular book “ Thus spake Krishna” is a proof of what I had mentioned about Gita earlier. The writer of this book is not only mature in age, knowledge and conduct and a mathematician par excellence but he is also past master, a learned scholar in traditional Vedic Studies, and the readers are fortunate that the author has quoted from many gem of sources and added content to the valuable subject matter.
Because of his expertise in mathematics and other sciences the explanation of these Gita shlokas has added many such instances and innovative examples to the immense pleasure of the reader. In this book there are many such extraordinary instances. I am giving some examples here in a nutshell.
Key to citation; Chapter 0 which is a total summary; Special shlokas earmarked for much extra information from various other commentaries; Seven charts which are self-revealing like stars; An excellent inviting chart of the Mind; A comprehensive dialogue explaining the nuances of Fate versus Freewill, And finally an interesting commenting from Ramana Maharshi’s ‘ULLadu Narpadu’.
In this manner the analysis given in this book can definitely be said to have aunique high place in books written on Gita studies. There cannot be any other gratitude that can be expressed to the author than this that we read the book again and again and relish with glee.
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Reviewed in India on 17 February 2021
Very Structured, highly informative and full of contextual insights from various scriptures & Gurus/Exponants . A must Have & Study version of The Bhagavadh Gita.
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13,
5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing and powerful commentary on the best sacred text
Reviewed in India on 28 February 2021 Amazon.in
Prof. VK is a major role-model for me personally, since several decades. I have read many of his written works and also been following him on FaceBook. He is my 'go-to' person for clarifications on Gita and other sacred texts.
His core strengths being clarity of thoughts and precise articulation, that draws thousands of people across the globe towards him over decades. The best part is that, he not a preacher, but a practitioner of the vedantic tenets. This lends much deeper credibility to his words/works.
He is a tall example for the saying, "for some people age is just a number"... His Spirit and Commitment to the vedantic journey are truly inspirational.
I feel blessed to know him personally and to be guided by him in my spiritual baby steps.
"Thus Spake Krishna" is a masterpiece indeed. Each chapter being classified into core concepts. It makes easy reading and brings forth deeper understanding of BG
14. Review by BharanIdhari
Thus Spake Krishna ! – Practical and Tactical message for the Modern World
Reviewed in the United States on February 8, 2021
“Divine song of the God” is heard with such lucidity in the book “Thus Spake Krishna” by Prof. V. Krishnamurthy, it transports us to yet another beautiful world. I have had the opportunity to read Bhagavat Gita during my college years but never had understood the true meaning and its practical application to the life that we lead. The author had achieved this effortlessly in this book. As he aptly remarks in his introductory chapters “Each sloka is an integrated whole” and he has achieved such wholesome integration by citing and cross-linking the context and purport from several other slokas which made the understanding of the intent easily. I especially loved the chapter “0” which tells the reader what to expect in subsequent chapters. The main theme “discharge of duties without any attachment “is not only an obligation but leads to a full-filled life, is substantiated with evidences gathered from throughout the book. Many questions that would come to the reader are answered succinctly either in the descriptive texts are in the appendices and are thought-provoking.
There are many tactics the author has taken to anchor the intent of the Gita in the mind of the readers. He has not just explained the teachings of Gita, he had made sure to highlight the teachings by stressing them through “Foundational Maxims” (FM). An approach like this benefits the readers immensely. I found FM1 brought the excellent truth and were the essence of pragmatism. Knowing “This too shall pass” gives us a lot of comfort and strength when faced with difficulties.
Many of the arguments expressed by the author appeals to readers’ scientific bent of mind – he has simplified the Vedantic fundamental in the expression “Of the non-existent there is no coming to be; of the existent, there is no ceasing to be” which parallels Newtonian maxims. Prof. V.K has handled controversial topics on Varna cleverly (Varna: “it is not what you are born to, but it is the one you trained on or engaging in...)"
Introductions to upcoming discussions are well laid through his arrangement of five-star slokas and act as a teaser to what we would be seeing subsequently. He has effortlessly set the tone for what comes up next. His division of the entire Gita in three parts (sextets), each part (sextet) showing the ascent from individual to merging of the self with the Divinity through worship. That is the essence of Gita simply told.
Another strategy employed by the author to explain certain points through the appendix without distracting the reader was effective. The appendices attached are by themselves are stand-alone pieces and could be enjoyed in equal measure with the main text.
This book will be of immense value to casual, but curious readers as well as seekers of knowledge.
The spiderweb-like design of the cover with radials in a purple hue and the pulsating title in the center further enhances the magic of content. One might say it opens up to many interpretations, and for me, the design was as if to induce the reader to follow Krishna’s maxims to extricate him/her from the web spun by the “Maya”. A clever design for the book, indeed!
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