Why “Bhagavad-gita As It Is?
The Bhagavad-gita has been translated many times since Krishna spoke it on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra thousands of years ago. Srila Prabhupada chose “Bhagavad-gita As It Is” as the title for his own translation and commentary, first published in the late 1960s. It has since attracted a worldwide following of spiritual seekers and scholars of Vedic culture.
Srila Prabhupada’s aim in presenting this edition was to explain Krishna’s words straightforwardly. Faithful to the spiritual tradition established by Krishna Himself, Prabhupada’s commentary makes it possible for his readers to understand the Gita in its original devotional context.
For example, Krishna says, “surrender unto Me” (18.65), and “I am the source of all material and spiritual worlds” (10.8). Srila Prabhupada, a lifelong devotee of Krishna, plainly explains these statements: God is the origin of everything—including ourselves—and we’re all God’s inseparable parts, meant to cooperate with Him. Most commentators, lacking the devotional credentials required to understand Krishna’s statement, “only by devotion can I be understood” (18.55), attempt to “explain” His words by claiming He didn’t really mean what He said.
For example, one (in)famous Gita commentary tells us, “it is not to Krishna that one must surrender, but to the eternal, unborn within Krishna.” Examples abound of such indirect interpretations which only muddle the direct meaning of the text. Considering this, it’s no surprise that Bhagavad-gita As It Is has uniquely inspired so many of its readers to more deeply investigate the spiritual dimension of their lives.
The Need for Presenting Bhagavad-gita “As It Is”
From his Preface to Bhagavad-gita As It Is, here’s what Srila Prabhupada himself has to say about his aim in presenting Krishna’s teachings in the Gita without personally motivated (impersonal) interpretation:
“If personally I have any credit in this matter, it is only that I have tried to present Bhagavad-gita as it is, without any adulteration. Before my presentation of Bhagavad-gita As It Is, almost all the English editions of Bhagavad-gita were introduced to fulfill someone’s personal ambition. But our attempt, in presenting Bhagavad-gita As It Is, is to present the mission of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. Our business is to present the will of Krishna, not that of any mundane speculator like the politician, philosopher or scientist, for they have very little knowledge of Krishna, despite all their other knowledge.
“When Krishna says, man-mana bhava mad-bhakto mad-yaji mam namaskuru [ Bg. 18.65], etc., we, unlike the so-called scholars, do not say that Krishna and His inner spirit are different. Krishna is absolute, and there is no difference between Krishna’s name, Krishna’s form, Krishna’s qualities, Krishna’s pastimes, etc. This absolute position of Krishna is difficult to understand for any person who is not a devotee of Krishna in the system of parampara (disciplic succession).
Generally the so-called scholars, politicians, philosophers, and svamis, without perfect knowledge of Krishna, try to banish or kill Krishna when writing commentary on Bhagavad-gita. Such unauthorized commentary upon Bhagavad-gita is known as Mayavada-bhasya, and Lord Chaitanya has warned us about these unauthorized men. Lord Chaitanya clearly says that anyone who tries to understand Bhagavad-gita from the Mayavadi point of view will commit a great blunder. The result of such a blunder will be that the misguided student of Bhagavad-gita will certainly be bewildered on the path of spiritual guidance and will not be able to go back to home, back to Godhead.”