Bhagavad-gita-rahasya (or Karma-yoga Shastra)
by Bhalchandra Sitaram Sukthankar | 1935 | 327,828 words
The English translation of the Bhagavad-Gita Rahasya, also known as the Karma-yoga Shastra or “Science of Right Action”, composed in Marathi by Bal Gangadhar Tilak in 1915. This first volume represents an esoteric exposition of the Bhagavadgita and interprets the verses from a Mimamsa philosophical standpoint. The work contains 15 chapters, Sanskri...
Authors Dedication
॥ अथ समर्पणम ॥
श्रीगीतार्थः क्व गंभीरः व्याख्यातः कविभिः पुरा ।
आचार्यैर्यश्च बहुधा क्व मे'ल्पविषया मतिः ॥
तथापि चापलादस्मि वक्तुं तं पुनरुद्यतः ।
शास्त्रार्थान् संमुखीकृत्य प्रत्नान् नव्यैः सहोचितैः ।
तमार्याः श्रोतुमर्हन्ति कार्याकार्य-दिदृक्षमः ॥
एवं विज्ञाप्य सुजनाम् कालिदासाक्षरैः प्रियैः ॥
बालो गंगाधरिश्चाऽहं तिलकान्वयजो द्विजः ।
महाराष्ट्रो पुण्यपुरे वसन् शांडिल्यगौत्रभृत् ॥
शाके मुन्यग्निवसुभू-संमिते शालिवाहने ।
अनुसृत्य सतां मार्गे स्मरंश्चापि वचो[1] हरेः ॥
समर्पये ग्रन्थमिमं श्रीशाय जनतात्मने ।
अनेन प्रीयतां देवो भगवान् पुरुषः परः ॥|| atha samarpaṇama ||
śrīgītārthaḥ kva gaṃbhīraḥ vyākhyātaḥ kavibhiḥ purā |
ācāryairyaśca bahudhā kva me'lpaviṣayā matiḥ ||
tathāpi cāpalādasmi vaktuṃ taṃ punarudyataḥ |
śāstrārthān saṃmukhīkṛtya pratnān navyaiḥ sahocitaiḥ |
tamāryāḥ śrotumarhanti kāryākārya-didṛkṣamaḥ ||
evaṃ vijñāpya sujanām kālidāsākṣaraiḥ priyaiḥ ||
bālo gaṃgādhariścāऽhaṃ tilakānvayajo dvijaḥ |
mahārāṣṭro puṇyapure vasan śāṃḍilyagautrabhṛt ||
śāke munyagnivasubhū-saṃmite śālivāhane |
anusṛtya satāṃ mārge smaraṃścāpi vaco[1] hareḥ ||
samarpaye granthamimaṃ śrīśāya janatātmane |
anena prīyatāṃ devo bhagavān puruṣaḥ paraḥ ||
How very profound is the importance of the Gītā, which was expounded in ancient times by wise men, and which was further explained in various ways by Ācāryas, and how limited is the scope of my intelligence? Still, I am impelled by my rashness to explain the same once more, keeping before my eyes the old Śāstras as well as notable modern ideas; and honourable people desiring to understand what is doable and what not-doable, deserve to hear this (new) explanation. Having made this request to revered persons in the sweet words of Kālidāsa, I, a Brahmin, (by name) Bāla, the son of Gaṅgādhara, born in the family of Tilaka, belonging to the clan (gotra) of the Ṛṣi Śāṇḍilya, and a resident of the town of Poona, situate in the Mahārāṣṭra, following the path of the Good, and with the words of Hari[1] in my mind, do dedicate this work to the Lord of Lakṣmī, the Soul of the World, in the Śalivāhana Śaka 1837. May the Blessed Lord, the Highest Puruṣa, be pleased by this dedication.
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
यत्करोषि यदश्नासि यज्जुहोषि ददासि यत्।
यत्तपस्यसि कौंतेय तत्कुरुष्व मदर्पणम् ॥ गीता ९.२७॥
yatkaroṣi yadaśnāsi yajjuhoṣi dadāsi yat |
yattapasyasi kauṃteya tatkuruṣva madarpaṇam || gītā 9.27 ||
“Whatever you do, or eat, or offer by way of sacrifice, or give, or perform by way of austerity, dedicate all that to Me, O, son of Kunti”.—(Gītā 9.27).