Bhagavad Gita for Changing Times (An Old and Rare Book)

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BORN in Bijnor in May, 1922, Shri D.M. Sinha took in his long athletic stride (he is an elegant near six-footer) the State Civil Services (1944) and the IAS (1959) as well as the discipleship of Rehana Tayyabji (popularly known as Rehana Ma to her dear ones). Rehana Ma was indeed his spiritual mentor whose Gandhian exterior hid a scintillating mind and dexterity in various Indian and foreign languages. At her feet, young Sinha learnt about religion through a study of the Gita, the Quran and the Bible. Later, Hanuman Prasad Poddar, Editor, 'Kalyan' of Gorakhpur, Radhey Baba, Swami Krishnananda and other saints of the Shivananda Ashram, Rishikesh,strengthened the foundation of his faith. Shri Sinha is proficient in vocal and instrumental music. He has composed poems in Urdu and Hindi; plays billiards and tennis. He has been a member of the Indian Mathematical Society for almost 20 years.

With his strong spiritual base and versatile talents, he could tackle many a ticklish administrative problem with perfect equanimity, the quality of the 'Sthitpragna' as expounded by the Lord in Chapter II of the Gita.

As Shri Sinha sees it, Gita is not a text to be read only in old age. It teaches the perfect way to win the 'Mahabharata War' of life, here and now, in fact, from very childhood, for achieving harmony in life.

When I had the great joy of receiving a copy of the Hindi edition of the Commentary on the Bhagavad Gita, written by respected Sri D.M. Sinhaji and found the book a most excellent guide for all seekers who would like to know the true meaning of the Bhagavad Gita, I requested the author when I saw him personally in the Ashram, to bring out an English edition also of this wonderful book so that such a publication may have an appeal to a larger public of students and spiritual seekers.

Sri Sinhaji took my request in right earnest and commenced rendering his book in the English language. It took him, of course, a considerable time to complete the translation of the book into English, but I found it was a great success when he sent me specimens of the translation. One of the things that I noted in this elaborate Commentary is that the author speaks from his heart, perhaps from his experience as a true devotee of God, all which makes the exposition deeply touching to one's soul.

I have been requested to write a few words as to what I feel about this English translation. My response is that the book is superb and I recommend it to the hands of everyone who is a sincere student of the Bhagavad Gita, journeying along the Path to Freedom in God Almighty.

Srimad Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads, and the Vedanta-Sutras or Brahma-Sutras are the three titanic pillars on which rests the magnificent edifice of Indian Philosophic Thought. Taken together, they are known as the Prasthan-Trayce (प्रस्थान-त्रदी) or the Triple Path of Salvation. Of these, the Srimad Bhagavad Gita comprises chapter 25 to chapter 42 of Bhishma-Parva of the Mahabharata. It is a sacred text of the Pantheon of Cultural Heritage of India. By its teaching, Lord Sri Krishna has illumined the minds of entire humanity, leading it towards the attainment of life's ultimate goal-Self-Realisation. In it, the Lord has concentrated the essence of the Vedas, Upanishads, and other sacred texts. At the same time, the Lord has chosen a language which is at once simple and lucid, and yet pregnant with meaning. Whereas on the one hand the simplicity of the language would enable even a person of common intelligence to search principles useful for his welfare, on the other, the immeasurable depth of its meanings and its esoteric contents is so mystifying as to confound and baffle even the most erudite scholar. The teachings would benefit every person irrespective of his nationality or creed.

From ancient times the teachings of Srimad Bhagavad Gita have attracted the attention of sages and scholars across the world. Motivated by the concern for general welfare, many of them have expressed their thoughts in exhaustive commentaries. These commentaries would enable anyone to draw upon this treasure-house of valuable thoughts and instil in his life an all- embracing serenity and enduring peace. The authors of all such commentaries deserve the gratitude of entire humanity. The most venerable Jagadguru Adi Shankaracharya, Ramanujacharya and other Great Teachers of India wrote their commentaries in Sanskrit.