The Drama of the Gita and the Film of the Mahabharata
This is an excellent recording. Christopher Isherwood is an interesting writer and scholar. My first introduction to Hindu philosophy came from a book recommended by a friend years ago that was written by Isherwood. In Ramakrishna and his Disciples Isherwood writes a biography of the nineteenth-century Hindu mystic who his followers claim is an avatar, an incarnation of Brahman. The book also introduces Vedanta, the world-wide organization which venerates Ramakhrishna and his focus on the umbrella aspect of Hinduism in which all religions are perceived to be aspects of Hinduism. Isherwood, I was surprised to find out later, also wrote the novels about Berlin in the 1930s which were made into the musical Cabaret.
I agree with my student that listening to the Gita is not only much easier but also more historically appropriate than reading it. The material in the book was part of an oral tradition long before it was written down, so it was, in fact, created to be listened to, not to be read. As part of the Mahabarata, the longest epic poem ever written, the Gita has many characteristics that identify it as a work of oral literature: it is dramatic, repetitious, poetic, and hyperbolic.
The drama can best be appreciated if one puts the events of the Gita into the context of the Mahabarata. I suspect that most of you are not going to run out and find a translation of this extremely long poem in order to read it so that you can understand the context of the Gita. However, there's a great film version directed by Peter Brook. It's a made-for-PBS mini-series available at most video rental places and the public library. It's very well done with an international cast and great music. It is one of the only films I know of that captures the variety of mythology: it's strange, funny, tragic, philosophical, moving, absurd - all at the same time. Give it a try.
I agree with my student that listening to the Gita is not only much easier but also more historically appropriate than reading it. The material in the book was part of an oral tradition long before it was written down, so it was, in fact, created to be listened to, not to be read. As part of the Mahabarata, the longest epic poem ever written, the Gita has many characteristics that identify it as a work of oral literature: it is dramatic, repetitious, poetic, and hyperbolic.
The drama can best be appreciated if one puts the events of the Gita into the context of the Mahabarata. I suspect that most of you are not going to run out and find a translation of this extremely long poem in order to read it so that you can understand the context of the Gita. However, there's a great film version directed by Peter Brook. It's a made-for-PBS mini-series available at most video rental places and the public library. It's very well done with an international cast and great music. It is one of the only films I know of that captures the variety of mythology: it's strange, funny, tragic, philosophical, moving, absurd - all at the same time. Give it a try.
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