[INDOLOGY] Translation of bhagavān / bhagavatī

Fri Sep 30 12:17:50 UTC 2022

Dear Dominik and everyone,
To me "blessed" seemed the best translation for "bhagavAn" because of the
passage in the Vishnu Purana VI.5-66 to 79 where it defines the meaning of
bhagavAn . I.e.when referirng to the supreme lord, it means one  blessed
with the 6 qualities, dominion, might,glory, splendour, wisdom and
dispassion. This passage even says at the end that bhagavAn means something
different when refering to the supreme and when refering to someone else.

I've also just noticed that McComas Taylor has translated the viSNu-purANa
and for VI.5-69 has translated it as "blessed" though he expresses major
reservations in his note to this line:

The word ‘blessed’—*bhagavant*—is also a form of the Supreme, and is the
means of expressing the primal, eternal being

Note to the line:

The word bhagavat literally means ‘possessing fortune’. It is a common
epithet used for Viṣṇu–Kṛṣṇa in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa and for other major
deities and sages. I have consistently but reluctantly translated it as
‘lord’ or occasionally as ‘blessed’. The following verses only become
intelligible if this word is left untranslated.

I think its worthwhile to quote the entire passage    I'm using Sw.
Tyagishananda's translation because I already have that typed in , but
McComas Taylor's translation is available on-line at
https://press.anu.edu.au/publications/textbooks/visnu-purana

viSNu-purANa VI-66 to 79 Sw. Tyagishananda
"That which is imperceptible, undecaying, inconceivable, unborn,
inexhaustible, indestructible; which has neither form, nor hands, nor
feet, which is almighty, omnipresent, eternal; the cause of all things
and without cause, permeating all, itself unpenetrated, and from which
all things proceed, that is the object which the wise behold, that is
Brahman, that is the Supreme State, that is the thing spoken of by the
Vedas, the infinitely subtle, supreme condition of viSNu.  That Essence
of the Supreme is defined by the term Bhagavat;  the word Bhagavat is
the denotation of that primeval and eternal God; and he who fully
understands the meaning of that expression is possessed of holy wisdom,
the sum and substance of the three vedas. The word Bhagavat is a
convenient form to be used in the adoration of that Supreme Being, to
twhom no term is applicable; and therefore bhagavat expresses that
Supreme Spirit which is individual, almighty, and the cause of causes of
all things.  The syllable 'bha' implies the cherisher and supporter of
the universe.  By 'ga' is understood the leader, impeller, or creator.
The dissyllabic 'bhaga' indicates the six properties -- dominion, might,
glory, splendour, wisdom and dispassion.  The purport of the syllable
'va' is that elemental Spirit in which all beings exist, and which
exists in all beings.  And thus this great word 'bhagAvan' is the name
of 'vAsudeva', who is one with the Supreme Brahman, and of no one else.
This word therefore, which is the general denomination of an adorable
object, is not used in reference to the supreme in a general
signification, but a special one.  When applied to any other thing or
person it is used in its customary or general import.  In the latter
case it may purport one who knows the origin and end and revolutions of
beings and what is wisdom and what is ignorance.  In the former it
denotes wisdom, energy, power, domination, might, glory, without end and
without defect."

Thanks,
Harry Spier

On Fri, Sep 30, 2022 at 2:20 AM Dr. Dominik A. Haas, BA MA <
dominik at haas.asia> wrote:

> Dear native speakers,
>
> to me “blessed” implies that someone has pronounced a blessing on a
> person/object. How does this work with a deity such as Kṛṣṇa? Or can
> “blessed” be used in a more figurative sense (is this what you have in
> mind?)?
>
> Best regards,
>
> D. Haas
>
>
>
> __________________
> *Dr. Dominik A. Haas, BA MA*
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> Am 30.09.2022 um 01:41 schrieb Harry Spier via INDOLOGY:
>
> Tracy Coleman wrote:
> Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Blessed Lord Krishna
>
> Thank you Tracy for this. * "Blessed" *is exactly what I need. And of
> course thank you to everyone else who answered, Rajam, Donald Davis, Dean
> Michael Anderson, and Matthew Kapstein.
>
> "Blessed" is a little more concise than this definition of bhagavat in the
> Vishnu Purana translated by Sw. Tyagīśānanda
> "That which is imperceptible, undecaying, inconceivable, unborn,
> inexhaustible, indestructible; which has neither form, nor hands, nor
> feet, which is almighty, omnipresent, eternal; the cause of all things
> and without cause, permeating all, itself unpenetrated, and from which
> all things proceed, that is the object which the wise behold, that is
> Brahman, that is the Supreme State, that is the thing spoken of by the
> Vedas, the infinitely subtle, supreme condition of viSNu.  That Essence
> of the Supreme is defined by the term Bhagavat;  the word Bhagavat is
> the denotation of that primeval and eternal God; and he who fully
> understands the meaning of that expression is possessed of holy wisdom,
> the sum and substance of the three vedas. The word Bhagavat is a
> convenient form to be used in the adoration of that Supreme Being, to
> twhom no term is applicable; and therefore bhagavat expresses that
> Supreme Spirit which is individual, almighty, and the cause of causes of
> all things. . . .
>
> Harry Spier
>
>
>
>>
>>
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