The Bhagvat-geeta, or dialogues of Kreeshna and Arjoon; in eighteen lectures; with notes

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Charles Wilkins (1749-1836). The Bhagvat-Geeta, OR Dialogues of Kreeshna and Arjoon. In Eighteen Lectures, With Notes. London: Printed for C. Nourse, 1785, Quarto.

The extremely scarce and monumental First edition of the first Sanskrit book translated into English.

This English translation of the Bhagavad Gita is the greatest accomplishment of notable Orientalist Wilkins, founder of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. Published by the East India Company in 1785 under the patronage of Governor General Warren Hastings, this translation had a profound impact on some of the greatest Western intellectuals of the time, including Carlyle and Emerson. The Geeta was later translated into French, German, and Russian.

The Bhagvat Geeta is part of the sixth book of the Mahabharata, the great Indian epic. During the battle of Kurukshetra, the Lord Krishna (friend and charioteer of Arjun) offers words of wisdom to the Pandava prince Arjun and this set of philosophical dialogues between them is a central text of Hinduism. The poem consists of 700 Sanskrit verses divided into 18 chapters (here, “lectures”). In Hinduism, Krishna is regarded as the human incarnation of God Vishnu. One may recall the famous Radha-Krishna love-songs and stories that form the bedrock of romantic literature in Sanskrit and other languages such as Maithili, Bengali etc.

Condition– Fair to Good-. Rebound in later cloth, later marbled papers with new end papers, complete pagination as issued, quarto, possibly resized since publication, no page/text missing. Three library stamps, including one on the title page (ink removed), and pages 55 and 117. Residue of old tape repairs throughout, stains prominent in margins, mostly to hide and repair paper flaws and/or worm tracks. Pages (text portion) are remarkably clean, with the Advertisement, Dedication, Notes on the Geeta, etc sections being virtually spotless. Tape repairs in pages 41-47 show extensive residue/repairs of old tears/flaws, affecting text. A perfectly readable copy of an extremely rare book without anything missing. Pages are surprisingly white and not yellowed as predominant in the other copies of this book we have seen in the past. Please inquire for more photos.

Title: The Bhagvat-geeta, or dialogues of Kreeshna and Arjoon; in eighteen lectures; with notes

Publisher: C. Nourse, London

Publication Date: 1785

Binding: Hardcover

Condition: Fair to Good-

Edition: First