Translating the Bhagavadgītā: the Western world's encounter with one of the great works

Since Bhagavadgītā was first translated towards the end of the 1700s, hundreds of versions in more than 75 languages have been published, making it the most famous of Hinduism’s countless scriptures, with an influence far beyond its previous reach. Even Mahatma Gandhi, who carried Bhagavadgītā with him wherever he went, read it for the first time in English translation. Martin Gansten, whose direct translation from Sanskrit into Swedish is the first of its kind in a century, tells about how Bhagavadgītā was received and used outside India and about his own experiences working with the text.

Associate Professor Martin Gansten (b. 1969) is a Sanskritist and religious historian and began studying Sanskrit at the age of 13. He has taught about Indian religions and thought systems for many years, particularly at Lund University, as well as in Indology with Sanskrit at the University of Copenhagen. In Swedish, he has, among other things, published direct translations of the Bhagavadgītā and the early Upanishads.

Translating the Bhagavadgītā: Western encounters with one of the great texts
Since the first translation of the Bhagavadgītā at the close of the 18th century, hundreds of versions in more than 75 languages have seen the light of day, making the text the most well-known of the innumerable Hindu scriptures, with an influence far beyond what it had previously had. Even Mahatma Gandhi, who carried the Bhagavadgītā with him wherever he went, first read it in English translation. Martin Gansten, whose Sanskrit-to-Swedish translation is the first in a century, speaks about the reception and use of the Bhagavadgītā outside India, and about his own experiences of working with the text.

Dr Martin Gansten (b. 1969), a Sanskritist and historian of religions, began his studies in Sanskrit at the age of 13. He has taught Indic religions and knowledge systems for many years, primarily at Lund University, as well as Indology with Sanskrit at the University of Copenhagen. His Swedish publications include firsthand translations of the Bhagavadgītā and the early Upaniṣads.

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