Kashmiri Gitasara

The traditional number of verses of the Gita is defined by the teacherSankara (788-820 CE) as being 700. However a number of 745 versesresults from the Gitamana an inserted stanza that gives the number ofverses spoken by each speaker in the Gita. The Gitamana is found mostlyin Kashmirian versions of the Mahabharata inserted directly after theBhagavadgita and is not found in Bengali and southern recensions.The Gitamana is placed just before the 51 verses of the Gitasara which isthe summary of the Gita. Adding the Gitasara to the Bhagavadgita extendsthe Bhagavadgita and can be made to comply with the specifications givenin the Gitamana. Perhaps this is the first translation into English of theGitasara reveals thoughts not found in the Gita and worth meditatingon even the passages that are difficult.