Dec. 7: The translated version of Bal Gangadhar Lokmanya Tilak’s Gita Rahasya in Assamese was released by president of Asom Sahitya Sabha, Birendranath Datta, at a glittering ceremony in the city today.

The Assamese version titled Srimad Bhagawat Gita Rahasya Athaba Karmayoj Shastra has been translated by well-known writer Kailash Nath Sarma.

Lokmanya Tilak wrote the book while he was in Mandalay jail in Myanmar. It was first published in 1915. Later, Sitaram Bhalchandra Sukatheswar translated it into English, which was published in August 1, 1935.

Prior to the English translation, it was translated to Bengali by Jyotirindranath Thakur. “I took the help of both the English and Bengali versions while writing the Assamese version,” said Sarma.

Datta said, “This is another addition to the glorious heritage of Assamese literature. The Bhagavad Gita is not only important from the religious point of view but has immense social and political relevance.”

“The historicity of Srimad Bhagavad Gita is not important. What is important are the meanings and its various interpretations,” he added.

Noted intellectuals like Sarat Chandra Sarma and Pramod Chandra Bhattacharya were present on the occasion.

The chief guest was literary critic and dramatist Ram Goswami and the guest of honour was Thaneswar Sarma of the department of Sanskrit, Gauhati University. Bhaba Krishna Mishra of J.B. College, Jorhat was also present.