The Indonesian islands of Bali and Java have preserved rich Hindu religious and literary traditions. Among these, their unique versions of the Ramayana and vibrant folk dances are particularly well-known. Interestingly, they also possess their own recension of the Bhagavad Gita, a fact that may come as a surprise—especially since no Indian regional language traditions have maintained such an alternate version.

In his book The Essence of Bhagavad Gita, Prof. S. K. Ramachandra Rao presents the full text of this Indonesian recension. While numerous scholars and spiritual leaders across India have interpreted the Gita over centuries, the original Sanskrit text has remained consistent. However, in Bali and Java, a distinctly different version has evolved.

The Javanese version of the Gita includes 81 Sanskrit shlokas, accompanied by 56 verses in Javanese. The Balinese recension retains 87 original Sanskrit shlokas, but notably omits entire chapters—specifically chapters 12, 15, 16, and 17. The famous Scholar N. G. Sardesai has even suggested that this might be the original form of the Gita, though this claim is still a subject of debate. Additionally, many of the verses in these versions are quoted only partially or rearranged in a different order from the traditional text.

The first shloka in this recension begins with:

"dṛṣṭvemaṁ svajanaṁ kṛṣṇa yuyutsuṁ samupasthitam"

And the final verse concludes with the famous line:

"sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucah"

This rare version of the Bhagavad Gita offers a fascinating glimpse into how sacred texts from one culture can take on new forms and meanings across different geographies.