When Glória Arieira began translating Vedic texts into Portuguese, there was no existing vocabulary for it. She literally created the language that Brazil uses today to talk about Vedānta.
The Challenge of Translation
Translating Sanskrit to Portuguese is not just about swapping words. Concepts like ātmā, Brahman, māyā, avidyā carry layers of meaning that have no direct equivalent in any Western language. Each translation choice is a decision about what to preserve and what to adapt.
Glória opted for fidelity to Śaṅkarācārya's commentary. When she translates a verse from an Upaniṣad, she doesn't give her personal interpretation—she translates what Śaṅkara commented. This ensures that the reader is receiving the tradition, not an individual opinion.
The Main Works
### Bhagavad Gītā The complete translation of the Gītā by Glória is a reference in Brazil. Each verse is accompanied by commentary based on Śaṅkarācārya. It is years of work—verse by verse, word by word.
### Upaniṣads The main Upaniṣads have been translated: Īśā, Keṇa, Kaṭha, Praśna, Muṇḍaka, Māṇḍūkya, Aitareya, Taittirīya, Chāndogya, Bṛhadāraṇyaka. Each with an analysis of the Sanskrit and the traditional commentary.
### Yoga Sūtras "The Yoga That Leads to Wholeness"—a translation of Patañjali's Yoga Sūtras with commentary. It shows that yoga is much more than physical postures.
### Original Works "Orações Milenares" (Millennial Prayers) and "Puja - A Realização de um Ritual Védico" (Puja - The Realization of a Vedic Ritual) are texts Glória wrote to contextualize practices that, without explanation, seem like mere rituals.
The Publisher
Vidyamandir Editorial is the publishing house of Vidya Mandir. It publishes Glória's translations and texts by Swami Dayananda in Portuguese. These are books that exist because one person dedicated their life to making them possible.
The Impact
Before Glória, to read an Upaniṣad with rigor, one had to read it in English. Today, thanks to her, any Portuguese speaker has access. This has changed the landscape of Vedānta study in the Portuguese-speaking world.
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