Prince Arjuna faced a dilemma that many face sooner or later--whether to take action that is necessary yet morally ambiguous. The difference is that Arjuna's action was to wage war against his own family. With the armies arrayed, Arjuna loses his nerve. Krishna, his charioteer and incarnation of divine consciousness, begins to teach him the nature of God and of himself, that Arjuna can attain liberation through union with God, and that there are several available paths. And so the most famous and revered of all Hindu Scriptures goes on to teach the paths of knowledge, devotion, action, and meditation, becoming the seed for all the Hindu systems of philosophy and religion that followed. For all of its profundity, Eknath Easwaran manages to translate the Gita in easy prose that neither panders nor obscures. Coupled with his thorough introduction, Easwaran's version comes off on all the levels it should: as a guide to action, devotional Scripture, a philosophical text, and inspirational reading. So what does Arjuna finally do? He follows his dharma, of course, as we all must. --Brian Bruya


Streame
"The best translation."


Choice
"Maintaining a careful balance between introductions to each chapter and the text itself, Easwaran transposes the spirit of the Gita into our society's consciousness without compromising the spiritual depth. . . . Strongly recommended"


Book Description
The most familiar and best-loved of all the scriptures of India in a practical, accessible translation, with illuminating introductions to each chapter. 240 pages


Language Notes
Text: English (translation)


From the Publisher
In this translation, the Bhagavad Gita stands out as a book of choices direct, practical, universal. Previously archaic and inaccessible, this ancient scripture is now treated afresh, showing its relevance to our times. The Bhagavad Gita portrays the meeting of man and God. On the morning of battle, facing the forces of greed, anger, and hatred, the legendary prince Arjuna loses his nerve and refuses to fight. His friend Krishna, who represents the Lord within knows better: "Your very nature will drive you to fight." The Gita, according to Easwaran, "distills the loftiest truths of India's ancient wisdom into simple, memorable poetry that haunts the mind and informs the affairs of everyday life."

FROM THE PUBLISHER