The Bhagavad Gita

I started with this Gita and I truly adored it. Not always so "precise", meaning not very much sticking to the source (sanskrit), which is anyway missing in it (this being the biggest drawback in my opinion), still it's a wonderful reading. Especially I liked the commentaries of different other people, enriching the Bhagavad Gita itself. So interesting to see cross references and comparisons with various other Saints writings, in all corners of the world and in different times. I recommend this book for a first reading of the Gita. It's written in quite simple English and thus easy to grasp. After that you may dig more and buy some other versions. There are many which illuminate the Gita from different perspectives and philosophical angles. There is no right and wrong I believe. There are just various interpretations and any sincere spiritual practitioner will have to find the answer deep in himself I believe. But for those interested to dig more, here are a few other editions which I bought and which I also mostly read. I added a few comments which are of course eminently subjective: * The Bhagavad Gita translated by Winthrop Sargeant (This is the Gita I would highly recommend for someone wanting to dig close to the source. It's not so smooth to read, not poetic but it's presenting for every verse Sanskrit in Devanagari and transliterated in Latin alphabet, a word by word translation of the Sanskrit and 2 more stages to bring it to a full sentence in English. No extras, no fancies, just the crude Gita!) * The Bhagavad Gita and it's message with text, translations and commentaries form Sri Aurobindo. (Personally I did not like it so much. I find the commentaries difficult to understand and rather confusing. It's containing the Sanskrit verses in Devanagari but below is immediately the full interpretation in English. Thus it's impossible to analyse anything actually. Then you like or not to be lead by Sri Aurobindo. I did not presently.) * Bhagavad Gita as it is from HDG Swami Prabhupada (I like to call it "Bhagavad Gita as it is NOT". That again is just my personal opinion. But I came to this very conclusion, once I started to compare it with other commentaries. The feel the many "purports" as being just a totally biased approach leading to Bhakti Yoga, as being the only practicable way in our present times. I am happy I got it for free because I would not even want to pay a cent for it!) I hope this short presentation, albeit I emphasize again, being totally subjective, may help the readers here. I would simply like to conclude by saying that there is not only one Yoga. There are four, like clearly presented in by Krishna himself. And these are just like four threads building a solid rope! OM shanti

This book is a revelation for me thanks to the superb translation and explanation. Went straight to my head down to my heart. So simple and so obvious but yet so hard to put into application. This is however an avoidable roadmap!

Good book, very easy to understand. Love it

I believe that philosophy, beauty and truth are the very best things in life. And the experience of this book for me was a combination of all. For every person, this book is different I believe. For me, the greatest lesson was that singleness of purpose, or focus in our talent and duty, brings peace of mind and spirit once we understand we are part of the whole. I became aware of so many things that is hard to put in words the joy and calmness I experienced with the book. A life experience worth having, not magical, but the clarity and beauty of the text makes us see the world more maturely and objectively, and yet more tolerant and patient with its unpredictable continuous change. Just loved it!

An amazing way to start getting familiar with the bhagvad geeta, easwaran’s translation is very accessible and unbiased, compared to other geetas like ISCKON