Bhagavad-Gita

The timeless epic of the Hindu faith, now available from Signet Classics in this edition translated by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood--with an Introduction by Aldous Huxley. The Bhagavad-Gita is the Gospel of Hinduism, and one of the great religious classics of the world. Its simple, vivid message is a daily inspiration in the lives of millions throughout the world and has been so for countless generations. Here is a distinguished translation that can be read by every person, not as an archaic monument to an ancient culture, but as a living contemporary message that touches the most urgent personal and social problems.

The timeless epic of the Hindu faith, now available from Signet Classics in this edition translated by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood--with an Introduction by Aldous Huxley. The Bhagavad-Gita is the Gospel of Hinduism, and one of the great religious classics of the world. Its simple, vivid message is a daily inspiration in the lives of millions throughout the world and has been so for countless generations. Here is a distinguished translation that can be read by every person, not as an archaic monument to an ancient culture, but as a living contemporary message that touches the most urgent personal and social problems.

This program is read by the author.The Bhagavad Gita: A Song of God Retold in Simplified English is the latest title in the Essential Wisdom Library. This unique edition of the timeless epic is designed to be accessible for listeners without any prior experience of Hinduism. Not simply a translation of the original, Viljoen has simplified and restated the Gita's complex ideas, so that a first-time listener can fully appreciate the scope and beauty of this magnificent Indian classic. Written in concise, modern language the retelling vividly captures the power and depth of the original work.Part of the Mahabharata, the Gita is a dialogue between Prince Arjuna and Lord Krishna. Its verses contain some of the key ideas of Hindu philosophy-Dharma, Moksha, and various yogic practices. Originally written well over a thousand years ago, the Gita has proven to be a timeless source of wisdom, inspiring philosophers and revolutionaries alike in the millennia since it was written. In addition to the retelling of the text, this edition includes a character list, a glossary of important terms, and chapters exploring the back-story from the Mahabharata and the impact and meaning of the Bhagavad Gita itself. The Bhagavad Gita is an approachable way for today's listeners to engage with one of history's richest spiritual epics.

This program is read by the author.The Bhagavad Gita: A Song of God Retold in Simplified English is the latest title in the Essential Wisdom Library. This unique edition of the timeless epic is designed to be accessible for listeners without any prior experience of Hinduism. Not simply a translation of the original, Viljoen has simplified and restated the Gita's complex ideas, so that a first-time listener can fully appreciate the scope and beauty of this magnificent Indian classic. Written in concise, modern language the retelling vividly captures the power and depth of the original work.Part of the Mahabharata, the Gita is a dialogue between Prince Arjuna and Lord Krishna. Its verses contain some of the key ideas of Hindu philosophy-Dharma, Moksha, and various yogic practices. Originally written well over a thousand years ago, the Gita has proven to be a timeless source of wisdom, inspiring philosophers and revolutionaries alike in the millennia since it was written. In addition to the retelling of the text, this edition includes a character list, a glossary of important terms, and chapters exploring the back-story from the Mahabharata and the impact and meaning of the Bhagavad Gita itself. The Bhagavad Gita is an approachable way for today's listeners to engage with one of history's richest spiritual epics.

The Bhagavad Gita is one of a small number of revered wisdom texts that transcend their faith traditions, such as the Bible, the Qur’an and the Dao De Ching. Einstein, Emerson, Thoreau, Jung, and others have celebrated the Bhagavad Gita as a book of profound teachings that apply to the human problems of our contemporary world as much as they did at the Gita’s inception over 3,000 years ago. The Bhagavad Gita (along with the Yoga Sutras) is also one of the two primary books that delineate the original Yoga teachings of India. It is used by many yoga teachers in their training programs worldwide. Ranchor Prime, an English (UK) author, broadcaster, and ecological activist, initially wrote this edition for his children, but it is far from a childish book. Rather, he has created a version of this classic that is accessible to an adult Western audience in a way that few of the hundreds of editions translated from the original Sanskrit have been. At its heart, the Gita deals with the mysteries of life: the nature of the Self, the Universe/Higher Power, and the World. Spoken on a battlefield, it is a conversation between the soul and an Avatar, a Divine Being. Ranchor Prime's version is distinguished by his nonsectarian approach, making the Gita relevant to all.

The Bhagavad Gita is one of a small number of revered wisdom texts that transcend their faith traditions, such as the Bible, the Qur’an and the Dao De Ching. Einstein, Emerson, Thoreau, Jung, and others have celebrated the Bhagavad Gita as a book of profound teachings that apply to the human problems of our contemporary world as much as they did at the Gita’s inception over 3,000 years ago. The Bhagavad Gita (along with the Yoga Sutras) is also one of the two primary books that delineate the original Yoga teachings of India. It is used by many yoga teachers in their training programs worldwide. Ranchor Prime, an English (UK) author, broadcaster, and ecological activist, initially wrote this edition for his children, but it is far from a childish book. Rather, he has created a version of this classic that is accessible to an adult Western audience in a way that few of the hundreds of editions translated from the original Sanskrit have been. At its heart, the Gita deals with the mysteries of life: the nature of the Self, the Universe/Higher Power, and the World. Spoken on a battlefield, it is a conversation between the soul and an Avatar, a Divine Being. Ranchor Prime's version is distinguished by his nonsectarian approach, making the Gita relevant to all.

The Hindu tradition does not have a central holy book like the Bible or Koran, but the text that comes closest is the Bhagavad Gita-which is translated in English as the Song of God. As part of a spiritual tradition known for its massive epics and metaphysical expositions, the Gita expounds and encapsulates the essential aspects of Hindu philosophy and spiritual teachings in a mere 700+ verses. It has, however, been extracted from the longest Hindu epic, the Mahabarata, but except for the first chapter, the Gita does not develop the story line of the Mahabarata, nor does it share its general style and focus. For this reason, scholars speculate it was originally an independent text inserted into the Mahabarata at a later date. In any case, it exists on its own now. The backdrop for the Gita is a battlefield during the Mahabarata War, which is dated around 1000 BC, against which is presented an intense conversation between a famous warrior, Arjuna, and Lord Krishna, in the form of his charioteer. It is speculated the Bhagavad Gita was written around 600 BC, with authorship being attributed to the sage Vyasa. My personal relationship with the Gita began several decades ago when I was reading massive amounts of spiritual literature. My first reading was particularly memorable for me because even though I had no real understanding of the teachings, at several points I began weeping. Fast forward to 2004 when a conclusive spiritual occurrence ended my 37-year quest for "enlightenment." In the aftermath I found I could easily see and understand what the masters of the past were trying to teach, but that the myriad translations and misinterpretations of their works were obscuring the simplicity and obviousness of it. Next thing I know I'm doing my own translations/versions of these ancient works, which resulted in The Perennial Way. Among the comments I received about that book were people asking that I also do the Bhagavad Gita, and so I did. It has been a true joy revisiting this great work. And yes, it still has the power to make me weep.

بهگود گيتا يا سرود خدا جزئي است از مجموعه عظيم مهابهارات ، بزرگترين حماسه شعري جهان ، كه داستان جنگ فرزندان بهارات بزرگ است . در گیتا که از مهمترین کتابهای دینی هند است، برای نخستین بار به خدای متشخص (personal) در قالب یا تجسد کریشنه اشاره می رود. کریشنه خدای متجلی است. خدای گیتا واحد و متعال است. خداوند دارای دو حال بی صفات (نیرگونه) و با صفات (سه گونه) است. در این کتاب مقدس هندوان به بحث دربارة وحدت وجود نیز پرداخته شده و گفته شده است که بهگودگیتا به آن خدای انتزاعی و عقلانی مورد اعتقاد اوپانیشاد چندان عنایتی ندارد، بلکه به نوعی میان عقیده به خدای غیر شخصی و خدای متشخص جمع می کند. دیده شدن یا دیده نشدن خدا در گفتگوهای قهرمان بهگود گیتا یا تجلی خدا، کریشنه هم آمده است. از دیگر جوانب مهم بهگود گیتا توجه به مشرب مهرورزی است که در این مقال دربارة پیوند مهرورزی انسان با خدا و دیگر انسانها هم سخن رفته است.

بهگود گيتا يا سرود خدا جزئي است از مجموعه عظيم مهابهارات ، بزرگترين حماسه شعري جهان ، كه داستان جنگ فرزندان بهارات بزرگ است . در گیتا که از مهمترین کتابهای دینی هند است، برای نخستین بار به خدای متشخص (personal) در قالب یا تجسد کریشنه اشاره می رود. کریشنه خدای متجلی است. خدای گیتا واحد و متعال است. خداوند دارای دو حال بی صفات (نیرگونه) و با صفات (سه گونه) است. در این کتاب مقدس هندوان به بحث دربارة وحدت وجود نیز پرداخته شده و گفته شده است که بهگودگیتا به آن خدای انتزاعی و عقلانی مورد اعتقاد اوپانیشاد چندان عنایتی ندارد، بلکه به نوعی میان عقیده به خدای غیر شخصی و خدای متشخص جمع می کند. دیده شدن یا دیده نشدن خدا در گفتگوهای قهرمان بهگود گیتا یا تجلی خدا، کریشنه هم آمده است. از دیگر جوانب مهم بهگود گیتا توجه به مشرب مهرورزی است که در این مقال دربارة پیوند مهرورزی انسان با خدا و دیگر انسانها هم سخن رفته است.

The sacred Bhagavad Gita is much more than an epic for Hindus worldwide; in fact it is the ultimate universal guide to a life of peace and fulfilment. This song of God not only provides a deeply philosophical understanding of the world or Brahma Vidya but it also describes clear-cut techniques to implement spiritual precepts in everyday life. This is why it is also called Yog Shastra which includes methodologies-- karm yog jnana yog and bhakti yog-- for the practical application of spiritual knowledge. Set in the narrative framework of a discourse between Krishna and his disciple Arjun on the verge of the Mahabharat war the Gita is a comprehensive and easy-to-understand summary of the Vedic way of life. Frozen in inaction Arjun turns to Krishna for succour. Lord Krishna goes beyond his immediate dilemma to give Arjun a profound discourse on life both in theory and practice. In it he encapsulates the essence of spirituality and virtues like courage honour death love and duty. Including original Sanskrit verses and English transliterations as well as translations Swami Mukundananda's commentary on the Gita contains crystal-clear explanations scriptural references and highly engaging stories. Through the text of the scripture he brings forth a treasure-chest of life lessons for us to imbibe. With his characteristic charm Swami Mukundananda leads the reader page-by-page on the path to ever-lasting peace and happiness.