The Bhagavad GitaThe Bhagavad Gita is the most famous poem in all of Hindu literature and part of the Mahabharata, the ancient Indian epic masterpiece. The Gita (in Sanskrit, "Song of the Lord") consists of a dialogue between Lord Krishna and Prince Arjuna on the morning of a climactic battle. Krishna provides Arjuna with the spiritual means to understand his own nature so that he can take action and prevail. However, the larger canvas painted in the poem is that of the moral universe of Hinduism. As translator Eknath Easwaran, one of the world's premier teachers of meditation and spirituality, notes "The Gita does not present a system of philosophy. It offers something to every seeker after God, of whatever temperament, by whatever path. The reason for this universal appeal is that it is basically practical: it is a handbook for self-realization and a guide to action." |
Contents
ABOUT THE VINTAGE SPIRITUAL CLASSICS | vii |
PREFACE TO THE VINTAGE SPIRITUAL CLASSICS EDITION by Eknath Easwaran | xi |
The War Within 385 17 | xiii |
The Illumined | 8 |
Selfless Service | 17 |
Wisdom in Action | 23 |
Renounce and Rejoice | 29 |
The Practice of Meditation | 33 |
Divine Splendor | 52 |
The Cosmic Vision | 58 |
The Way of Love | 66 |
The Field and the Knower | 69 |
The Forces of Evolution | 74 |
The Supreme Self | 78 |
Two Paths | 81 |
The Power of Faith | 85 |
Wisdom from Realization | 39 |
The Eternal Godhead | 43 |
The Royal Path | 47 |
NOTES | 99 |
SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER READING | 121 |
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Common terms and phrases
action ancient Arjuna aspirant Atman attains the supreme battle Bhagavad Gita Bhishma birth body born Brahman called changeless Chapter conch consciousness cosmos creature death deluded devas devotion dharma Dhritarashtra disciplines divine Drona Duryodhana dwells energy eternal evil faith field fire forces fulfillment Gandhi Gītā give gods gunas heart Hindu human ignorance immortal India jnana jnana yoga karma Kauravas Knower knowledge life's supreme goal live Lord Mahabharata means meditation mind mystic nature never offer Pandavas path peace person philosophy pleasure and pain practice prakriti purified Purusha rajas rajasic reality realize rebirth renounce renunciation sacrifice sages SANJAYA Sankhya sannyasa Sanskrit sattva sattvic scriptures seek self-control self-will selfish attachments selfish desire selfless service sense objects shraddha soul SRI KRISHNA tamas tamasic things thought three gunas tion translated truth understand unified unity unmanifested Upanishads Vedas verses VINTAGE SPIRITUAL CLASSICS Vishnu warrior wise words worship yoga yuga