With this edition of the Bhagavad Gita we begin our book reviews of several different Gitas. I’ll be reviewing editions of the Gita that are true to the devotional yoga school of Bhakti. There are hundreds of translations of the Gita but we find that translators aim to convey their personal opinion or present an agenda on any number of topics such as politics, sociology, philosophy, etc. This is often done in direct opposition to the literal meaning of the text.
The Bhagavad Gita, also known as Gitopanishad, is a core Bhakti text. Acknowledging this, I’ll be reviewing Gitas that reflect the intention of the speaker of the Gita, Sri Krishna.
The Gita is a profound exploration of the nature of being that is timeless, universal, and compelling. It has held the attention of scholars and philosophers for centuries and been an indispensable guide for serious seekers.
The language of Sri Gita is simple and sweet. Its mood is grave, extensive, and fundamental. Its thought is brief, distinct, and impartial. Its logic sound and natural.
The prologue, epilogue, and exposition, review, analysis, synthesis, and art of presentation of Sri Gita is unprecedented and charming to the extreme. Sri Gita is activation for the lazy, courage for the coward, hope for the hopeless, and new life for the dying.
B. R. Sridhardev Goswami, a teacher in my Gaudiya lineage writes, “The language of Sri Gita is simple and sweet. Its mood is grave, extensive, and fundamental. Its thought is brief, distinct, and impartial. Its logic sound and natural.
“The prologue, epilogue, and exposition, review, analysis, synthesis, and art of presentation of Sri Gita is unprecedented and charming to the extreme. Sri Gita is activation for the lazy, courage for the coward, hope for the hopeless, and new life for the dying.
“Sri Gita unifies and sustains all ranks, whether revolutionist, occultist, optimist, renunciationist, liberationist, or full-fledged theist. From the atheist of grossly crude vision to the most elevated saint the essential conceptions of all class of philosophers are dealt with in clear and forceful logic.”
The Gita I’m reviewing here is the translation and commentary by A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the modern-day emissary who brought Bhakti to the West. The story of his life is fascinating and I’ll be review his biography in this blog.
The “As It Is” within the title describes why this Gita is powerful and transformed the lives of thousands – millions – of people. The author remained true to the intention of the original text. A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami’s own feeling for the topics and the subject of the Gita is what deeply impressed the thousands of people who took to Bhakti after reading this edition. A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.
Most translators take the Gita as an allegory to put forward their own agendas be they political, sociological, psychological, etc. Not so with this edition: you get the full depth of the text and Bhakti here.
It has the Sanskrit, roman transliteration, word-for-word meaning, English translation, commentary, and Index.
Purchase the book.
Level 3