Bhagavad Gita

The Bhagavad Gita, a great poem attributed to Rsi Vedavyasa, expounds Vedanta philosophy in the dynamic setting of a battlefield where Lord Krsna reveals the teaching of Vedanta to the warrior prince Arjuna. The essence of the Gita is to make one realise tat tvam asi. We are really the atman or Divinity with an outer covering of the physical body inside which is subtle body consisting of the mind and the intellect. Unfortunately we get attached to the body and develop the ego which is the ‘I’ or ‘My’ -ness in us. It makes us believe that our physical body is real. We forget that we are living because of the life-force inside us. The life-force is the spiritual energy and is known commonly as ‘soul’ or Atman. Tat Tvam Asi is a ‘great Upanisadic sentence’ exhorting us to realise our own divine identity. To realise one’s own divine status, to realise the same divine status in all forms manifest in the universe is to realise the oneness of all beings.

Contents (Vol. 1)

Forword, Message from Swami Hari Har Ji, Note Acknowledgements from the Author, Introduction, Arjuna-Visada-Yoga, Samkhya-Yoga, Karma-Yoga, Jnana-Yoga, Karma-Samnyasa-yoga, Atmasamyama-Yoga, Jnana-Vijnana-Yoga, Rajavidya-Rajaguhya-Yoga, Vibhuti-Yoga.

(Vol. 2)

Visvarupa-Darsana-Yoga, Bhakti-Yoga, Ksetra-Ksetrajna-Yoga, Gunatraya-Vibhaga-Yoga, Purusottama-Prapti-Yoga, Daivasura-Sampad-Vibhaga-Yoga, Sraddhatraya-Vibhaga-Yoga, Moksa-Samnyasa-Yoga.

Review(s)

About the Author(s)

The Bhagavad Gita, a great poem attributed to Rsi Vedavyasa, expounds Vedanta philosophy in the dynamic setting of a battlefield where Lord Krsna reveals the teaching of Vedanta to the warrior-prince Arjuna. The essence of the Gita is to make one realize tat tvam asi. We are the atman or Divinity with an outer covering of the physical body inside which is a subtle body consisting of the mind and the intellect. Unfortunately, we get attached to the body and develop the ego which is the ‘I’ or ‘My’ -ness in us. It makes us believe that our physical body is real. We forget that we are living because of the life force inside us. The life force is the spiritual energy and is known commonly as ‘soul’ or Atman. Tat Tvam Asi is a ‘great Upanisadic sentence’ exhorting us to realize our own divine identity. To realize one’s divine status, to realize the same divine status in all forms manifest in the universe is to realize the oneness of all beings.

Contents (Vol. 1)

Forward, Message from Swami Hari Har Ji, Note Acknowledgements from the Author, Introduction, Arjuna-Visada-Yoga, Samkhya-Yoga, Karma-Yoga, Jnana-Yoga, Karma-Sannyasa-yoga, Atmasamyama-Yoga, Jnana-Vijnana-Yoga, Rajavidya-Rajaguhya-Yoga, Vibhuti-Yoga.

(Vol. 2)

Visvarupa-Darsana-Yoga, Bhakti-Yoga, Ksetra-Ksetrajna-Yoga, Gunatraya-Vibhaga-Yoga, Purusottama-Prapti-Yoga, Daivasura-Sampad-Vibhaga-Yoga, Sraddhatraya-Vibhaga-Yoga, Moksa-Samnyasa-Yoga.

Review(s)

About the Author(s)

The Bhagavad Gita is a dramatic poem which forms a small part of the great epic, the Mahabharata. The poem is the dialogue through which Arjuna’s doubts are resolved by Krsna’s teaching about the nature and place of action in the ultimate reality of things. The present translation is supplemented by a commentary; both seek to emphasize how the teaching is rooted in the concrete situation, and how its order and structure reflect the changing condition of the conversants and the purpose of the conversation. Footnotes and notes are included to clarify the Sanskrit, to indicate alternative translations, and to note relevant comments from other commentators and translators.

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About the Author(s)

The Geeta is an intimate dialogue between God and man. The God-incarnate is Lord Krishna and man is represented by the Mahabharata hero Arjuna. It is intimate because the esoteric wisdom imparted therein, says the Lords, is “is more secret than secrecy itself” (XVII. 63).

A great battle is to ensue between the two royal clans of Kauravas and Pandavas. Arjuna requests

Krishna, who is acting as his charioteer, to take him between the two standing armies so that he

may have a look at those who have gathered to fight with him. There Arjuna is overcome with grief and refuses to raise his bow against his respected gurus and elders, and other kith and kin. At this critical juncture Lord Krishna explains to him what is right and what is wrong, and how by adhering to dharma a person can earn the highest virtue.

Every human heart is like a battlefield of good and evil forces. At times a person is not able to

decide the right course of action. He is deluded and confused. When confronted with such a

situation, he can turn to the Geeta, it will not fail him. The book therefore is of universal appeal which offers satisfactory solution to basic human problems. Whatever page you turn, and whichever verse you read, it is bound to elevate and inspire. It is not the book of a particular race or religion but the common heritage of the entire mankind.

The general theme of the dialogue is the realization of the Supreme-Self through the constant practice of Yogic entity. Sri Krishna declares that those who strive, endowed with the spirit of selfless action, Yajna and Yoga, perceive the Lord dwelling in the self. Sri Krishna gives a

definite promise of His grace in the words, “Resigning all the Dharmas, seek refuge in Me

alone. I shall liberate you from all sins Grieve not.”

Review(s)

The explanations of verse are elaborate and elegant … . Laced with inspiring anecdotes, it is a remarkable commentary which will enlighten the learned as well as the laymen, in India and also in foreign lands. – BALDEO SAHAI Fellow, Indian National Science Academy

Mrs. Prabha Duneja has presented the universal and timeless message of The Bhagawad Geeta in a scholarly yet practical way. – Swami Prabuddhananda, Vedanta Society of Northern California, USA

The Legacy of Yoga in Bhagawad Geeta is a unique scholarly achievement and one, which will greatly benefit all who encounter it. I heartily recommend it. – Prof. Norris W. Palmer, Ph.D. Saint Mary’s College of California, USA

From the moment, I picked up Prabha Duneja’s translation of The Bhagawad Geeta, I knew this was an inspired work. Not only is her rendition an academic contribution in clear English but it retains the power of the original Sanskrit. – Prof. Sujan Burgeson Ph.D., Yuba College, California, USA

About the Author(s)

Founder and president of the Geeta Society, is also an active member of the Women’s Federation for world peace and the United Nations Association, USA. She is also the chairwoman of the Women’s Interfaith Circle of Service/CC-URI and a recipient of the Global Citizen award, given by UNA-the Commonwealth Club San Francisco, the Parliament of World’s Religions, schools, universities, churches, mosques, and interfaith conferences.

Mrs. Duneja, a graduate from the Sanskrit University of Kurukshetra, is a well-known Vedic scholar and a devotee of Lord Krishna. She is the author of the Legacy of Yoga in Bhagawad Geeta, Mantra and the Modern Man, Bhagawad Geeta: The Gospel of Timeless Wisdom, and has also recorded several series of lectures on the science of yoga and meditation, the secret powers of mantra, and the Bhagawad Geeta. For more information visit her website: holygeeta.org and contact her at duneja@aol.com

Although the Bhagavad-gita has traditionally been regarded as a poem of primarily religious significance, Dr. Agarwal shows that with the proper interpretation its message may be ransformed into a set of practical ethical guidelines. This practical aspect of the Gitaês teaching, its insistence that involvement with the world is an ethically correct function of human behaviour, is the focus of this book. That involvement with the worldês is expressed by the term ‘Lokasamgraha’. The term covers a multitude of social and political forms of behaviour and attitudes of mind and is perhaps more central to the meaning the Gita should have for modern man than its traditional other-worldly interpretation.

Dr. Agarwal has examined the various ways in which India has reacted to the impact of many powerful foreign influences over the past two centuries. He has done so by studying the lives and the activities of select Hindu thinkers who through their writings and their ways of life showed their awareness of a need to preserve an Indian identity. All of them undertook to define these differences and thus established their views on what might be acceptable alternatives for India and the Indian genius vis-a-vis those principles and customs that run counter to the Indian tradition. But they were not unanimous in either their conclusions or the strategies they devised for attaining their common goal. The author has concentrated on the role the Bhagavad-gita has played in the lives and works of these thinkers.

Review(s)

About the Author(s)

Dr. Satya P. Agarwal is a Social Scientist. His academic honours include five gold medals and numerous merit scholarships and research fellowships at various universities. The Governor of the State of Maryland conferred upon him “The Governor’s Citation”, in recognition of his pioneering books as also his contribution to social service. He is author of several books besides the present one which are widely acclaimed and appreciated by the discerning readers. Other honours conferred on him include: (i) Kunti Goyal International Award, (ii) Special Award of Manas Sangam and (iii) International Tulasi Award.

The Gita is a song-not just any song, but a very special song, the song of God-sung by the

Divine Being of infinite consciousness to His most beloved devotee, Arjuna. Arjuna in Sanskrit means clear white light, the brightness and clarity, the name of the man who manifested the clarity of pure devotion by which the Lord’s wisdom may be heard, and by which the universal form may be perceived. And what a song it is! A symphony of soul’s longing for divinity, of the search for clarity, the explanations of yoga-what constitutes divine union, and how one gets there. No

subject of spiritual evolution remains neglected by the Gita.

The Gita has been translated into more languages than any other literary work. In English

alone there are more renditions than can be counted. Each one has its own character, each one

a slightly different analysis. Some are poetic, some philosophical, some dogmatic, some universal.

This translation by Dr. Prasad is just beautiful-so simple and clear. He uses just enough sanskrit to convey the majesty and beauty of the language and the intensity of the dialogue, and yet does not leave the reader dumbfounded in an unintelligible maze of vocabulary. The universal principle of the philosophy he espouses are filled with poetic grace and style. He captures so much of the Grace of the Gita, even in the prose of English, that the orchestrations of wisdom cannot but help lull our hearts after every chapter.

From Confusion’s first desire to neglect one’s duty or responsibilities, to the infinite vision of

the Lord as a consequence of total surrender to the will of God, Prasad’s rendering takes the

reader from doubts and misgivings to perfect efficiency in all that one undertakes.

The Bhagavad-Gita has the original Sanskrit text with Roman transliteration, and a lucid English rendition. Concise and to the point commentaries on two hundred twenty-seven selected key verses are provided. One hundred thirty three verses are printed in red to enable the first-time readers to study these verses before delving deep into the vast ocean of transcendental knowledge. The teachings of saints and sages of major religious denominations as well as world leaders and scholars have been included. Quotations from the Vedas, Puranas, Upanisads, Smrtis, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhakti-sutras, Brahma-sutra, Yoga-sutra, as well as other major scriptures of the world such as the Bible, Dhammapad and Koran have been incorporated to underline the basic unity of all religious thoughts and to promote the universal brotherhood of mankind. Epilogue, references, Sanskrit transliteration and pronuciation guide, glossary and index are provided. A guide to meditation, beautiful pictures and Gita Calisa are included for daily Sadhana.

Review(s)

“The Gita is a doctrine of universal truth, the Sanatana dharma, commonly known as Hinduism. It has the capacity to come down to the level of the reader and raise him to peace of mind.” – The Adyar Library Bulletin-1996 – K.K. Raja

The originally of the author/compiler lies in providing a suitable glass on all the important stanzas. While doing this, he has drawn upon authentic sources of Indian philosophy and history, and has juxtaposed quotes from the teachings of other religions. – Prabuddha Bharata Vol.102, December 1997 – Dr. Narendranath B. Patil, Mumbai

About the Author(s)

The gita is a doctrine of universal truth, the Sanatana dharma, commonly known as Hinduism. It has the capacity to come down to the level of the reader and raise him to peace of mind. (The Adyar Library Bulletin-1996) -KK. Raja, The originality of the author/compiler lies in providing a suitable gloss on all the important stanzas. While doing this, he has drawn upon authentic sources of Indian philosophy and history, and has juxtaposed quotes from the teachings of other religions. (Prabuddha Bharata, Vol 102, Dec. 1997) -Dr. Narendranath B. Patil, Mumbai.