Rarely in a lifetime does a new spiritual classic appear that has the power to change people's lives and transform future generations. This is such a book. The Essence of the Bhagavad Gita Explained by Paramhansa Yogananda shares the profound insights of Paramhansa Yogananda, author of Autobiography of a Yogi, as remembered by one of his few remaining direct disciples, Swami Kriyananda. This revelation of India's best-loved scripture approaches it from an entirely fresh perspective, showing its deep allegorical meaning and also its down-to-earth practicality. The themes presented are universal: how to achieve victory in life in union with the divine; how to prepare for life's "final exam," death, and what happens afterward; how to triumph over all pain and suffering. This book is itself a triumph. Swami Kriyananda worked with Paramhansa Yogananda in 1950 while the Master completed his commentary. At that time Yogananda commissioned him to disseminate his teachings world-wide. Kriyananda has in his lifetime lectured, taught, and written eighty-five books based on Yogananda's teachings. The Essence of the Bhagavad Gita, Kriyananda's eighty-sixth book, is the crowning achievement of his highly productive life. In this, his masterpiece, he declares, "Yogananda's insights into the Gita are the most amazing, thrilling, and helpful of any I have ever read."

In this companion to his best-selling translation of the Bhagavad Gita, Easwaran explores the essential themes of this much-loved Indian scripture. Placing the Gita in a modern context, Easwaran shows how this classic text sheds light on the nature of reality, the illusion of separateness, the search for identity, and the meaning of yoga. The key message of the Gita is how to resolve our conflicts and live in harmony with the deep unity of life, through the principles of yoga and the practice of meditation. Easwaran grew up in the Hindu tradition and learned Sanskrit from an early age. A foremost translator and interpreter of the Gita, he taught classes on it for forty years, while living out the principles of the Gita in the midst of a busy family and community life. In the Gita, Sri Krishna, the Lord, doesn’t tell the warrior prince Arjuna what to do: he shows Arjuna his choices and then leaves it to Arjuna to decide. Easwaran, too, shows us clearly how these teachings still apply to us – and how, like Arjuna, we must take courage and act wisely if we want our world to thrive.

This commentary on the Bhagavad Gita, the daily scripture for over 1 billion people, is designed to unlock its depthless wisdom with striking clarity and focus for a modern audience.

A prose translation of 42 verses from Bhagavad Gita, selected and set in order, by Ramana Maharshi, for use of those interested in Self Enquiry. In these verses Bhagavan reveals the seeker, that which is sought and the means by which one seeks.

"One of the best-loved scriptures in the world, the Bhagavad Gita has been translated by many scholars and poets over thousands of years. This new version, rendered in modern english prose by Swami Kriyananda, is based on the interpretations of his Guru, Paramhansa Yogananda, author of Autobiography of a Yogi." "The Gita is the heroic story of the battlefield counsel given by Krishna to Arjuna just prior to the start of a great war. Responding to Arjuna's moral dilemma over fighting against his beloved friends, family, and teachers, Krishna advises Arjuna on his duties as a warrior. Yogananda's insights reveal that The Gita is in fact a spiritual allegory, and that each character in the story symbolizes psychological traits and aspects of our own consciousness. As Arjuna looks upon the warriors on the battlefield, he is really facing his own inner battle between the forces of delusion and the forces of Spirit within. Krishna's advice to Arjuna on how to win the battle - using yogic tools of devotion, selfless service, and spiritual discrimination - gives each of us the guidance we need to move forward in dharma (right-action) in every material or spiritual test that life may bring."--BOOK JACKET.

Bhagavad Gita is the condensed form of all the 108 Upanishads put together. Bhagavad means the Brahman and Gita means song. If one needs a literal translation of Bhagavad Gita, then it is ?the song of the Brahman'. Bhagavad Gita consists of 700 verses, mostly addressed by the Brahman, wherein He imparts the supreme knowledge to one of His creations. Brahman in this context is Lord Krishna, the incarnation of Vishnu or Narayana and the disciple is Arjuna, one amongst the five Pandavas. Since they were fathered by the king Pandu, they are called Pandavas. Pandavas are five brothers, each of them representing the five basic elements of the universe. It must be remembered that these five elements rule the five chakras, muladhara to vishudi. The verses of the Gita are in the form of questions and answers. Arjuna, the warrior clears his doubts from Krishna in the midst of a battle field. Krishna represents the Brahman, Arjuna represents soul and battle field represents the sensory organs of the gross body. The teachings of Krishna in Bhagavad Gita are practical and easy to follow. The concept of life is explained in these 700 comprehensive verses in 18 chapters. If one decides to follow the teachings of Krishna, he is not reborn. Even during this birth, if the sermons of Krishna are followed, one will not feel the miseries and sorrows. The cause and source of sufferings and the ways and means of getting rid of them are expounded. After all, it is the teaching of the Brahman Himself.

"The words of Lord Krishna to Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita," writes Paramahansa Yogananda, "are at once a profound scripture the science of Yoga, union with God, and a textbook for everyday living." The Bhagavad Gita has been revered by truth seekers of both the Eas...

The Bhagavad Gītā recounts a profound dialogue between Arjuna, a conflicted warrior, and his humble charioteer, who is in fact the Lord Himself. The message Kṛṣṇa delivered on a battlefield more than 5000 years ago is just as relevant today because it awakens the soul to mankind’s true nature and reason for being. His instructions have stood the test of time and provide the knowledge to help us triumph over the obstacles we face in our lives. Paramahamsa Sri Swami Vishwananda’s commentary brings this timeless discourse to life, unravelling it and delivering it straight to the heart of the reader. It is rare when a book has the potential to become a lifelong companion for spiritual seekers, yet the Bhagavad Gītā Essentials is designed to be just that: an essential part of your life. Small enough to carry with you wherever you go, yet profound enough to carry you all the way to God; succinct enough to read in a matter of hours, yet deep enough to contemplate for decades to come.

Commentary on 'The Bhagavad Geeta' by Swami Mukundananda