| Guide Picks - Top 10 Books on the Gita | ||||
| The Bhagavad Gita is universally regarded as the single most influential philosophical text shaping spiritual thought and life. Spoken by Lord Krishna to his devotee Arjuna, the Gita's seven hundred verses provide an ultimate guide to self-realization. It reveals the essential nature of man, his environment and his relationship with the Almighty, like no other work. The teaching of the Bhagavad Gita is said to free you from all sense of limitation. | ||||
| 1. "Bhagavad-Gita As It Is" | ||||
 Of
all editions of this immortal classic, this one by Swami Prabhupada, founder
of ISKCON, conveys Lord Krishna's profound message as it is — with
the original Sanskrit text, Roman transliteration, English equivalents,
translation and elaborate purports. A good introduction and a glossary make
it even more handy!
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| 2. "Bhagavad-Gita - Song of God" - Swami Prabhavananda | ||||
 This
is regarded as one of the best English translations of the Gita. Aldous
Huxley provides a brilliant introduction to the 'Perennial Philosophy' that
lies at the base of all major religions. Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher
Isherwood translate the themes with élan.
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3. "The
Teaching of the Bhagavad Gita" - Swami Dayananda Without getting lost in a rigid verse-by-verse translation, Swami Dayananda plunges with great verve and energy into the central theme of the Gita, picking and choosing key verses to highlight its message. Sure to appeal to every modern mind. |
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4. "The
Gospel of Selfless Action" - The Gita According to Gandhi In this translation and commentary on Arjuna's battlefield conversation with Krishna, presented to his followers at prayer meetings over a nine-month period in 1926, Gandhi addresses the concerns that most directly affect the spiritual lives of common people. |
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5. "Bhagavad
Gita & Its Message" - Shri Aurobindo Rishi Aurobindo is a master of Vedic philosophy and he wrote extensively on the Gita. In this commentary and exposition, he analyzes the causes of human problems, and how to achieve peace. His interpretation of the Gita is unmatched!
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6. "Maharishi
Mahesh Yogi on the Bhagavad-Gita" Maharishi's translation and commentary on the first six chapters of the Bhagavad-Gita is meant to be "a complete guide to practical life, that is needed to raise the consciousness of man to the highest possible level." A useful pocket edition! |
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7. "Bhagavad
Gita" (Penguin Classics) This edition by Juan Mascaro, a sensitive Sanskrit scholar, is aimed "to give, without notes or commentary, the spiritual message of the Bhagavad Gita in pure English." A good translation that speaks clearly to the first-time reader. |
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8. "The
Bhagavad Gita" - Eknath Easwaran A translation by an author who thinks the Gita is "a handbook for self-realization and a guide to action" that "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..."
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9. "The
Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners" |
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10. "Our
Most Dear Friend: Bhagavad-Gita for Children" This unique version by Jean Griesser employs a simple story line, coupled with photographic montages and colorful paintings to illustrate the concepts of the Gita for children above 4. A great way to introduce your children to the eternal values and virtues.
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