Commentary on 'The Bhagavad Geeta' by Swami Mukundananda

Global Release Paperback

The largest-selling edition of the Gita in the Western world, Bhagavad-gita As It Is is more than a book. It is alive with knowledge and devotion; thus it has the power to change your life for the better. Bhagavad-gita is knowledge of five basic truths and the relationship of each truth to the other: These five truths are Krishna, or God, the individual soul, the material world, action in this world, and time. The Gita lucidly explains the nature of consciousness, the self, and the universe. It is the essence of India's spiritual wisdom, the answers to questions posed by philosophers for centuries. In translating the Gita, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has remained loyal to the intended meaning of Krishna's words, and thus he has unlocked all the secrets of the ancient knowledge of the Gita and placed them before us as an exciting opportunity for self-improvement and spiritual fulfillment. The Gita is a conversation between Krishna and His dear friend Arjuna. At the last moment before entering a battle between brothers and friends, the great warrior Arjuna begins to wonder: Why should he fight? What is the meaning of his life? Where is he going after death? In response, Krishna brings His friend from perplexity to spiritual enlightenment, and each one of us is invited to walk the same path.

The commentary of Shankara on the Gita is regarded as an outstanding specimen of Indian scholarship. The translator has accomplished his task in a most praiseworthy manner by giving a faithful translation, without in any way detracting from the strength or clarity of the original commentary. The inclusion of a ‘word index’ of the entire text has added to the worth of the book.

Extreme makeovers start on the inside when readers face the facts about their spiritual conditions and the reality of their circumstances and situations, and then allow God to transform minds and revive hearts. (Christian)

Gita leads us from spiritual infancy to maturity, impulsive irrationality to intelligent rationalism, and agitation to tranquility. ‘G-OO-D’ contains two ‘O’s between ‘G’, the God, and ‘D’, the Devil. First ‘O’ near ‘G’ denotes Obeisance to God; and second ‘O’, near Devil, denotes Obfuscation. Eliminate Obfuscation from life to see God in everything ‘Good’. Ego and prejudice are the earplugs that stop us from listening to inner voice of God. Enjoy the 3 D film of life by wearing spectacle of Anaasakti, the indifference. Orthodoxy is the peel of a banana whose pulp is Dharm. We shouldn’t set foot on the peel and slip into gutter but relish soul-nourishing pulp. Our senses must follow our commands like the ‘Genie’ of Aladdin’s lamp. The best batsman defends his wicket by driving every ball to boundary but the less skilled runs to score; and the least skilled is bowled out. Dharm appears as the ferocious tiger Richard Parker in the film ‘Life of Pi’. Initially Pi struggles to save himself from tiger; then it suddenly dawns on him that the tiger is an indispensible anchor of his life in the boat. His simple attitudinal change saves the beast and himself.