Originally published: Hyderabad, India: Narla Institute of New Thought, 1988.

Presentation of the thesis that the Bhagavadgītā is a non- ethical work.

The Bhagavad-Gita has the original Sanskrit Text with Roman Transliteration, and a lucid English Rendition. Concise and to the point commentaries of two hundred twenty seven selected key verses are provided. One hundred thirtythree 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 pro-nunciation guide, glossary and index are provided. A guide to meditation, beautiful pictures and Gita Calisa are included for daily sadhana.

"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...

A verse-by-verse examination of Arjuna’s soma experience and Krishna’s psychedelic guidance in the Bhagavad Gita • Explains how the Bhagavad Gita provides complete guidelines for the spiritual use of entheogens--from prior mental preparations to the integration of profound visionary insights into everyday consciousness • Examines Chapter XI of the Gita in detail to illuminate Arjuna’s hallucinogenic experience and expose Krishna as the ultimate psychedelic guide • Shows psychedelic experience to be an essential and ancient part of the path to spiritual transformation Known as a text of liberation and enlightenment and praised not only by Indians but also by prominent modern thinkers such as Aldous Huxley and Albert Einstein, the Bhagavad Gita is one of the most commented-upon books of all time, yet one aspect has never before been examined: Arjuna’s psychedelic soma experience with his guru Krishna. Drawing upon his many years as a student of Nitya Chaitanya Yati, whose teacher was Gita scholar Nataraja Guru, preeminent disciple of Narayana Guru, Scott Teitsworth explains how the Bhagavad Gita, through the story of the hero Arjuna and his guru Krishna, provides complete guidelines for the spiritual use of entheogens, from prior mental preparations to the integration of profound visionary insights into everyday consciousness. Examining Chapter XI of the Bhagavad Gita verse by verse, he illuminates Arjuna’s complex revelatory experience and exposes Krishna’s role as the ultimate spiritual guide--facets of the Gita evident to anyone with psychedelic experience yet long suppressed in favor of paths to enlightenment through service or meditation. He shows that psychedelics are indeed “gateway drugs” in that they stimulate open exploration of the mind and the meaning of life. Uncovering new depths to this revered manual of spiritual instruction, Teitsworth reveals psychedelic experience to be an essential and ancient path to ignite realization in the prepared student, turn theory into direct experience, and bring the written teachings to life.

The Bhagavad Gita, the classic spiritual text more than five thousand years old, has often been called India's greatest contribution to the world. In these pages, Jack Hawley presents the essence of the Gita's teachings in a format accessible to modern readers. The book is organized into chapters that address five important questions spiritual seekers have been grappling with for millennia: Who am I? Why am I here? Who, or what, is the Divinity many call “God”? What is my relationship to that Divinity? Is it even possible to live a spiritual life, and if so, how? Each chapter begins with an introduction by Jack Hawley. The teachings from the Gita follow, arranged under headings relevant to today's seekers, such as “Being the Real You,” “Seeing Divinity in Ordinary Humans,” and “Finding Happiness.” The ancient wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita lives on, helping us today as it has helped countless millions of people through the ages.