Bhagavadgita (Dover Thrift Editions) - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0486277828 ISBN 13: 9780486277820

Publisher: Dover Publications, 1993

Synopsis

The Bhagavadgita is part of the great Indian epic the Mahabharata, and it is one of the major religious documents of the world, occupying in Hinduism a position not unlike the Sermon on the Mount in Christianity. One of the most celebrated treasures of world literature as well, it is in the form of a poetic dialogue between the epic's hero, Arjuna, and his friend Krishna, believed to be an incarnation of God.
The dialogue, which takes place on the eve of an historic battle, probes the nature of God and what man should do to reach him. As the Bhagavadgita unfolds, this majestic poem provides a fascinating synopsis of the religious thought and experience of India through the ages. This edition offers the classic English verse translation by Sir Edwin Arnold (1832–1904), long admired for its evocation of the true feeling of the original poetry.

About this title

Language Notes:

Text: English (translation)

Review:

(Sanskrit: "Song of the Lord") One of the greatest and most beautiful of the Hindu scriptures. It forms part of Book VI of the Indian epic the Mahabharata ("Great Epic of the Bharata Dynasty") and is written in the form of a dialogue between the warrior Prince Arjuna and his friend and charioteer, Krishna, who is also an earthly incarnation of the god Vishnu. The Bhagavadgita is of a later date than the major parts of the Mahabharata and was probably written in the 1st or 2nd century AD. The poem consists of 700 Sanskrit verses divided into 18 chapters. The dialogue takes place on the field of battle, just as the great war between the Pandavas and the Kauravas is about to begin. The two armies stand opposing each other, and, on seeing many of his friends and kinsmen among those lined up on the other side, Prince Arjuna hesitates. He considers whether it would not be better to throw down his arms and allow himself to be slain rather than to engage in a just, but cruel, war. Krishna points out to him that the higher way is the dispassionate discharge of his duty, performed with faith in God. The Bhagavadgita goes far beyond the ethical question with which it begins, to consider broadly the nature of God and the means by which mortals can know him. -- The Merriam-Webster Encylopedia of Literature

About this edition

• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Publication date: 1993
• ISBN 10: 0486277828
• ISBN 13: 9780486277820
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 112