The Essence of the Bhagavad Gita: Explained by Paramhansa Yogananda, As Remembered by His Disciple, Swami Kriyananda - Hardcover

Swami Kriyananda

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1565892194 ISBN 13: 9781565892194

Publisher: Crystal Clarity Publishers, 2006

Synopsis

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 shares the profound insights of Paramhansa Yogananda, author of Autobiography of a Yogi, as remembered by his direct disciple, Swami Kriyananda. This commentary unlocks the Gita's depthless wisdom with striking clarity, inspiration, and hope for a modern audience.

About this title

About the Author

SWAMI KRIYANANDA became a disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda’s in 1948. His great guru trained him for a life of editing, writing, and lecturing to disseminate the teachings of Kriya Yoga worldwide. He has given thousands of lectures in many countries, written over eighty-five books, and composed over 400 pieces of uplifting music. Kriyananda is the founder of Ananda Sangha, a worldwide organization which disseminates Yogananda’s teachings. In 1968 he founded a spiritual cooperative community which has expanded to eight communities and ashrams in the United States, Europe, and India based on Yogananda’s ideal of "world brotherhood colonies."

Kriyananda was recently appointed to membership in the prestigious Club of Budapest, joining such luminaries as the Dalai Lama. He lives in Gurgaon, India.

From the Back Cover

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.

From the Inside Flap

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 worldwide. 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."

Reviews

Kriyananda (J. Donald Walters), a lifelong disciple of the influential guru Yogananda, affirms his claim as an authoritative student of his master with this work. Because Kriyananda parted ways with Yogananda's organization, this book also rivals Yogananda's own commentary on this classic Indian scripture, which is published by his organization. Western students can certainly use all the help they can get in understanding the cultural specifics of the Bhagavad Gita in order to appreciate this story of universal questions asked of God on the eve of a battle. Kriyananda offers an interpretation that amounts to an explication of kriya yoga, a yoga system that is a philosophy and way of life. This comprehensive view will aid his or Yogananda's students, though anyone coming to this book seeking more general interpretation may find the text very hard to follow. The Gita's verses are completely broken up by commentary, making them impossible to read continuously, and most of the first chapter of the Gita isn't even included. The exposition itself rambles, requiring slow, methodical reading and patience with Sanskrit terms. Neophytes who want to open the Bhagavad Gita need another key; this book doesn't speak to beginners.
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Edition details

• Publisher: Crystal Clarity Publishers
• Publication date: 2006
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1565892194
• ISBN 13: 9781565892194
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 700