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Bhagavad Gita According to Gandhi
Presented to his disciples at prayer meetings over a nine-month period in 1926, Mahatma Gandhi's commentaries on the Gita are regarded in India as among the most important of the century. In them Gandhi addresses the issues he felt most directly affected the spiritual lives of common people.
245 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2000
About the author
Mahatma Gandhi
947 books6,400 followersMohandas Karamchand Gandhi, commonly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was the preeminent leader of Indian nationalism in British-ruled India. Employing non-violent civil disobedience, Gandhi led India to independence and inspired movements for non-violence, civil rights and freedom across the world.
The son of a senior government official, Gandhi was born and raised in a Hindu Bania community in coastal Gujarat, and trained in law in London. Gandhi became famous by fighting for the civil rights of Muslim and Hindu Indians in South Africa, using new techniques of non-violent civil disobedience that he developed. Returning to India in 1915, he set about organizing peasants to protest excessive land-taxes. A lifelong opponent of "communalism" (i.e. basing politics on religion) he reached out widely to all religious groups. He became a leader of Muslims protesting the declining status of the Caliphate. Assuming leadership of the Indian National Congress in 1921, Gandhi led nationwide campaigns for easing poverty, expanding women's rights, building religious and ethnic amity, ending untouchability, increasing economic self-reliance, and above all for achieving Swaraj—the independence of India from British domination. His spiritual teacher was the Jain philosopher/poet Shrimad Rajchandra.
The son of a senior government official, Gandhi was born and raised in a Hindu Bania community in coastal Gujarat, and trained in law in London. Gandhi became famous by fighting for the civil rights of Muslim and Hindu Indians in South Africa, using new techniques of non-violent civil disobedience that he developed. Returning to India in 1915, he set about organizing peasants to protest excessive land-taxes. A lifelong opponent of "communalism" (i.e. basing politics on religion) he reached out widely to all religious groups. He became a leader of Muslims protesting the declining status of the Caliphate. Assuming leadership of the Indian National Congress in 1921, Gandhi led nationwide campaigns for easing poverty, expanding women's rights, building religious and ethnic amity, ending untouchability, increasing economic self-reliance, and above all for achieving Swaraj—the independence of India from British domination. His spiritual teacher was the Jain philosopher/poet Shrimad Rajchandra.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 62 reviews
April 14, 2009
This was the first time I've read the Gita. I'm glad I happened to read this version which includes Gandhi's comments--without them I don't think I would have gotten a whole lot from it, with them, I found it to be a beautiful and peaceful book.
One of the problems I've had with my limited attempts at understanding Eastern philosophy is how to reconcile the Eastern idea non-striving with the Western values of action and ambition. Both, in their proper context, seem appealing and right. The Bhagavad Gita is interesting in how it addresses the necessity of action and physical improvement but how these activities should be engaged in without striving explicitly for results, but instead focusing on the value that is intrinsic to the action itself. Thinking about the problem of action like this was helpful--I understood it to mean that practice and improvement are important and necessary (Western), but it they should be taken with a sense of non-attachment to the outcome if one is to gain the most from them (Eastern).
There are tons of names scattered throughout (Ishvara, Bharatarshabha, Kaunteya, Mahabahu, Purushottama etc. etc.), I didn't make any effort to keep them straight or figure out if they are gods or people or something in between. Even without making an effort to understand any of the historical and Sanskrit Hindu context, I found the text rewarding and very much worth reading.
One of the problems I've had with my limited attempts at understanding Eastern philosophy is how to reconcile the Eastern idea non-striving with the Western values of action and ambition. Both, in their proper context, seem appealing and right. The Bhagavad Gita is interesting in how it addresses the necessity of action and physical improvement but how these activities should be engaged in without striving explicitly for results, but instead focusing on the value that is intrinsic to the action itself. Thinking about the problem of action like this was helpful--I understood it to mean that practice and improvement are important and necessary (Western), but it they should be taken with a sense of non-attachment to the outcome if one is to gain the most from them (Eastern).
There are tons of names scattered throughout (Ishvara, Bharatarshabha, Kaunteya, Mahabahu, Purushottama etc. etc.), I didn't make any effort to keep them straight or figure out if they are gods or people or something in between. Even without making an effort to understand any of the historical and Sanskrit Hindu context, I found the text rewarding and very much worth reading.
May 20, 2021
Do not buy this edition. Get the ones from other publication houses. Because so many original lines in each part are missing for no particular reason.
Liked the contents but I really feel it's so incomplete. Just the beautiful cover is not worth it.
✨A thought provoking read
*Highlights:
The book is more of parts of the Bhagavad Gita with little insights from Gandhi's point of view about the particular parts and discourses.
However, I would recommend you to get another edition of this book if you want more details on Gandhi's views as I found out most original lines have been omitted in this edition.
I adore the book cover so much.
And I am so glad I read this book!
There are so many verses and lines which are philosophical and practical.
I hope you pick up the Bhagavad Gita and take your time reading it. It's so worth it even if it's an abridged version or reading parts of it.
Liked the contents but I really feel it's so incomplete. Just the beautiful cover is not worth it.
✨A thought provoking read
*Highlights:
The book is more of parts of the Bhagavad Gita with little insights from Gandhi's point of view about the particular parts and discourses.
However, I would recommend you to get another edition of this book if you want more details on Gandhi's views as I found out most original lines have been omitted in this edition.
I adore the book cover so much.
And I am so glad I read this book!
There are so many verses and lines which are philosophical and practical.
I hope you pick up the Bhagavad Gita and take your time reading it. It's so worth it even if it's an abridged version or reading parts of it.
April 22, 2012
Gandhi's translation and interpretation of this classic Hindu poem is unique in the way it emphasizes the need for hard work, constant striving, and determined effort in the pursuit of our social obligations, moral strengthening, and spiritual fulfillment.
"Yoga means nothing but skill in work," he claims, and the background to his religious and political beliefs revealed in these lectures gives deeper meaning to his attempts to establish schools, factories, and communities in rural India with the goal of freedom from colonial rule in sight.
Gandhi teaches that life is suffering, liberation is unattainable, and none of us will ever reach perfection in this life. "But, without worrying ourselves about this, we should continue to strive and cultivate finer and finer sattvic qualities," by which he means conduct distinguished by selfless devotion and holiness.
What specifically does this involve? According to the Gita, acceptance of our smallness in the universe, turning inward for guidance, and working for our spiritual welfare is the road to hope, happiness, and purpose. Constantly focusing our energies on peace, prayer, and the soul therefore goes hand in hand with a life of sincerity, humility, and fearlessness.
"The teaching of the Gita was not meant to be merely preserved in a book," Gandhi tells his listeners. "It was meant to be translated into action." And his brand of action is a yoga of sacrifice: "Treat the body as something out of which we must take work... be satisfied with one article when we feel we can make do with two."
In addition to lifting our burdens as well as those of our family and community, the way of purity and self-control also promises enlightenment, oneness with God, and an end to the cycles of life. According to the Gita, it is our duty to work hard for salvation, even though we are not assured of attaining it. The pursuit of these ideals brings its own rewards -- in fact, such a pursuit is its own reward.
Daily effort and concentration is required, but this is what makes a life of devotion available to all. "A beginning made is not wasted," Gandhi promises his listeners. "Even a little effort along this path saves one from great danger. This is a royal road, easy to follow. It is the sovereign yoga. In following it, there is no fear of stumbling. Once a beginning is made, nothing will stand in our way."
This assurance is held out by a guru who for decades meditated on these verses with his students and in private as part of his daily prayers, walking the truth of the Gita in his life and inspiring millions with his practical philosophy and tireless example.
"Yoga means nothing but skill in work," he claims, and the background to his religious and political beliefs revealed in these lectures gives deeper meaning to his attempts to establish schools, factories, and communities in rural India with the goal of freedom from colonial rule in sight.
Gandhi teaches that life is suffering, liberation is unattainable, and none of us will ever reach perfection in this life. "But, without worrying ourselves about this, we should continue to strive and cultivate finer and finer sattvic qualities," by which he means conduct distinguished by selfless devotion and holiness.
What specifically does this involve? According to the Gita, acceptance of our smallness in the universe, turning inward for guidance, and working for our spiritual welfare is the road to hope, happiness, and purpose. Constantly focusing our energies on peace, prayer, and the soul therefore goes hand in hand with a life of sincerity, humility, and fearlessness.
"The teaching of the Gita was not meant to be merely preserved in a book," Gandhi tells his listeners. "It was meant to be translated into action." And his brand of action is a yoga of sacrifice: "Treat the body as something out of which we must take work... be satisfied with one article when we feel we can make do with two."
In addition to lifting our burdens as well as those of our family and community, the way of purity and self-control also promises enlightenment, oneness with God, and an end to the cycles of life. According to the Gita, it is our duty to work hard for salvation, even though we are not assured of attaining it. The pursuit of these ideals brings its own rewards -- in fact, such a pursuit is its own reward.
Daily effort and concentration is required, but this is what makes a life of devotion available to all. "A beginning made is not wasted," Gandhi promises his listeners. "Even a little effort along this path saves one from great danger. This is a royal road, easy to follow. It is the sovereign yoga. In following it, there is no fear of stumbling. Once a beginning is made, nothing will stand in our way."
This assurance is held out by a guru who for decades meditated on these verses with his students and in private as part of his daily prayers, walking the truth of the Gita in his life and inspiring millions with his practical philosophy and tireless example.
November 29, 2020
Bhagvad Gita According To Gandhi written by himself Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and this specific edition published by Pirates/Quignog books holds the complete version of the original written book.
This special edition was also presented by our Hon. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to the former U.S. President Barack Obama as a token of gift. Thus, making this book is a very special gift for your loved ones and also a must have on your shelf. The cover design is very rich and chick at the same time.
The book starts with a message from Mahatma Gandhi as Anasakti Yoga - which is the introduction to the Gita. Which talks about incarnation, renunciation, and that no one attains his goals without any actions. There are in total 18 discourses and each of them have been written in this book.
At the end of the book we also see Barack Obama's small thoughts and thanks to Mahatma Gandhi, as well as his speech in the Indian Parliament of the year 2010. The translation work is really done brilliantly in this book, and for someone like me who finds it difficult to read in languages other than English, this one's a gem.
For me who is a first timer in reading Bhagvad Gita, grasping the verses is going to be little bit difficult. So this isn't a book you just read once, it's a book which needs to be re-read again and again and every time you will have a new meaning, a new thought in your mind.
It took me a great deal of time to actually read this book, and I am definitely going to re-read it multiple times. So go ahead and pick this beautiful book, inside on the words as well as on the outside for the cover.
This special edition was also presented by our Hon. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to the former U.S. President Barack Obama as a token of gift. Thus, making this book is a very special gift for your loved ones and also a must have on your shelf. The cover design is very rich and chick at the same time.
The book starts with a message from Mahatma Gandhi as Anasakti Yoga - which is the introduction to the Gita. Which talks about incarnation, renunciation, and that no one attains his goals without any actions. There are in total 18 discourses and each of them have been written in this book.
At the end of the book we also see Barack Obama's small thoughts and thanks to Mahatma Gandhi, as well as his speech in the Indian Parliament of the year 2010. The translation work is really done brilliantly in this book, and for someone like me who finds it difficult to read in languages other than English, this one's a gem.
For me who is a first timer in reading Bhagvad Gita, grasping the verses is going to be little bit difficult. So this isn't a book you just read once, it's a book which needs to be re-read again and again and every time you will have a new meaning, a new thought in your mind.
It took me a great deal of time to actually read this book, and I am definitely going to re-read it multiple times. So go ahead and pick this beautiful book, inside on the words as well as on the outside for the cover.
Read
July 20, 2011I'm not sure you can rate a spiritual text...
March 6, 2022
Gandhi was completely comfortable in his own skin and loved his religion and culture despite the Brits telling the Indian people that everything British was superior to everything Indian. His inspiration to kick the Brits out of India was the Bhagavad Gita so it was important for me to read what he had to say. I am a big fan of Rajiv Malhotra and he is a big fan of Gandhi. Here is what Malhotra has to say about Gandhi along with how Gandhi applied the teaching of the Bhagavad Gita to kicking the Brits out.
Gandhi’s Dharma And The West at http://rajivmalhotra.com/library/arti...
Gandhi’s Dharma And The West at http://rajivmalhotra.com/library/arti...
Read
July 26, 2015"Yoga means nothing but skill in work," he claims, and the background to his religious and political beliefs revealed in these lectures gives deeper meaning to his attempts to establish schools, factories, and communities in rural India with the goal of freedom from colonial rule in sight.
Gandhi teaches that life is suffering, liberation is unattainable, and none of us will ever reach perfection in this life. "But, without worrying ourselves about this, we should continue to strive and cultivate finer and finer sattvic qualities," by which he means conduct distinguished by selfless devotion and holiness.
What specifically does this involve? According to the Gita, acceptance of our smallness in the universe, turning inward for guidance, and working for our spiritual welfare is the road to hope, happiness, and purpose. Constantly focusing our energies on peace, prayer, and the soul therefore goes hand in hand with a life of sincerity, humility, and fearlessness.
"The teaching of the Gita was not meant to be merely preserved in a book," Gandhi tells his listeners. "It was meant to be translated into action." And his brand of action is a yoga of sacrifice: "Treat the body as something out of which we must take work... be satisfied with one article when we feel we can make do with two."
In addition to lifting our burdens as well as those of our family and community, the way of purity and self-control also promises enlightenment, oneness with God, and an end to the cycles of life. According to the Gita, it is our duty to work hard for salvation, even though we are not assured of attaining it. The pursuit of these ideals brings its own rewards -- in fact, such a pursuit is its own reward.
Daily effort and concentration is required, but this is what makes a life of devotion available to all. "A beginning made is not wasted," Gandhi promises his listeners. "Even a little effort along this path saves one from great danger. This is a royal road, easy to follow. It is the sovereign yoga. In following it, there is no fear of stumbling. Once a beginning is made, nothing will stand in our way."
There are thousands of followers of Bhagavad Gita but Gandhi is the most extraordinary one. He can control himself better than others. Although he was good at foreign language and culture, he insisted to using the very traditional way to interpret Bhagavad Gita. All these things made him outstanding.He walked the truth of the Gita in his life and inspiring millions with his practical philosophy and tireless example.
Gandhi teaches that life is suffering, liberation is unattainable, and none of us will ever reach perfection in this life. "But, without worrying ourselves about this, we should continue to strive and cultivate finer and finer sattvic qualities," by which he means conduct distinguished by selfless devotion and holiness.
What specifically does this involve? According to the Gita, acceptance of our smallness in the universe, turning inward for guidance, and working for our spiritual welfare is the road to hope, happiness, and purpose. Constantly focusing our energies on peace, prayer, and the soul therefore goes hand in hand with a life of sincerity, humility, and fearlessness.
"The teaching of the Gita was not meant to be merely preserved in a book," Gandhi tells his listeners. "It was meant to be translated into action." And his brand of action is a yoga of sacrifice: "Treat the body as something out of which we must take work... be satisfied with one article when we feel we can make do with two."
In addition to lifting our burdens as well as those of our family and community, the way of purity and self-control also promises enlightenment, oneness with God, and an end to the cycles of life. According to the Gita, it is our duty to work hard for salvation, even though we are not assured of attaining it. The pursuit of these ideals brings its own rewards -- in fact, such a pursuit is its own reward.
Daily effort and concentration is required, but this is what makes a life of devotion available to all. "A beginning made is not wasted," Gandhi promises his listeners. "Even a little effort along this path saves one from great danger. This is a royal road, easy to follow. It is the sovereign yoga. In following it, there is no fear of stumbling. Once a beginning is made, nothing will stand in our way."
There are thousands of followers of Bhagavad Gita but Gandhi is the most extraordinary one. He can control himself better than others. Although he was good at foreign language and culture, he insisted to using the very traditional way to interpret Bhagavad Gita. All these things made him outstanding.He walked the truth of the Gita in his life and inspiring millions with his practical philosophy and tireless example.
September 29, 2011
I've never read a religious text other than the Bible before. It was truly interesting to get a new perspective on the world, especially in how Gandhi applied it to his own life. I made several connections to the book, but there were also aspects I disagreed with on a fundamental level. Part of this was naturally from how I've been raised and how I've come to look at the world. Yet I appreciated the challenge and the opportunity to reexamine my own beliefs.
June 19, 2011
This is another book which, if read at an early enough age (early 20's) would form a solid foundation for moving forward well in life. When combined with readings of the Bible, Koran, Dhammapda and other texts of ancient wisdom traditions, we see the commonalities for peace and nonviolence are much greater than the differences which people ignorantly use to foment violence and fear.
Having Gandhi's commentary is illuminating.
I recommend reading a stand-alone text first, drawing your own views and conclusions and then reading the version with Gandhi's commentary.
Having Gandhi's commentary is illuminating.
I recommend reading a stand-alone text first, drawing your own views and conclusions and then reading the version with Gandhi's commentary.
June 4, 2015
Prince Arjuna has qualms at the prospect of fighting his friends and relatives while awaiting the charge on the battlefield. Lord Krishna, disguised as his charioteer, talks him out of his hesitation.
"What an unlikely text for the exegetical efforts of the world's most famous pacifist, M.K. Gandhi!" I thought upon seeing it on the shelves of the Grinnell College library. I'd read the Gita previously and a substantial amount of material by and about Gandhi, but this was new and intriguing. I checked it out.
The point that Gandhi takes from the text, so far as memory serves after all these years, is the importance of selfless action. The fact that Arjuna's "duty" in this instance is to wage war is only incidental--although I wished there were a text of similar cultural weight available for such an exposition.
I didn't get it at the time, but perhaps the point was to emphasize the primacy of selflessness, of one's motive center, over the incidentals of particular actions or choices. In this light, the extremity of choice facing Arjuna becomes important and the text chosen to make the point may be well chosen. I read the Gita as god urging a man to kill. Gandhi may well be reading it as god urging a man to risk everything, even his own life, for what might be called "love".
I've known a number of persons who have seen military action as soldiers and quite a few who have served in various armies without seeing action. I myself resisted the draft and have felt superior to them, thinking that permanently harming others and/or putting oneself under the command of others whereby such harm may be ordered constitutes the ultimate sin. Yet, to be honest, some of the more thoughtful soldiers and former soldiers I've known have actually believed they were doing good by performing their duty in the service of others--a thought I have only countenanced personally in terms of clear cases involving the defense of others.
Gandhi led a movement which went beyond my qualified pacifism. His followers not only risked their own lives, but stood by while their comrades were beaten and sometimes killed--something I don't think I could manage with good conscience. Yet, as regards the independence movement he was a leader of, he was famously known to say that while peaceful revolutionary struggle was the best course, violent struggle against British imperialism was second best. Not everyone had the "soul-force" to do what he and his followers did. By his lights, I and the conscientious soldier are "second best"--the point being that pacifism, per se, was not his highest value.
Were I to read the text now or had it been read with others with discussion following the reading, it possibly would get more than the three stars assigned.
"What an unlikely text for the exegetical efforts of the world's most famous pacifist, M.K. Gandhi!" I thought upon seeing it on the shelves of the Grinnell College library. I'd read the Gita previously and a substantial amount of material by and about Gandhi, but this was new and intriguing. I checked it out.
The point that Gandhi takes from the text, so far as memory serves after all these years, is the importance of selfless action. The fact that Arjuna's "duty" in this instance is to wage war is only incidental--although I wished there were a text of similar cultural weight available for such an exposition.
I didn't get it at the time, but perhaps the point was to emphasize the primacy of selflessness, of one's motive center, over the incidentals of particular actions or choices. In this light, the extremity of choice facing Arjuna becomes important and the text chosen to make the point may be well chosen. I read the Gita as god urging a man to kill. Gandhi may well be reading it as god urging a man to risk everything, even his own life, for what might be called "love".
I've known a number of persons who have seen military action as soldiers and quite a few who have served in various armies without seeing action. I myself resisted the draft and have felt superior to them, thinking that permanently harming others and/or putting oneself under the command of others whereby such harm may be ordered constitutes the ultimate sin. Yet, to be honest, some of the more thoughtful soldiers and former soldiers I've known have actually believed they were doing good by performing their duty in the service of others--a thought I have only countenanced personally in terms of clear cases involving the defense of others.
Gandhi led a movement which went beyond my qualified pacifism. His followers not only risked their own lives, but stood by while their comrades were beaten and sometimes killed--something I don't think I could manage with good conscience. Yet, as regards the independence movement he was a leader of, he was famously known to say that while peaceful revolutionary struggle was the best course, violent struggle against British imperialism was second best. Not everyone had the "soul-force" to do what he and his followers did. By his lights, I and the conscientious soldier are "second best"--the point being that pacifism, per se, was not his highest value.
Were I to read the text now or had it been read with others with discussion following the reading, it possibly would get more than the three stars assigned.
January 15, 2021
This is indeed a deluxe edition and definitely a collectible.
Gita is a one of the part of the epic Mahabharat and definitely a great work of literature besides the spirituality attached to it. In fact many of the literary work is part inspired by it. I haven't had the opportunity or the time reading Gita before. Gita is the dialogue between Krishna and Arjun about the precepts of mortal life, destiny, karma. This is a journey into self-realization and thought provoking. A focus to improve that 1% of the life.
This book is a ideology with a view point of extremities in some parts. But its interesting to know every ones view point and their take on Gita. English as an alternative, easy to read. This although has compelling arguments it hard for me to grasp onto the verses.
Altogether a fascinating read and rate it 5/5.
Gita is a one of the part of the epic Mahabharat and definitely a great work of literature besides the spirituality attached to it. In fact many of the literary work is part inspired by it. I haven't had the opportunity or the time reading Gita before. Gita is the dialogue between Krishna and Arjun about the precepts of mortal life, destiny, karma. This is a journey into self-realization and thought provoking. A focus to improve that 1% of the life.
This book is a ideology with a view point of extremities in some parts. But its interesting to know every ones view point and their take on Gita. English as an alternative, easy to read. This although has compelling arguments it hard for me to grasp onto the verses.
Altogether a fascinating read and rate it 5/5.
January 25, 2008
Less accessible to western audiences thereby highlighting, if not necessarily illuminating, fundamental differences between eastern and western cultures. I left with some new insight regarding Gandhi, and some new thoughts about the Gita, but above all a feeling that there are some things that I, being from New York City, will probably never understand about the east.
December 3, 2010
The Bhagavad Gita is certainly not an easy book to read, but Gandhi's interpretation makes it much more accessible to the casual reader. At times his interpretation of the Gita is a bit strained toward his own political leanings, but otherwise it's a great spiritual work.
September 1, 2010
This is a very down to earth discussion of the meaning of this text; the focus is on non-violence. Whether this is what Gandhi got out of the text, or something he read back in after he cemented his philosophy is beyond me. Still, it's inspirational and very readable.
February 13, 2008
This wasn't a real page turner, but getting to learn about the faith that shaped Gandhi's life is very inspirational.
September 3, 2010
Interesting, but I love the Holy Bible Best
July 20, 2012
Gandhi's own translation and commentary on the Gita are must-reads for spiritual and political practitioners everywhere.
August 17, 2013
excellent
April 7, 2013
Great explanation and commentary. Wonderful text.
Read
September 4, 2013I'm not sure yet... Very deep and a lot to digest. Actually... Not sure I can ever rate it... Can you rate a spiritual text? Does the bible have a rating?
July 19, 2015
This is Book #4 in 2012's survey of holy shit (#3 was Hinduism's Upanishads).
(note: i said to myself before i started typing, "I'm gonna try to be a real straightshooter in this review"; rereading for typos before posting, i see that i strayed from that narrow path)
Synopsis of the Gita, as distinct from the commentary
Arjuna is prince of the good guys (the Pandavas) and he's slated to lead his troops against the forces of evil (the Kauravas). The combatants are as closely related to each other as most opposing forces in a civil war, though. Arjuna rides to the center of destiny's battlefield and it seems we're gonna get a little action/adventure, something along the lines of The Iliad. Read on, Macduff!
At the eye of the to-be storm, Arjuna stops with his charioteer—who just so happens to be Krishna, who just so happens to be the 8th avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu, who just so happens to be one prong in the Hindu trident of top-dog deities. (The other prongs/top-dogs = Shiva, who's about as popular as Vishnu, and Brahma, whom nobody seems to bother worshipping directly nowadays)—and they begin to converse (unnaturally) about Arjuna's pacifist reservations about killing his brethren.
With minimal prompting from Arjuna, Krishna batters him with every conceivable persuasive Hindu-based argument for why Fight He Must. Thus, we get the Gita, a dialogue between this high god/lowly charioteer and this warrior/pacifist human. Since Krishna's ideas span the entire spectrum of Hindu philosophy, this book-length conversational aside within The Mahabhārata—arguably the longest epic poem known to man—is revered by many as the ideal read for anyone wishing to learn good and proper Hindu behavior.
The Gita contains no plot, no narrative force. The discussion mirrors conversation even less realistically than Platonic dialogues: Krishna (like Socrates) says everything that's worth being said or read. What we got here is a pure sacred text, as in its only function is to provide opportunities for insight into Hinduism, Hindu theology, and even Hindu religion (have i mentioned this work is part of the Hindu canon?). Its structure and form follow those of epic poetry because of the larger work that it swims within, but these aspects are not aesthetically pleasing in English.
Little Big G's Introduction (as opposed to Big G [aka God])
G (b.1869; assassinated in 1948) espouses his theory of the Gita's Narrative Purpose in paragraph #7:
"Even in 1888-89, when i first became acquainted with the Gita, i felt that it was not a historical work, but that, under the guise of physical warfare, it described the duel that perpetually went on in the hearts of mankind, and that physical warfare was brought in merely to make the description of the internal duel more alluring" (xvii).
Could the world's most famous proponent and practitioner of nonviolence possibly love the Gita so much and have a different theory about it?
G's devotion stems from the Gita's unique and (almost?) perfect expression of an idea that's central to G's spirituality/faith/doctrine: the renunciation of the fruits of one's works. And because the Gita expresses this concept (almost?) perfectly, i will now attempt to paraphrase rather than find quote(s): If we do everything in our lives honestly and truly with no self-interest as motivation for our thoughts, words, and deeds, then we adhere to this difficult but critical path toward purity ("holiness" isn't quite the right word and i can never remember the actual Hindu word[s]; btw, i love that G usually just writes "renounce the fruit" or "renunciation of the fruits").
This idea, alone, is worth 2.5 stars of my time and energy. (Gandhi's Mahatma earns the other half star.) I can't adequately describe this idea; read this book and G's commentary if you're really interested.
My comments on this specific edition (i.e., "Gandhi's" translation & commentary)
Gandhi translated the Gita from the original Sanskrit into Gujarati. Someone else translated his Gujarati into English. For dopes like me, i am exceedingly grateful, but now i will look the gift horse in the mouth.
Strohmeier, the editor, "abridged [Gandhi's] commentary considerably and rearranged it in a few sections," which he justifies by pointing out that the original was a literal transcription of Gandhi's unrehearsed daily talks at the ashram's 9-month-long Gita study group in 1926 and, therefore, contained "redundancies, contradictions, ellipses, false starts, and situational digressions [as you'd expect] of everyday conversation" (xi).
Maybe the translator of Little Big G's Gujarati into English was not up to the challenge. Or—gods forbid!—maybe the translator didn't care to make it as good as a sacred text and commentary from one of the most respected people of the 20th century ought to be. Both possible, but my opinion is that Gandhi's commentary often stinks. (There, i said it.) It doesn't rise to the level of transcendent instruction. Maybe the doer v. teacher duality holds true in this case: Gandhi is undisputably a great doer, so maybe he can't teach.
I feel like i have an entire book's worth of quibbles, retorts, rejoinders, and rebuttals regarding G's unique contributions to this particular book, but my beef is reducible to: His commentary fails as explication because he merely asserts. I could follow his lead and stop there, but my reputation (if i even have one) does not imbue my words with authority. (Also, i prefer to risk boring you with my reasons, so...)
2 verses from the Gita (in italics) and their paragraph of commentary should suffice to exemplify my dissatisfaction, after which i'll detail my opinion on the matter.
These verses essentially say, "Go. Fight. Kill. It will be equivalent to breaking clay pots filled with water. You won't really be killing anybody. Their eternal essences will persist—the souls that animate these bodies will achieve unity with Brahman or they will return for another round of existence regardless of your actions because the atman—that innermost valuable essence, the imperishable Self—cannot ever be destroyed." But Gandhi has said that we should read the Gita as the story of a battle between Good and Evil within an individual, so should we discard this extremely liberal paraphrasing as inapplicable?
Verses 17 & 18 provide Gandhi with a perfect opportunity to reiterate his espoused framework for reading the Gita as the proper one. Krishna's advice becomes justifiable and benevolent: Arjuna would be perfectly ethical to demolish the Kauravas (aka Evil). Inexplicably, though, G offers the vapid advice that everyone must consider this particular Krishnan argument inapplicable to him/herself because it applies only to one fictional character (Arjuna) in a metaphorical work (the Gita).
Apparently Little Big G also forgot his claim that the Gita is not the historical tale of actual events because what could be the spiritual/religious value of any advice within a book of fiction that is applicable only to a fictional character within that same fiction? ... *sigh* Know that he was not an exegete or a literary scholar; he was a lawyer with a grand agenda for improving humanity. Maybe i should/will stop the nitpicking and settle for the realization that he can't be all things to all people.
Rather than giving up completely (and rather than extracting myself from membership in the cult of personality), maybe i oughta look to one or more of "the most important commentaries on the Gita produced in India in the 20th century ... those of B.G. Tilak, Sri Aurobindo, and Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan" for commentary that i might consider adequate to the challenge?
Next stop Buddhism! or, Did someone say "Digha Nikaya"?
the obligatory randumbness (what am i s'posed ta do, delete it?)
I'm irked by my compulsion to mewl that every paragraph in G's intro essay is numbered for no apparent reason. Is it vestigial to some prior incarnation? Whatever. Moving on.
None of the following is in the Gita, but Buddha (aka Siddhartha, aka Gautama, i.e., the guy for whom Buddhism is named) is, as the Beatles would say, number 9, as in the 9th of the 10 incarnations of Vishnu. Also, i find it interesting that we already know that the 10th Krishnan avatar will be named Kalki (not to be impiously confused with the annoying asshole character from a TV sitcom) and we know that he will ride a white horse and we know that he will bring judgment upon this age of decline and we know that he will initiate the end of the world. Yup, Kalki's gonna end this cycle of existence so the next one can begin afresh. Adios, motherfudgers.
Another 2 verse + 1 paragraph example of how Gandhi's commentary fails (sorry, i also can't let this one slide).
(note: i said to myself before i started typing, "I'm gonna try to be a real straightshooter in this review"; rereading for typos before posting, i see that i strayed from that narrow path)
Synopsis of the Gita, as distinct from the commentary
Arjuna is prince of the good guys (the Pandavas) and he's slated to lead his troops against the forces of evil (the Kauravas). The combatants are as closely related to each other as most opposing forces in a civil war, though. Arjuna rides to the center of destiny's battlefield and it seems we're gonna get a little action/adventure, something along the lines of The Iliad. Read on, Macduff!
At the eye of the to-be storm, Arjuna stops with his charioteer—who just so happens to be Krishna, who just so happens to be the 8th avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu, who just so happens to be one prong in the Hindu trident of top-dog deities. (The other prongs/top-dogs = Shiva, who's about as popular as Vishnu, and Brahma, whom nobody seems to bother worshipping directly nowadays)—and they begin to converse (unnaturally) about Arjuna's pacifist reservations about killing his brethren.
With minimal prompting from Arjuna, Krishna batters him with every conceivable persuasive Hindu-based argument for why Fight He Must. Thus, we get the Gita, a dialogue between this high god/lowly charioteer and this warrior/pacifist human. Since Krishna's ideas span the entire spectrum of Hindu philosophy, this book-length conversational aside within The Mahabhārata—arguably the longest epic poem known to man—is revered by many as the ideal read for anyone wishing to learn good and proper Hindu behavior.
The Gita contains no plot, no narrative force. The discussion mirrors conversation even less realistically than Platonic dialogues: Krishna (like Socrates) says everything that's worth being said or read. What we got here is a pure sacred text, as in its only function is to provide opportunities for insight into Hinduism, Hindu theology, and even Hindu religion (have i mentioned this work is part of the Hindu canon?). Its structure and form follow those of epic poetry because of the larger work that it swims within, but these aspects are not aesthetically pleasing in English.
Little Big G's Introduction (as opposed to Big G [aka God])
G (b.1869; assassinated in 1948) espouses his theory of the Gita's Narrative Purpose in paragraph #7:
"Even in 1888-89, when i first became acquainted with the Gita, i felt that it was not a historical work, but that, under the guise of physical warfare, it described the duel that perpetually went on in the hearts of mankind, and that physical warfare was brought in merely to make the description of the internal duel more alluring" (xvii).
Could the world's most famous proponent and practitioner of nonviolence possibly love the Gita so much and have a different theory about it?
G's devotion stems from the Gita's unique and (almost?) perfect expression of an idea that's central to G's spirituality/faith/doctrine: the renunciation of the fruits of one's works. And because the Gita expresses this concept (almost?) perfectly, i will now attempt to paraphrase rather than find quote(s): If we do everything in our lives honestly and truly with no self-interest as motivation for our thoughts, words, and deeds, then we adhere to this difficult but critical path toward purity ("holiness" isn't quite the right word and i can never remember the actual Hindu word[s]; btw, i love that G usually just writes "renounce the fruit" or "renunciation of the fruits").
This idea, alone, is worth 2.5 stars of my time and energy. (Gandhi's Mahatma earns the other half star.) I can't adequately describe this idea; read this book and G's commentary if you're really interested.
My comments on this specific edition (i.e., "Gandhi's" translation & commentary)
Gandhi translated the Gita from the original Sanskrit into Gujarati. Someone else translated his Gujarati into English. For dopes like me, i am exceedingly grateful, but now i will look the gift horse in the mouth.
Strohmeier, the editor, "abridged [Gandhi's] commentary considerably and rearranged it in a few sections," which he justifies by pointing out that the original was a literal transcription of Gandhi's unrehearsed daily talks at the ashram's 9-month-long Gita study group in 1926 and, therefore, contained "redundancies, contradictions, ellipses, false starts, and situational digressions [as you'd expect] of everyday conversation" (xi).
Maybe the translator of Little Big G's Gujarati into English was not up to the challenge. Or—gods forbid!—maybe the translator didn't care to make it as good as a sacred text and commentary from one of the most respected people of the 20th century ought to be. Both possible, but my opinion is that Gandhi's commentary often stinks. (There, i said it.) It doesn't rise to the level of transcendent instruction. Maybe the doer v. teacher duality holds true in this case: Gandhi is undisputably a great doer, so maybe he can't teach.
I feel like i have an entire book's worth of quibbles, retorts, rejoinders, and rebuttals regarding G's unique contributions to this particular book, but my beef is reducible to: His commentary fails as explication because he merely asserts. I could follow his lead and stop there, but my reputation (if i even have one) does not imbue my words with authority. (Also, i prefer to risk boring you with my reasons, so...)
2 verses from the Gita (in italics) and their paragraph of commentary should suffice to exemplify my dissatisfaction, after which i'll detail my opinion on the matter.
Know that to be imperishable whereby all this is pervaded. No one can destroy that immutable Being.(First, an aside: could the translation of each verse's first sentence be any clunkier? They're barely comprehensible. Perhaps this is an adequate paraphrase of verse 17? "You should know that That which pervades everything is imperishable. No one can destroy that immutable Being." And for verse 18? "All bodies are finite even though they come from The Embodied One (Who is eternal, imperishable, and immeasurable). Fight, therefore, O descendant of Bharata.")
These bodies of the embodied one who is eternal, imperishable, and immeasurable are finite. Fight, therefore, O Bharata.
If we argue that since all bodies are perishable, one may kill, does it follow that i may kill all the women and children in the ashram? Would i have, in doing so, acted according to the teaching of the Bhagavad Gita, merely because their bodies are perishable? We believe the watchman to have been mad because he killed a person. [i assume G's alluding to a well-known topical event.] If, however, he were to cite this verse of the Gita to justify what he did, we would call him wicked. What, then, shall we say of a person who mouths these seemingly learned arguments and then commits wickedness? To know the answer to this, we should go back to the first chapter. Arjuna said that he did not want even the kingdom of gods if he had to kill his kith and kin for that; but he is bound, in any case, to kill them, for he has accepted the dharma which requires him to kill. Verse 18 applies to him, but it does not apply to others. (16-17)
These verses essentially say, "Go. Fight. Kill. It will be equivalent to breaking clay pots filled with water. You won't really be killing anybody. Their eternal essences will persist—the souls that animate these bodies will achieve unity with Brahman or they will return for another round of existence regardless of your actions because the atman—that innermost valuable essence, the imperishable Self—cannot ever be destroyed." But Gandhi has said that we should read the Gita as the story of a battle between Good and Evil within an individual, so should we discard this extremely liberal paraphrasing as inapplicable?
Verses 17 & 18 provide Gandhi with a perfect opportunity to reiterate his espoused framework for reading the Gita as the proper one. Krishna's advice becomes justifiable and benevolent: Arjuna would be perfectly ethical to demolish the Kauravas (aka Evil). Inexplicably, though, G offers the vapid advice that everyone must consider this particular Krishnan argument inapplicable to him/herself because it applies only to one fictional character (Arjuna) in a metaphorical work (the Gita).
Apparently Little Big G also forgot his claim that the Gita is not the historical tale of actual events because what could be the spiritual/religious value of any advice within a book of fiction that is applicable only to a fictional character within that same fiction? ... *sigh* Know that he was not an exegete or a literary scholar; he was a lawyer with a grand agenda for improving humanity. Maybe i should/will stop the nitpicking and settle for the realization that he can't be all things to all people.
Rather than giving up completely (and rather than extracting myself from membership in the cult of personality), maybe i oughta look to one or more of "the most important commentaries on the Gita produced in India in the 20th century ... those of B.G. Tilak, Sri Aurobindo, and Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan" for commentary that i might consider adequate to the challenge?
Next stop Buddhism! or, Did someone say "Digha Nikaya"?
the obligatory randumbness (what am i s'posed ta do, delete it?)
I'm irked by my compulsion to mewl that every paragraph in G's intro essay is numbered for no apparent reason. Is it vestigial to some prior incarnation? Whatever. Moving on.
None of the following is in the Gita, but Buddha (aka Siddhartha, aka Gautama, i.e., the guy for whom Buddhism is named) is, as the Beatles would say, number 9, as in the 9th of the 10 incarnations of Vishnu. Also, i find it interesting that we already know that the 10th Krishnan avatar will be named Kalki (not to be impiously confused with the annoying asshole character from a TV sitcom) and we know that he will ride a white horse and we know that he will bring judgment upon this age of decline and we know that he will initiate the end of the world. Yup, Kalki's gonna end this cycle of existence so the next one can begin afresh. Adios, motherfudgers.
Another 2 verse + 1 paragraph example of how Gandhi's commentary fails (sorry, i also can't let this one slide).
O Kaunteya, contacts of the senses with their objects bring cold and heat, pleasure and pain. They come and go and are transient. Endure them, O Bharata.The Gita's structure and form are about as aesthetically pleasing as a "play" that i wrote in college (rather than a boring ol' essay) about Northrop Frye's theory of comedy. You should just trust me on this. [obviously i'm begging you ... someone ... anyone ... to ask me about it ... but seriously! don't enable this kind of behavior.]
O noblest of men, the wise man who is not disturbed or agitated by these, who is unmoved by pleasure and pain, he alone is fitted for immortality.
Any being who is not subject to the impressions of senses will never experience fear. It is these impressions which are responsible for feelings of happiness and misery. Someone has said that the muscles of a man who is angry become 13 times as tense as when he is normal, and of a man who is laughing 9 times as tense [as normal]. That is, one spends more energy when one is angry and one whose energy is thus wasted cannot attain to immortality. The cultivation of this state (non-attachment to sense perceptions) requires practice. We can even say of a person who has attained to it that he is God. (p.15)
August 4, 2023
It’s a read which sinks in slowly but surely. Cannot say how much I have understood the meaning, but when I would again read this book I am sure some new meanings would again come up.
March 24, 2016
The Bhagavad Gita According to Gandhi was a very interesting and inspiring book. I loved how he told us more about "the Gita" and its whole meaning throughout the book. "The Gita does not decide for us..." and "...the Gita is not for those who have no faith". However, I did find the book a bit hard to read because of the commentaries that Gandhi made throughout the book. It just kind of got me off track to what I was reading when I read those...it was nice knowing his thoughts on these things though.
January 9, 2018
I started my year reading this book. When I finished reading, I can’t stop myself to write a review. This book is for those who are exploring the translational interpretation of Bhagavad Gita. Surely, this has cleared my thoughts and Gandhi’s explanation of shlokas has made it easy to understand. I would recommend this book to those who are looking for the concise explanation of Bhagavad Gita but also I suggest to read it slowly with understanding so that you don't lose the essence. :)
June 19, 2011
A lot of interesting thoughts have been presented to me. I enjoyed the comment by Ghandi on many of the failures we face in life: "Failure is not due to want of effort but is in spite of it." Also, "Knowledge w/o devotion will be like a misfire," as we must have devotion and then knowledge will more clearly follow.
May 2, 2012
It seems that Gandhi tried to use the Bhagavad Gita to mold his philosophy of non-violence. The interpretations of Gandhi didn't follow the true teachings of the Gita; however is a good read if you'd like to find out more about Gandhi's insight and religious view, as well as giving you an opportunity to learn about the maxims of the Gita.
June 24, 2008
Beautiful, I would suggest readomg Stephen Mitchell's first, however. Much easier to engage with and absorb
March 31, 2010
wonderful!
Shelved as 'incomplete'
May 9, 2011I can't do it. I'm getting a different translation.
May 29, 2011
simply awesome. i'm not sure what to say, though. i think i really read this about three times, reading and rereading...
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