Bhagavad Gita

The Bhagavad Gita is a Hindu religious and sacred text of unknown authorship, traditionally attributed to Vyasa, usually dated between the 2nd century B.C. and the 2nd century A.D. It forms part of a much larger work, the epic Mahabharata. It is one of the most relevant religious texts in the world.

The book is a conversation held on a battlefield between the warrior Arjuna and Krishna, his charioteer, friend, and teacher, in the moments before the fighting starts. Seeing his own relatives drawn up in the opposing army, Arjuna lowers his bow and refuses to fight.

The conversation turns on Krishna's answer: on Arjuna's duty as a warrior, on acting without attachment to the fruits of action, and on the paths of knowledge, devotion, and disciplined work. It draws together social, liturgical, and metaphysical strands of the Hindu tradition.

This very ancient text is of vital importance for understanding Indian philosophy and Hinduism.

For this edition of The Bhagavad Gita, the 1885 English translation by Edwin Arnold has been used.