Bhagavad Gita

Bhagavad Gita is the most popular of the scriptures of Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism). However, the message is for the whole mankind and not just for the Hindus. It is one of the three canons of Vedanta (the other two are the Upanishads and the Brahma Sutras). The Gita discusses the various paths to Self-Realization, known as yogas, systematically. There are dozens of English translations of the Gita. How to choose? The best commentary to Gita is by Adi Sankara, the 7th century saint and non-dual philosopher of India. His commentary takes a non-dual approach, which is the widely accepted vedantic philosophy. There are a few literal translations of Gita with Adi Sankara's commentary. The more recent ones are by Swami Gambhirananda and by Swami Nikhilananda. Gambhirananda's is a literal translation and at times it is very difficult to comprehend. One feels like some explanation of Sankara's commentary is needed. On the other hand, Swami Nikhilananda's approach is to present notes to each verse based on Adi Sankara's commentary which makes it very easy to read and comprehend. He elaborates where an elaboration is needed and has omitted occasional portions of the commentary which are extremely technical and don't interest majority of the readers. This makes it an excellent read and hence I prefer Nikhilananda's version. Also his English is excellent. No wonder, Time Magazine gave a great review for this edition of Gita. A brief summary of the Mahabharata is included, which helps one understand the context in which the dialogue between Sri Krishna and Arjuna takes place. Highly recommend this book. After reading this book, those interested in the path of jnana or self-enquiry should read Sri Sadhu Om's 'The Path of Sri Ramana'.

A smooth read, wish it had the Sanskrit

This book is exactly what I wanted when I ordered it. The book itself is the Bhagavad Gita in an English translation, without Sanskrit or explanatory text - just the text of the Bhagavad Gita in English. The book is small, about 6.25 X 4.75 X 0.75 inches. It is not quite small enough to fit into a pocket, but close enough. It is very easy to keep with me as I go about my day. The cover is solid, the binding tight, a well-made volume that I expect will hold up over time. The text is large enough to read comfortably. I will note that the advertising says there are 256 pages; however, there are only 226 pages. I don't know what those missing 30 pages might have been, but there isn't any text missing from the translation. Possibly this was some explanatory text that wasn't included. This is an altogether excellent edition. I would definitely recommend to anyone interested in Bhagavad Gita.

After reading some of the critical reviews here for, presumably, the Pocket Edition, I braced myself to receive an awkwardly sized book printed on cheap paper with annoying font inconsistencies. To my delight, this wasn’t the case at all. While the book doesn’t quite fit my trouser pockets, it’s the perfect travel size for a handbag or backpack. It’s a sturdy little red hardcover with the words “Bhagavad Gita” in English and Sanskrit on the cover in gold. The text is surrounded by a matching gold border, and the book is wrapped in a beige protective sleeve. The pages are thick enough to be minimally translucent, and the print is sharp. As far as I know, Ramakrishna Vivekanada Center has published two editions of Swami Nikhilananda's translation: One simply titled "Bhagavad Gita", and "Bhagavad Gita : Pocket Edition." I ordered the Pocket Edition, which, from the complete edition, includes the preface, notes on pronunciation, table of contents, introduction, and glossary, and excludes the summaries, index, and most of the notes and commentary. Of the many translations of the Bhagavad Gita I’ve read, Nikhilananda's more literal translation is my personal favorite. While it takes a bit more effort to read than Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood’s excellent and more lyrical translation, which I’d also recommend, I personally prefer translations that are as close to the original Sanskrit as possible, with footnotes to help clear up any ambiguity.

This small volume has just what is needed for an earnest reader to enter into the Hindu story of us. The glossary, pronunciation guide, preface, and introduction -- along with a very readable translation -- are enough to outline the setting of our unfolding drama. The highest available rating by me is not withheld from any perceived deficiency of the book, but only those of me, the reader. We'll just have to wait and see about that last star! (Physically, this item gets 5 stars -- a superior perfect-bind on good paper, well adhered to a gold-stamped filled lightweight bookcloth case -- what's not to like, especially at this price? )

i bought this book for my kindle fire. it is a book you do not live without. i have a hardback of this book, but i find i am more apt to read it frequently now that it is on my fire. the way the book is written makes it super simple to understand and contemplate. this is a must have.

This is the best edition I have seen. We read this during my yoga teacher training in 2016 and I came back to it a few times since.

Authoritative and concise