Bhagavad-Gita
The philosophy of Bhagavad-Gita forms the basis of the Hare Krishna movement.
The best-known of the ancient Indian texts, the Gita packs a lot of knowledge into a relatively small space. It was written in a simple form of Sanskrit, so as to be readily accessible to all kinds of people.
Bhagavad-Gita means "The song of God" and was recited by Krishna, some 5,000 years ago at Kuruksetra, just north of Delhi.
Krishna intended the Gita especially for the people of our times, when materialism is predominant and genuine spiritual knowledge hard to find and practise. As well as containing profound philosophical insights, Bhagavad-Gita is a science. It provides clear and compelling explanations of the workings of the universe, including the more subtle laws of nature; descriptions of the spiritual energies; the science of the soul; the nature of God; and the best methods for self-realisation.
The non-sectarian nature of Bhagavad-Gita is one of it's attractions. It doesn't align itself with any particular religion, but deals with universal truths.
Bhagavad-Gita Comes West
During Europe's exploration of India and the East, from the seventeenth century onwards, one of the most exciting discoveries for Westerners, was the Vedic texts, encountered then for the first time. Scholars were deeply impressed by the range of knowledge and philosophy contained in these literatures, and by the poetry of their expression. Sir Charles Wilkins, an eminent Indologist of that time, translated the Bhagavad-Gita into English, in 1785 - the first translation into a European language. Sir Charles Wilkins, a Christian, loved this book, and compared it to the gospel of St. John in the New Testament.
To read some thoughts on Bhagavad-Gita by Western thinkers click here.
Bhagavad-Gita As It Is
By the time Srila Prabhupada came to the West, in 1965, to introduce the teachings of Bhagavad-Gita, there were already over fifty versions of the book in the English language. Although many of these were good translations, none had been written by a practitioner from within the tradition. Srila Prabhupada sought to present the deeper meanings of the text, as carefully handed down from spiritual master to disciple, since the dawn of time - hence his title "Bhagavad-Gita As It Is."
Srila Prabhupada's concern was to present this science of self-realisation clearly and practically for the modern reader.
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