The Bhagavad Gita: A New Translation and Study Guide

This study guide offers a detailed examination of the text, philosophy, and contemporary relevance of the Bhagavad Gita, an ancient sacred book spoken perhaps five thousand years ago and in written form for over two thousand years. The text has inspired seekers across East and West, including Gandhi, Thoreau, Emerson, and Einstein, who found in it wisdom and practical applications to their lives. The Bhagavad Gita ranks among universal sacred texts such as the Bible, Dhammapada, Dao De Jing, and Qu'ran, transcending sectarian boundaries. Along with the Yoga Sutras, it serves as one of two primary foundational texts on the yoga path, aspects of which have gained widespread popularity in the West in recent decades. This translation and commentary, produced by the Oxford Centre of Hindu Studies (OCHS), a Recognised Independent Centre of the University of Oxford, aims to be authoritative, academically rigorous, and accessible. Each chapter includes an English translation of the verses, explores main themes, and demonstrates the relevance and application of the teachings to the twenty-first-century world.