Essence of the Bhagavad Gita: A Contemporary Guide to Yoga, Meditation, and Indian Philosophy

by Eknath Easwaran

In this companion to his best-selling translation of the Bhagavad Gita, Easwaran explores the essential themes of this much-loved Indian scripture. Placing the Gita in a modern context, Easwaran shows how this classic text sheds light on the nature of reality, the illusion of separateness, the search for identity, and the meaning of yoga. The key message of the Gita is how to resolve our conflicts and live in harmony with the deep unity of life, through the principles of yoga and the practice of meditation. Easwaran grew up in the Hindu tradition and learned Sanskrit from an early age. A foremost translator and interpreter of the Gita, he taught classes on it for forty years, while living out the principles of the Gita in the midst of a busy family and community life. In the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna, the Lord, doesn’t tell the warrior prince Arjuna what to he shows Arjuna his choices and then leaves it to Arjuna to decide. Easwaran, too, shows us clearly how these teachings still apply to us – and how, like Arjuna, we must take courage and act wisely if we want our world to thrive.

Genres: Philosophy, Spirituality, Hinduism, Religion, Nonfiction, Meditation

304 pages, Paperback

First published October 11, 2011

About the author

Eknath Easwaran (1910–1999) is the originator of passage meditation and the author of more than 30 books on spiritual living.

Easwaran is a recognized authority on the Indian spiritual classics. His translations of The Bhagavad Gita, The Upanishads, and The Dhammapada are the best-selling editions in the USA, and over 1.5 million copies of his books are in print.

Easwaran was a professor of English literature and well known in India as a writer and speaker before coming to the United States in 1959 on the Fulbright exchange program. In 1961, he founded the Blue Mountain Center of Meditation, based in Tomales, California, which continues his work today through publications and retreats.

His 1968 class on the theory and practice of meditation at UC Berkeley is believed to be the first accredited course on meditation at any Western university. For those who seek him as a personal spiritual guide, Easwaran assured us that he lives on through his eight-point program of passage meditation.

"I am with you always”, he said. “It does not require my physical presence; it requires your open heart."

Please visit bmcm.org for a fuller biography.

Reviews

[S.Ach · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bhagavad Gita is by no means a simple book that can be simply summarized and provided on a platter for you to appreciate and consume. It encompasses various tenets of Hindu Philosophy - metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, socio-political life, etc. More you read, more aspects of it you will discover slowly. Various spiritual gurus, philosophers and scholars have given many interpretations to it.

"Essence of Bhagavad Gita" features some talks/notes of spiritual guru Eknath Easwaran on the teachings of Gita. It doesn't translate Gita chapter wise like most other books on Bhagavad Gita do, rather provides some of its essence that can be used in practical life.

Eknath Easwaran's talks on Gita are definitely enriching. The part I like most is when he presents Mahatma Gandhi's interpretation of the Kuruksheta war as 'The War Within'. According to Gandhi, the real battle field is one's own life where the struggle between right and wrong, good and evil, rages from birth to death.
Subsequently, Easwaran explores the nature of reality, the levels of personality and the distinction between higher and lower selves. He is convinced that till man understands his true self and know the divine ground of existence and become united with it here and now, any endeavour of achieving happiness would be a futile exercise. And out of many ways ('karma', 'jnana', 'bhakti', et al) the most effective way to achieve it is gaining the wisdom through meditation.

My only problem with this book is that, many places it reads like a self help book for the westerners who are trying to find meaning in their life by looking elsewhere than their own religion. The title of the book easily could have been "Bhagavad Gita for busy people in America who don't have the time and motivation to go through the authoritative text of Gita and have passing interest to know about yoga meditation and Indian philosophy".

[Sol Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have or have not read Easearen’s translation of the Bhagavad Gita, this book is a must-read. He pulls out analysis of the ancient text, giving us a contemporary understanding of Indian thought, bringing a philosophical tradition that is five thousand years old to life for the Western mind. If you don’t feel like that sounds valuable, what even am I supposed to do to make you consider picking it up?

Easwaren is a remarkable writer. One of the most articulate people I can think of in explaining complex philosophies. He has taken Hinduism to a point where anyone can feel it in them to be pulled towards it. Only a couple of times does he get so spiritual as to turn off the lay-reader, for whom a philosophy of life should show great usefulness in this life and not suppose a world after, but these are brief stints only; mostly this is an undogmatic view of how to live the best life. If you haven’t read much of his work, or of Indian philosophy, you could start here without much trouble.

[Justin Chiu · Rating 5 out of 5]

A series of reflections on the bhagavad gita, the author begins with the question: what is the self(Atman)?

Who is this 'I', behind my body, behind my thoughts even behind my will. He then extrapolates on this, on how identification with our 'body' or our 'thoughts' can lead to problems in our everyday life and practical advice on how to learn to associate with the Atman rather then the various superficial layers that modern world teaches us is our 'true self'.

[Breck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great introduction to the Bhagavad Gita. While I’ve read passages from the Gita previously, the author was able to help me better understand its intent and underlying philosophy. I've always been interested in ancient philosophy and, more recently, different spiritual paths; different ways of understanding God, the world, and the soul. I think as human beings we all hunger for this, regardless of the path one takes.

This book takes those insights to a new level, and with it, wisdom about how to better understand the workings of the mind and body and the subconscious. And with it, how they might be better managed through meditation, in particular. One doesn't have to be in search of a new spiritual path to benefit from the ideas of the book, it could be applied to any faith, but the core principles become more about being intentional around understanding/watching our own emotions, desires, and wandering thoughts, and bringing them into focus, which the author calls "self-realization" or heightened consciousness. This in turn makes us more open to those around us, more loving, more present, and able to deal with life’s challenges. The intent is always practical and to become a person who is more grounded and giving and selfless toward others. Meditation becomes the practice but the wisdom of this book supplies the theory and metaphysics, which are interesting to consider.

It's not a long read, but well worth it! Recommend!

[Manish · Rating 5 out of 5]

A conversation on a battlefield about duty, action, and surrender. Arjuna doesn't want to fight. Krishna tells him he must, but without attachment to the outcome. That idea, doing what's right without clinging to results—it's harder than it sounds. I struggle with it even though I am born Indian. But it's one of those teachings that keeps revealing more the longer you sit with it.

What strikes me most is how practical the Gita is. It's not asking you to withdraw from the world. It's asking you to act in the world without being enslaved by your desires for how things turn out. Work for work's sake. Do your duty. Let go of the fruit. That's not passivity, it's freedom.

Easwaran's translation is clear and warm. He doesn't over-explain, but he gives you enough context to follow. The Gita is a spiritual text, but it's also a text about action, about how to live when you don't want to do what you have to do. That's everyone at some point. I return to it when I need reminding that my job isn't to control outcomes. My job is to show up right.

[Paps · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmm… an easy to read introduction. But I felt like his fan-girling of Ghandi and the British Empire were so last century, definitely dampened my enthusiasm.
And it did seem quite snobby about what it means to have become ‘your best self’, as though there is really only one kind of perfect person in this world.
The author themselves is often boasting about his own superior life choices, his homely grandmother, his ‘saving’ of others and his intellectual and spiritual pursuits aligning with people he considers superior to the majority of society.
It did convey some complex concepts very well despite the glaring hypocrisies in its writing. I’ll assume it was the editing as I think this is a post-humous publishing.

[Shelja Kataria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gita, has always been seen as a strenuous book , so do it happened with me as well . i was always frightened of reading it. But the author made it so easy and delightful for me that i could not stop myself reading it till the end and trust me it is a gem . As always been said that gita should be read in its real form only , if not then it can be interpreted wrongly as it is transcendent speech of lord krishna . But this book gives you a better vision of the gita with explanation.
Loved reading it and hope to read it again to implement it more into my life

[Fruehlingsbiene · Rating 5 out of 5]

"İt is significant that the Gita doesn't end with victory, but with the resolution to fight till the war is won. This is the real promise of the Gita. "Wherever Krishna and Arjuna are together" - that is, whenever we model our lives on that of Arjuna, whenever we cultivate this kind of devoted relationship with our real Self, which is divine - however fierce the obstacles we face, victory is assured; and all along the way, our lives will grow in beauty."

[Michael Baranowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Easwaran's translation of the Bhagavad Gita - easily the best I came across after comparing multiple versions - as well as the illuminating commentary, so I assumed that this would be more of the same. It is - sort of - but I can't say that I got all that much more out of it than I did from reading his Bhagavad Gita.

[Megh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read. The author does a great job of explaining the deep and complex ideas in Indian philosophy through analogies and anecdotes, making it an enjoyable reading experience. Recommended for people new to these ideas.

[Rajaji · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is completely about meditation and you'll be explained everything about it. It doesn't touches the q&a between sri krishna and arjuna . It also didn't cover the positive philosophy or better way of living that gita explains.

[Rama Nagaraju · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful reflection of ancient literature in contemporary context

A beautiful, lucid summarization of core essence of the Gita that can be applied practically to reflect on the mind and the god here is the self.

[Cherie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interpretation of the Gita by spirtual teacher Easwaran; his typical meandering meditations. Nice book. Calming in times like these.

[Kanishk Dutt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know now why leaders from india gift this book to other leaders. There is no superior knowledge set in such a compact form written I have read before. Prompted me to read other religious texts.

[Khay · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most insightful books I’ve ever read. It’s the type of book that you can read again and again and take a new learning from. Simply…… beautiful!

[Srinivasan Nanduri · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you have already read the other works on Bhagavadgita from the same author, this will be just repetitive. A worthy recap and essence however.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good commentary and introduction to the ideas of the Gita.

[Harshit Jain · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best commentaries of the Bhagavad Gita. A must read.

[Marcee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read, but should read be read after reading the Bhagavad Gita.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

- I received a copy of this book from LibraryThing Early Reviews in exchange for an honest review -

The Bhagavad Gita is one of my favorite texts, and surely it is one that needs no introduction, yet it is one that many often find difficult to understand, making this book, Essence of the Bhagavad Gita, A Contemporary Guide to Yoga, Meditation, and Indian Philosophy an indispensable resource for anyone attempting to achieve a deeper understanding of just what The Gita has to reveal.

Written in a way that is not laborious to read (I always find Easwaran's style pleasing and enjoyable to read), the author is able to reveal to us the meaning of various words and themes found within the Gita and Hindu Philosophy. Showing the idea of war as allegory for the constant battle within our own selves to achieve a higher state of consciousness (which reminds me, vaguely, of the Cherokee legend/myth of the two wolves inside each of us, though such an idea is much less complex than the one revealed in this book), and touching on what the Gita reveals as the nature of reality, the meaning of yoga, the point of meditation and effort in spiritual growth and Self-realization, etc, etc, this book makes this philosophy comprehensive.

I would recommend this book to anyone who has read The Gita, or is interested in Hinduism and Indian Philosophy, or anyone who considers themselves to be a spiritual seeker, so to speak, as the themes within these pages are not the kind to be bound to one specific way of thought or religion - as the author tells us (on page 136), "Meditation is a skill, not a ritual; it belongs to no religion and has nothing to do with doctrines or metaphysics or theology," it is open to everyone. In keeping with that line of thought, an inclusive kind of syncretism common to Indian Philosophy, the author also mentions Sufi poetry, St. Francis, Jesus, the Buddha, and other teachers and spiritual ideas found outside of Hinduism itself throughout this book, which I really enjoyed, as it shows just how these ideas can be incorporated into any faith,how the themes found within the pages of the Gita, and Indian Philosophy itself, have been and can be reflected by those of any religious persuasion, if one is open to them. As someone with a deep appreciation and affection for The Gita already, I know I am (open to the themes, I mean), and if you are I highly recommend going out and finding a copy of both The Gita and this companion.

[Marina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here are some Bhagavad Gita quotes, spoken by Krishna to Arjuna on the battlefield of the Kurukshetra. These are taken from a translation by Eknath Easwaran.

"Whenever dharma declines and the purpose of life is forgotten, I manifest myself on earth. I am born in every age to protect the good, to destroy evil, and to reestablish dharma."

"As they approach me, so I receive them. All paths, Arjuna, lead to me."

"They alone see truly who see the Lord the same in every creature, who see the deathless in the hearts of all that die. Seeing the same Lord everywhere, they do not harm themselves or others. Thus they attain the supreme goal."

Lessons I heard in my yoga center: You have the right to practice yoga and the right to work, but never to the fruits of your work. You cannot have selfish attachment and anxiety about the results of your work because your mind must be clear and even. It is obligatory upon you to have the right intentions, thoughts, preparation, planning and effort and to accept whatever God, the universal intellegence, gives you in your life's work.
"Whatever you do, make it an offering to me – the food you eat, the sacrifices you make, the help you give, even your suffering."

"Those who remember me at the time of death will come to me. Do not doubt this. Whatever occupies the mind at the time of death determines the destination of the dying; always they will tend toward that state of being."

"When meditation is mastered, the mind is unwavering like the flame of a lamp in a windless place."

"You have the right to work, but never to the fruit of work. You should never engage in action for the sake of reward, nor should you long for inaction."

"Perform work in this world, Arjuna, as a man established within himself – without selfish attachments, and alike in success and defeat. For yoga is perfect evenness of mind."

"Actions do not cling to me because I am not attached to their results. Those who understand this and practice it live in freedom."

[Lon · Rating 4 out of 5]

For a couple years I've been digesting Easwaran's excellent translation of the Bhagavad Gita. This new "companion" serves as an excellent guide to that scripture. It's not a verse by verse commentary; instead, Easwaran approaches the Gita thematically and elucidates some of the hard-to-understand concepts with graceful analogies and practical applications. Truthfully, his Gita translation already provides excellent commentary--as chapter previews--which somewhat obviates the need for this guide. It's a matter of having more of a good thing, I guess.

The Self, or Atman, can sometimes be hard for ego-centric westerners to understand. To what extent do we possess an individual "soul" and what is the relationship of our own "divine spark" to the all-pervasive, limitless, Divine Presence? Easwaran explains: "If we think of the individual as a light bulb, the intelligence of the Self is like electricity: there may be many bulbs, but all draw on the same current." Later in the chapter he adds, "We are not petty, separate creatures subject to birth and death; we are sparks from the divine fire from which the universe came billions of years ago."

When we come to perceive this reality, "the illusion of separateness is lifted" and "you don't have to close your eyes to see God; what else is there to see. You see the divinity in every creature and so your love goes out to all. . . . When you see God everywhere, you treat everything with respect for the divinity which shines through it. Oil spills are not just tragic; they are desecration. Dumping trash and sewage and pollutants into the ocean is desecration. Seeing that God has become the world brings not just respect but reverence for every thing and creature in it."

I suspect that if Christianity had matured in the East instead of the strongly individualistic West, many of Jesus' teachings about the Divine Union into which He invites us would actually have taken hold.

[Shashi Khanka · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book contains carefully selected verses of Gita. The interpretation is quite relevant to today's world and some passages are insightful. Like the last message of Sri Krishna which is added at end of the book, I would recommend the readers to reflect on what you read in this book and see for yourself the Truth.

[Nichole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading the Bhagavad Gita was an obvious step after my recent adoption of Hinduism (Or Sanatana Dharma). I searched in two reliable bookstores for a version that suited my intellectual and spiritual needs. This fit. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a deep meaning of the Gita, regardless of the reader's spiritual or religious affiliation. This one's going on that small shelf built only for books read annually.

[Rajan Konar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enlightening....

[Ravi Raman · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding book that makes the Bhagavad Gita, known as the jewel of Hindu Philosophy and Spiritual Tradition, accessible for anyone. This book is not a translation of the Gita, instead, it is a commentary on it that provided sweeping overviews of the primary themes while singling out specific verses and their meaning for emphasis. While I am very familiar with the Gita, I benefited from reading this book. The metaphors and stories are simple yet profound in the way that they illuminate the sometimes cryptic prose of the Gita. I don't rate many books 5-stars, but this one deserves it.