Essential Wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita: Ancient Truths for Our Modern World

by Jack Hawley

Over 5,000 years old, the Bhagavad Gita is written as a tale set on a battlefield, a metaphor for the battles all humans face as they live, grow, age, and die. In Essential Wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita, longtime student and teacher of the Bhagavad Gita Jack Hawley has done away with the sometimes-baffling story, extracting the pure wisdom and organizing it into helpful categories that are perfect for reading and study. Chapters address five important questions spiritual seekers have been grappling with for millennia: Who am I? What is my purpose in life? Who, or what, is God? What should my relationship be with the Divine? Is it possible to live a fulfilled life in a world that doesn't seem to support it? Within each chapter are short extracts from the ancient text, arranged under headings that are relevant to today's readers, such as “Know the Real You,” “Be Active in the World,” and “Develop Spiritual Vision.”

Genres: Religion

128 pages, Paperback

First published January 20, 2006

Reviews

[Beverley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

This book is incredible I’m so thankful that I read it after the Bhagavad Gita for westerners. This book cements the key points and really helps understanding

[David Wu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Krishna, on freedom from outcome a.k.a process orientation:

"Strive to make selfless (egoless) action your path; then you can live a spiritual life while staying fully active in the world. When your everyday actives are not based on desire for a reward, it is easier for you to steady the mind and direct it toward the should, the Atma.

Do your wordily work with your heart fixed on the Divine rather than on outcomes. Learn to be unattached to, or unaffected by, the results of your work, whether favourable or unfavourable.

The crux issue, dear friend, is desire and the consequent lack of inner peace. Desire for the rewards of your acts brings worry about failing, which pulls you from the present into an imagined, usually fearful future.This robs your energy, and you become miserable and lapse into inaction.

Gradually learn to do your duty uncontaminated by desire. This frees you of suffering and leads you to increased effectiveness as well as inner peace. Selfless, egoless, desire less action is the secret of living a life of real accomplishment and success, a contented, satisfied life."

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rather enjoyed reading this book. I learned a lot, but more importantly, I want to learn more!!