Bhagavad Gita

Translated by R. Prasad

Complete eighteen chapters with Sanskrit, transliteration, and translation. The unique feature of this translation is the parallel references to each Gita verse with twenty-five other Vedic texts.

---

Ramananda Prasad's translation of and commentary on the Bhagavad Gita (the Lord's Song) is one of my favorite works, of twenty different Gita translations I've collected over the years. Here's why.

The Bhagavad Gita, 700-odd verses from the Mahabharata, is the distilled essence of Indian philosophy. It is one of the most often translated works in the world. Every translator brings his or her own awareness, values, and even biases to the task of bringing out the knowledge in this work. There is no single "right" interpretation of it; the range of love, spiritual insight, and wisdom revealed in various translations is wide. (In fact, I have seen one translation and commentary that could only be described as bizarre, even wrong-headed.)

As you evaluate any translation of the Gita, turn first to verses 2:45 and 2:48. The translator's point of view, clarity of thought, and understanding of the metaphysics of Eastern scripture will be revealed there, both in the translation and the commentary.

Dr. Prasad, the translator of this work, is from India, a strong point in his favor. I believe the most insightful and deep commentaries on the Gita come from India. Many Western, academically oriented translators entirely miss the point of Indian scripture. They describe Eastern scripture in dry, sterile terms that show a lack of understanding of the fundamental forces at work in nature: consciousness, creative intelligence, the power of spiritual disciplines, and so on.

This work, on the other hand, shows clarity of thought, love of humanity, and love of God. It is true to the deepest, most profound principles of Indian thought and tradition. The author offers many parallels between the ideas of the Gita, other Vedic works such as the Rig Veda and the Upanishads, and even the Christian Bible. Each verse is presented in Devanagari script, transliteration, English translation, and, for most verses, commentary. The Devanagari script for verses the author considers most important are printed in red. Dr. Prasad remains true to the spiritual truths of each chapter, revealing deep metaphysical understandings needed to reach enlightenment.

If you have read only the first six chapters of the Gita, as translated and explained brilliantly by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Dr. Prasad's work should be your next step. If you have not read the Gita before, this work is a wonderful entry point into Indian philosophy. If I could add a copy of another spiritual work to the bedside cabinet drawers of every lodging place in the world, this would be it.

Review by Michael Maddox (not affiliated with the International Gita Society)