Bhagavad-Gîtâ

Compiled by: Trisha Lamb

Last Revised: April 27, 2006

International Association of Yoga Therapists P.O. Box 2513 • Prescott • AZ 86302 • Phone: 928-541-0004 E-mail: [email protected] • URL: www.iayt.org

The contents of this bibliography do not provide medical advice and should not be so interpreted. Before beginning any exercise program, see your physician for clearance.

Adidevananda, Swami, trans. Sri Ramanuja Gita Bhasya. Vedanta Press, 1992.

From the viewpoint of Bhakti-Yoga.

Agarwal, S. P. Lokasamgraha and ahimsa in the Bhagavad Gita. Journal of Dharma, Jul- Sep 1991, 16(3):255-268.

Alexander, P. C. Universal message of the Bhagavadgita. Prabuddha Bharata, Sep 2002, 106:26-29.

Antonov, V., ed. Bhagavad-Gita (the Lord’s Song). Moscow, 1991. [In Russian].

______. Three aspects of Krishna’s teaching. Trans. by T. Danilevich. Article available online: http://www.swami-center.org/en/text/Three_aspects.html.

Arjunwadkar, K. S. Philosophy on the battlefield: The Bhagavad-Gita v. Jnana-Yoga: The yoga of spiritual knowledge. Yoga & Health, Jun 2002, pp. 29-31.

Arnold, Sir Edwin, trans. The Song Celestial or Bhagavad-Gita (1885). Kessinger Publising, 1998. Theosophical University Press Electronic Edition available for download online: http://www.theosophy-nw.org/theosnw/ctg/bhaggita.htm. Also available at: http://www.yogamovement.com/texts/gita.html.

Ghandi’s favorite English translation of the Gita.

Atulananda, Swami. Reflections on the Bhagavadgita. Prabuddha Bharata, Jun 2003, pp. 29-37.

______. Reflections on the Bhagavadgita. Prabuddha Bharata, Jul 2003, pp. 18- 29.

Aurobindo, Sri. Essays on the Gita. New York: Dutton, 1950.

______. Bhagavad Gita and Its Message: With Text, Translation, and Sri Aurobindo’s Commentary. Edited by Anilbaran Roy. Lotus Press, 1994.

Besant, Annie. Hints on the Study of the Bhagavad Gita. 1906. Reprint available from Kessinger Publishings Rare Reprints: http://www.kessingerpub.com/searchresults_orderthebook.lasso?Author=Besant,%20Ann ie&Submit=Query#20.

Bharati, Swami Veda. The Bhagavad-gita as Taught in the Yoga-Vasishtha workshop. Taught at Swami Rama’s Ashram, Rishikesh, India. Contact The Meditation Center,

2 Minneapolis, Minnesota, for more information: [email protected], 612-379- 2386.

Bhagavad Gita Web Ring. URL: http://m.webring.com/hub?ring=bhagavadgita1. (Includes a link to an index of the Gita.)

Braun, Kathy. Krishner in New York: A Gita with a Modern Meter. Buckingham, Va.: Galaxy Publishing, 2002. Author email: [email protected].

A long poem based on themes from the Bhagavad-Gita and structured as a conversation between a cab driver named Harry Krishner and his despondent passenger Trudy Newman.

Budilovsky, Joan. Letter to the editor in response to Nischala Joy Devi and Esther Myer’s article “The Feminine Critique” on the irrelevance of the Bhagavad-Gita for modern women. Yoga Journal, Nov 2003, pp. 16-18.

Buitenen, J. A. B. van. The Bhagavadgita in the Mahabharata: Text and Translation. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1981.

Byrd, Charles Michael (Charukrishna). Beyond Race: The Bhagavad-gita in Black and White. Xlibris, 2002. URL: http://www1.xlibris.com/bookstore/bookdisplay.asp?bookid=14201. From the author: “A student of Vedic scriptures, as well as being of ‘black,’ ‘white’ and Cherokee heritage, I believe that individuals of mixed racial backgrounds quickly begin searching for a higher spiritual truth, something that allows them to make sense of the madness behind lumping human beings into separate and distinct ‘racial’ groupings. “Beyond Race: The Bhagavad-gita in Black and White is an indispensable aid for anyone—not just ‘mixed’ people—seeking to transcend America’s oppressive race- consciousness. Each section of Beyond Race is fashioned after the eighteen chapters of the Bhagavad-gita, the essence of India’s Vedic wisdom and one of the great spiritual and philosophical classics of the world.” From the Xlibris website: “Along with synopses of each Gita chapter, Beyond Race includes commentary culled from Mr. Byrd’s 1995-2001 Interracial Voice editorials. During or after each chapter’s ‘race’ commentary is included a specific Gita verse for the purpose of expanding on that commentary from the Vedic perspective.”

Chinmoy, Sri. Commentaries on the Vedas, the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita: The Three Branches of India’s Life-Tree. Aum Publications, 1997.

Das, Bhagvan, and Annie Besant. Shrimad Bhagavad Gita.

Dass, Ram. Paths to God: Living the Bhagavad Gita. Harmony, 2004.

3 From the publisher: “. . . in a . . . series of reflections, anecdotes, stories, and exercises, Ram Dass gives us a unique and accessible road map for experiencing divinity in everyday life. In the engaging, conversational style that has made his teachings so popular for decades, Ram Dass traces our journey of consciousness as it is reflected in one of Hinduism’s most sacred texts. The Gita teaches a system of yogas, or ‘paths for coming to union with God.’

“In Paths to God, Ram Dass brings the heart of that system to light for a Western audience and translates the Gita’s principles into the manual for living the yoga of contemporary life. While being a guide to the wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita, Paths to God is also a template for expanding our definition of ourselves and allowing us to appreciate a new level of meaning in our lives.”

Deshpande, R. R. The Dhyanayoga in the Bhagavadgita. Bijapur, Mysore, India: 1969.

Deutsch, Eliot. The Bhagavad Gita. University Press of America, 1981. (Originally published by Holt, Rinehart and Winston in 1968.)

Devi, Nischala Joy, and Esther Myers. The feminine critique. Yoga Journal, Jul/Aug 2002. (See follow-up letters to the editor in the Nov 2002 issue, pp. 16-18, and Mar/Apr 2003 issue, p. 14.)

One the irrelevance of the Bhagavad-Gita for modern women.

Easwaran, Eknath, trans. The Bhagavad Gita. Tomales, Calif.: Nilgiri Press, 1992.

______. The Bhagavad Gita for Daily Living. 3 vol. Tomales, Calif.: Nilgiri Press, 1975.

Edgerton, Franklin, trans. and interp. The Bhagavad Gita. Cambridge and London: Harvard University Press, 1944, 1972.

Faye, Laura. Yoga in the Bhagavad Gita with Swami Chidananda Saraswati (Muniji). LA Yoga, May/Jun 2003, p. 19.

Feuerstein, Georg. Introduction to the Bhagavad-Gita: Its Philosophy and Cultural Setting. Wheaton, Ill.: Theosophical Publishing House, 1983.

______, trans. The Bhagavad-Gita. Santa Rosa, Calif.: Yoga Research and Education Center, 2002.

Gambhirananda, Swami. Bhagavad Gita: With the Commentary of Sankaracharya. Calcutta: Advaita Ashrama, 1995. (This edition is available in the U.S. from Vedanta Press.)

4 Gandhi, Mahatma. The Bhagavad Gita According to Gandhi. Berkeley Hills Books, 2000.

Goel, B. S. Shrimad Bhagavad Geetaa: A Psychological Commentary for Spiritual Seekers and Psychic Sufferers. Haryana, India: Third Eye Foundation.

Goswami, Rita. The spirituality of the Bhagavad Gita. Presentation at the Hindu Spirituality Conference, 21 Dec 2002, Edinburgh, Scotland.

H., M. R. Yoga practice in the Bhagavad Gita. Self-Knowledge, Summer 1998, 49(3):93- 101.

Hansaji. Thoughts on the Gita. An ongoing series in each issue of Yoga and Total Health.

Hiller, Terry. Letter to the editor in response to Nischala Joy Devi and Esther Myer’s article “The Feminine Critique” on the irrelevance of the Bhagavad-Gita for modern women). Yoga Journal, Nov 2003, p. 16.

Huchzermeyer, Wilfried, and Jutta Zimmerman. The Bhagavad Gita as a Living Experience. New York: Lantern Books, 2002.

Jagadishvarananda, Swami. Shrimad Bhagavad Gita.

Judge, William Quan. Bhagavad-Gita. Theosophical University Press. Available for download online: http://www.yoga-age.com/gita/gita.html.

______. Essays on the Gita. Theosophical University Press, 1969. Available for download online: http://www.theosociety.org/pasadena/gita/bg-eg-hp.htm.

Kooten, Victor Van. Letter to the editor in response to Nischala Joy Devi and Esther Myer’s article “The Feminine Critique” on the irrelevance of the Bhagavad-Gita for modern women). Yoga Journal, Nov 2003, p. 18.

Kumuda (Sharon Janis). The Glorious Bhagavad Gita Sung in English 2-CD set. DeVorss & Co., 2005. Available in streaming RealPlayer at http://www.spiritualscriptures.com.

Kupfer, Pedro. Bhagavad Gita. Florianópolis, Brazil: Instituto Dharma—Yogashala, 2002. URL: www.oyoga.com.br. [In Portuguese.]

Leggett, Trevor. Realization of the Supreme Self: The Yoga-s of the Bhagavad Gita. Columbia University Press, 1995.

Lipner, Julius ed. The Fruits of Our Desiring: An Enquiry into the Ethics of the Bhagavadgita for Our Times. Calgary: Bayeux Arts Publishing, 1997.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Bhagavad-Gita: A New Translation and Commentary. Chapters 1-6. London: International SRM Publications, 1967. With Sanskrit text.

Mascaró, Juan. The Bhagavad Gita. New York/London: Penguin Books, 1962.

Mitchell, Stephen. The Bhagavad Gita: A New Translation. New York: Harmony Books, 2000.

Nikhilananda, Swami, trans. The Bhagavad Gita. New York: Ramakrishna- Vivekananda Center, 1986.

Nishchalananda Saraswati, Swami. Bhagavad Gita: Its mystical teachings and practical applications. Mandala Yoga Ashram Newsletter, Spring 2002, no. 20, pp. 22-35.

Parrinder, Edward Geoffrey. Upanishads, Gita and Bible: A Comparative Study of Hindu and Christian Scriptures. 2d ed. Sheldon Press, 1975.

Prabhavananda, Swami, and Christopher Isherwood, trans. The Song of God: Bhagavad-Gita. New American Library, 1993 (reissue).

A very readable and accessible interpretation rather than a strict translation. Also includes an introduction to the Gita, and a study of non-violence versus the need to fight a just war.

Prabhupada, A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami. Bhagavad-Gita As It Is. The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.

Prasad, Ramanand. The Bhagavad Gita. 1988. Complete translation available online: http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/library/home.asp.

Prem, Sri Krishna. The Yoga of the Bhagavat Gita. London: John N. Watkins, 1948/New York: Penguin, 1973.

Purohit Swami, Shri, trans. Bhagavad Gita: Annotated & Explained. Annotated by Kendra Crossen Burroughs. Woodstock, Vt.: Skylight Paths Publishing. (An introductory text.)

Rama, Swami. Perennial Psychology of the Bhagavad Gita. Honesdale, PA: Himalayan International Institute of Yoga Science and Philosophy, 1985.

Ramanujananda, Swami. Quest for Knowledge: Gita for Beginners. Puranattukara, Thrissur, India: Ramakrishna Math, 2000.

Ranganathananda, Swami. Universal Message of the Bhagavad Gita. Multiple volumes. Kolkata, India: Advaita Ashrama.

6 Rao, Nandury Venkateswara. Practical Bhagavad Gita. Hyderbad, India: Yasaswy Management Associates, 2000.

The author “attempts to actually show how to practise the precepts of this great scripture to the busy urban citizens of today . . .”

Rosen, Steven J., ed. Violence and the Bhagavad Gita. Hampton, Va.: Deepak Heritage Books, 2003. URL: www.deepakheritage.com. Reviewed by Phil Catalfo in Yoga Journal, Jul/Aug 2003, p. 145.

Roy, Matilal. Shrimad Bhagavad Gita.

Sargeant, Winthrop, trans. The Bhagavad Gita. Rev. ed. Albany, N.Y.: State University of New York, 1994.

“This revised edition provides an inter-linear word-for-word translation along with the devanâgarî characters and their transliteration. To aid in understanding, a detailed grammatical commentary and page-by-page vocabularies are included as well as a complete prose translation.”

Philosophy East and West: “There is no other Sanskrit text available to the English- language reader that can compare to this one in comprehensiveness of linguistic material. It took no less than fifteen years to execute.”

Sastri, Alladi Mahadeva, trans. The Bhagavad Gita with the Commentary of Sri Sankaracharya. Samata Books, 1998. (First published in 1897.)

“ . . . contains the original Sanskrit text of the Gita in Devanagari followed by its translation and also the translation of Sankaras Gita Bhashya in English by Alladi Mahadeva Sastri.”

Satchidananda, Swami. The Living Gita: The Complete Bhagavad Gita: A Commentary for Modern Readers. Integral Yoga, 1997.

Sharma, Arvind. The Hindu Gita: Ancient and Classical Interpretations of the Bhagavadgita. La Salle, Ill.: 1986.

Contents: The Anugita, The Gitamahatmyas, Bhaskara, Sankara, Ramanuja, Madhva

Sharpe, Eric J. The Universal Gita: Western Images of the Bhagavad Gita, a Bicentenary Survey. La Salle, Ill.: Open Court Publishing, 1985.

A history of Western translations of the Gita.

Shastri, Hari Prasad. The tenth chapter of the Gita. Self-Knowledge, Spring 1998, 49(2):75-78.

7 ______. Twenty means to purify the heart as taught in the Gita. Self-Knowledge, Spring 1998, 49(2):59-61.

Sivananda, Sri Swami. Bhagavad Gita. 4th ed. Shivanandanagar: The Divine Life Society, 1998. Available for download online: http://www.yoga- age.com/gita/bhagavad.html.

Sovik, Rolf. The Gita on love. Yoga International, Jun/Jul 2002, pp. 40-44.

______. The Gita on wisdom. Yoga International, Aug/Sep 2002, pp. 40-46.

Srivastava, Krishan Gopal. Bhagwad Gita and the English Romantic Movement: A Study in Influence. Macmillan India, 2002.

“Romantic poets like Wordsworth, Coleridge, Shelley, Keats, Byron, Blake, Southey and Walter Scott were influenced by the philosophy of the Bhagwad Gita, according to an exhaustive, 20 year study, undertaken by a scholar of English Literature. It also successfully explores the hidden strains of Indian thought in their verse . . .

“Many obscure passages of romantic poets become clear when understood in the light of the Gita. The concept of rebirth, ‘karma’, universal soul, immortality and incarnation make the fascination of romantic poets with the Gita quite apparent.

“The study thus seeks to highlight the contribution of India to the growth and enrichment of the English romantic movement. ‘La renaissance Orientale,’ which supplemented the movement, grew out of the research conducted by English orientalists like Charles Wilkins, Sir William Jones and others at the end of the XVIIIth century. Prose translation of the Gita by Charles Wilkins, published in London in 1785 under the aegis of the British East India Company, best conveyed this spirit.

“The book establishes that all the great romantics like Blake, Wordsworth, Coleridge, Shelley and Keats had not only read Wilkins’ Gita, but imbibed its spirit, which found creative expression in their great poems.”

Tapasyananda, Swami. Bhagavad Gita: The Scripture of Mankind..

Tathagatananda, Swami. The Bhagavadgita casts its spell on the West. Prabuddha Bharata, Aug 2002, 107:416-421.

Contents: The impact of the Asiatic Society and Charles Wilkins’ Bhagavad-Gita on Europe; France becomes a centre for Indian studies; The Bhagavadgita’s central role in Germany’s spiritual life; England’s appreciation of the Bhagavadgita—Sir Edwin Arnold’s Song Celestial

Teerthaji Maharaj, Swami Dharma. Yoga for All, or the Religion of the Gita. Lahore: Hindu Missionary Society, 1944.

Telang, K. T. The Bhagavad Gita. Hyderbad, India: YMA Publications.

Tripurari, Swami B. V. The Bhagavad Gita: Its Feeling and Philosophy. San Rafael, Calif.: Mandala Publishing Group, 2001.

Tweedie, Irina. Talks on The Bhagavad Gita audiotapes or CDs. Inverness, Calif.: The Golden Sufi Center. (Original recordings; sound difficult to understand on a few of the talks.)

A series of talks given by Irina Tweedie from 1969-71.

Venkatesananda, Swami. The Bhagavad Gita. URL: http://www.dailyreadings.com/chiltern.html.

Swami Venkatesananda’s commentary is given in the form of daily readings.

Vidyabhushana, Sri. The Bhagavad Gita on 10 Audio CDs. URL: http://www.bhagavad-gita.us.

“. . . the ancient Sanskrit chants of [the] Bhagavad Gita, sung in classical melodies by noted devotional singer Sri Vidyabhushana. Listen to all 700 verses of the Gita with a beautiful accompaniment of flute, veena, sitar, mridanga, tabla, and tala.

“Set includes 10 audio CDs (7 CDs of sanskrit chants, 2 CDs containing english translations for the entire Bhagavad Gita, and 1 CD providing an introductory lecture on the Bhagavad Gita by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada).

“All proceeds will be used by the Bhaktivedanta Ashram for their food relief project in Orissa.”

Vijnanananda, Swami, trans. and comm. Srimad Bhagavad Gita. Serialized in Yoga: Magazine for the Universal Religion. Chapter 4 appears in 1998, 42(2):26-29.

Warrier, A. G. Krishna, trans. Srimad Bhagavad Gita Bhasya of Sri Samkaracarya. Vedanta Press, 1984. (Originally published by Sri Ramakrishna Math, Madras, India.)

Includes the Devanagari of the Gita and the Bhashya and breaks up long Sanskrit compounds so that each word of the Devanagari of Shankara’s Bhashya stands by itself (comparable to English).

Wilkins, Charles, trans. The Bhagavad Gita. 1785.

Yoganand. Bhagavad Gita course (five days). Held at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health, www.kripalu.org.

9 “Especially meaningful for Kripalu Yoga practitioners and teachers, [the Bhagavad-Gita] consists of questions about the spiritual path asked by a seeker, with answers given by a legendary yoga master. [The] Bhagavad-Gita contains techniques for accessing deep yogic states and guidance in integrating transformation into daily life. It addresses dilemmas the seeker encounters in the process of inner spiritual work and taking responsibility for life, role, and relationships in the world.

“In this five-day program, [explored are] how the seekers’ questions relate to us as modern yoga practitioners as well as . . . applicable wisdom in the teacher’s answers . . . sessions will consist of group readings and discussions, exercises, meditations, and daily yoga classes focusing on or illustrating principles covered in the text.

“Swami Kripalu, the inspiration behind Kripalu Yoga, said that these questions are so essential to the path of yoga that there comes a time when every sincere yoga practitioner will need to ask them of a teacher.”

Yogananda, Paramahansa. God Talks with Arjuna: The Bhagavad Gita: Royal Science of God-Realization. 2 vol. Los Angeles: Self-Realization Fellowship, 1995.

Excellent commentary.

Yukteshvar Giri, Swami Sri. Shrimad Bhagavad Gita—Adhyatmiki Vyakhya.