The Bhagavad Gita, an important Hindu scripture, is one of the outstanding religious classics in the world, and this translation by Swami Nikhilananda has been called the first really readable, authoritative translation .
The Bhagavad Gita is unique among religious texts in its emphasis on the discharge of everyday duties, irrespective of their nature, as an effective discipline for the realization of God. The Gita teaches that if a man performs his duties, surrendering the fruit to God and discarding all selfish motives, he gains purity of heart and achieves ultimate liberation. It is knowledge of God that gives man the strength to face calmly and cheerfully the duties of life. The Gita shows the way to spiritualize life and illumine even its drab and gray phases with the radiance of the Spirit. It lays down practical spiritual disciplines which can be followed by all, irrespective of faith and creed.
Special features of this 404 page edition are an introduction to the philosophy of The Gita and a summary of The Mahabharata. Also, each numbered verse of the text is followed by an explanation of the significant words and a paragraph of commentary based on the interpretation of Sankaracharya, the great philosopher and mystic of eighth century India.