frombookstoreaders3's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
annemariewellswriter's review against another edition
1.0
I did not enjoy this text attempting to form the rationale justifying violence. Arjuna, a warrior facing a battle against his family, friends, and neighbors, asks Krishna, an incarnation of the Hindu deity Visnu, “what great force/urges [people]... into [evil],/even if [they] are unwilling”(III. 37-39). Krishna responds that desire leads to evil and commands, “slay the foe whose form is desire,/so hard to conquer, Arjuna”(III. 45-46). Ironically, Krishna's response instructs Arjuna that even if he is unwilling to perform the evil act of murder, he would be forced into it because of desire to kill those who desire. I know that The Bhagavad Gita was Mahatma Gandhi's bible, but I guess I missed something.
pandacat42's review against another edition
4.0
The translation and summaries were well done. I do however have a lot of thoughts on the philosophy and theology. I understand the pain and suffering that come from “sense objects.” However, I have a very hard time with deities who want to be worshipped and blindly followed.
I believe there is a lot to gain in the terms of mental health from eastern philosophy. Much of it has to do with the way we treat others, meditation, and being careful of attachments.
This particular text had a lot of extra wisdom in living a life of action rather than a life of meditation. Although, the action here wasn’t simply using the life of a householder, but actually going to war with family members. I can’t imagine how hard that would be to do. Circumstances would have to be bleak indeed to consider such a thing. Given I am more of a pacifist. Not completely, but world peace would be spectacular. We do have to take stands and defend in certain cases, but if it can be avoided and worked out diplomatically, that would be best.
Anyway, the book was quite the rambling argument to worship and obey Krishna and go to war. It was interspersed with pieces of wisdom.
I believe there is a lot to gain in the terms of mental health from eastern philosophy. Much of it has to do with the way we treat others, meditation, and being careful of attachments.
This particular text had a lot of extra wisdom in living a life of action rather than a life of meditation. Although, the action here wasn’t simply using the life of a householder, but actually going to war with family members. I can’t imagine how hard that would be to do. Circumstances would have to be bleak indeed to consider such a thing. Given I am more of a pacifist. Not completely, but world peace would be spectacular. We do have to take stands and defend in certain cases, but if it can be avoided and worked out diplomatically, that would be best.
Anyway, the book was quite the rambling argument to worship and obey Krishna and go to war. It was interspersed with pieces of wisdom.
kurtwombat's review against another edition
2.0
This edition is a slim interpretation of the classic Hindu text that results in kind of a summary of a summary. The Gita posits a talk with God (via Krishna) about the fundamentals of Hinduism. It did inspire me to read further, and it is not without some grace, but in retrospect not a whole lot better than CliffsNotes.
bibliotequeish's review against another edition
4.0
Rating a holy text seems ... wrong.
Lets just say, I could read this a thousand times and still have questions.
Arjuna is going to war, but struggles with the violence and death of his kin.
Arjuna speaks to Krishna about many things including war, life and regrets before Krishna reminds Arjuna that it is his duty to fight the righteous war.
Lets just say, I could read this a thousand times and still have questions.
Arjuna is going to war, but struggles with the violence and death of his kin.
Arjuna speaks to Krishna about many things including war, life and regrets before Krishna reminds Arjuna that it is his duty to fight the righteous war.
emglange's review against another edition
3.0
While this was a required reading for a religion class, I enjoyed the text. The verse form made the pages go by quickly, and my translation had extremely helpful notes. Those notes did come in handy when framing the Bhagavad Gita within its larger epic. I enjoyed finding stylistic or character parallels to other pieces of literature such as the Iliad and the Odyssey and even the Wheel of Time.