On the battlefield of life, desiring to do our best, how should we act? Which values should we live by? What metaphysical outlook best explains what happens to us? How do we express our spiritual nature? And how can we stay spiritually focused in the whirl of daily activity?

Arjunaís searching questions, asked on the brink of a war he is loathe to fight, and Krishnaís profound answers, spoken in his chariot as they survey the battlefield on which thousands will soon die, offer timeless insights into the difficulties and wonders of human existence, making the Bhagavad Gita one of the great works of world spirituality.

Originally written in poetry, but usually presented in English in prose, this version balances the need to present the Bhagavad Gitaís profound concepts precisely while reproducing the originalíís dramatic and poetic power. This translation is especially successful in capturing the Bhagavad Gitaís shifts of tone, moving from vivid descriptions of the battlefield, to the precise reasoning of Krishnaís advice to Arjuna, to the sublime visionary intensity of Krishna as cosmic being. Endnotes and a glossary help readers unfamiliar with Indian culture understand the poemís mythological and philosophic references.