Bhagavad Gita

The Bhagavad Gita, often called the Gita, is a sacred Hindu text in which Prince Arjuna and the god Krishna discuss duty, action, and the purpose of life.

• It forms part of the great Sanskrit epic Mahabharata. The conversation takes place just before a major battle, when Arjuna feels troubled about fighting people he knows and respects.
• Krishna teaches Arjuna about dharma—doing one’s moral duty—and karma yoga, the idea of acting responsibly without being obsessed with personal reward or success.
• The Gita is not only about war. Its central questions are very human: How should a person make difficult choices? What is the right thing to do when every option seems painful?
• Its first English translation, by Charles Wilkins in 1785, introduced many European readers to Indian philosophical thought. Later, writers and thinkers in Europe and the United States drew ideas from it.
• The Gita shows that India was not simply affected by colonial rule; its ancient ideas also influenced people in the countries that ruled it. Today, it remains an important religious and philosophical text for millions of people.