The Gita within Walden

The Gita within Walden
Author: Paul Friedrich
Publisher: State University of New York Press
Total Pages: 177
Release: 2008-10-22
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0791477479

This book explores and interprets the myriad connections between two spiritual classics, Henry David Thoreau's Walden and the Bhagavad-Gita. Evidence shows that Thoreau took the Gita with him when he moved to Walden Pond, and the books have much in common, touching on ultimate ethical and metaphysical questions. Paul Friedrich looks at how each work speaks to fundamental problems of good and evil, self and cosmos, duty and passion, reality and illusion, political engagement and philosophical meditation, sensuous wildness and ascetic devotion. His examination moves through several stages, from an analysis of key symbols, such as the upside-down tree, to an exposition of social, ethical, and metaphysical values, to a consideration of the many sources of these syncretic works. This book should be of lively interest to those concerned with the origins of Indian and American thought, activism, and poetry.

The Teachings of Bhagavad Gita

The Teachings of Bhagavad Gita
Author: Richa Tilokani
Publisher: Hay House, Inc
Total Pages: 209
Release: 2021-03-02
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9388302605

Why does one face sorrow and problems in life? What can allay the anxiety and stress inherent in the materialistic modern society? How can one get in touch with higher consciousness and strike a balance between the spiritual and worldly goals? If you are looking for answers to questions like these and searching for ways to empower your life, begin the quest with this volume, which presents the essence of one of the world’s most sacred texts in a simple and easy-to-understand manner. The Bhagavad Gita, a treasure trove of divine wisdom, was shared by Lord Krishna with Arjuna, the Pandava prince, at the battlefield of Kurukshetra, right before the Mahabharata or the ‘Great War’ began. It comprises 700 Sanskrit shlokas translated into English, which inspire one to seek and understand the profound truths of life through the ancient principles of Karma Yoga (the art of work), Gyan Yoga (the art of knowledge) and Bhakti Yoga (the art of devotion). These eternal principles help to live life to the fullest, so that one can work better, think better and live better by tapping into higher consciousness, accessing the spiritual dimension and nurturing the pure self. The Teachings of Bhagavad Gita is a perfect source to discover the art of self-empowerment by exploring the various facets of this most sacred text and imbibing its all-encompassing wisdom to attain unending joy, peace and success.

The Gita: For Children

The Gita: For Children
Author: Roopa Pai
Publisher: Swift Press
Total Pages: 301
Release: 2022-10-27
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 180075180X

'The truth is, Partha,' Krishna said, 'that there is no "better" path. Both paths – the path of knowledge and the path of action – work just as well. It is up to you to pick the one that you are suited to.' The Bhagavad Gita is a profound book from India that people have cherished for over 2500 years. It emphasises kindness and understanding when we make mistakes, and tells a compelling story about Prince Arjuna and his friend Krishna. They engage in a crucial conversation about the war against the most powerful and dangerous enemy of all – the one that lives within our minds. Roopa Pai's spirited, one-of-a-kind retelling is engaging, easy to grasp, and leaves a lasting impact. After you finish reading, you'll find yourself contemplating its wisdom and feeling a sense of inner strength.

Religion, Culture & Society

Religion, Culture & Society
Author: Andrew Singleton
Publisher: SAGE
Total Pages: 273
Release: 2014-03-10
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 147390448X

"The reader is taken on a global exploration of the forms and diversities of religions and their social and cultural contexts... It is up to the minute in research and theory, and comfortably grounded in the traditions of the social explanation of things religious and spiritual." - Gary Bouma AM, Monash University "Tells how sociology of religion originated in the work of key nineteenth and twentieth century theorists and then brings the story into the present era of globalization, hybrid spirituality, and the Internet. Students of religion will find this an engaging and informative survey of the field." - Robert Wuthnow, Princeton University "It considers the ‘big questions’ - What is religion? How is religion changing in a modern world? What is the future of religion? – and addresses them through tangible case studies and observations of contemporary life. Its global perspective reflects the breadth, diversity and vibrancy of this field." - Sylvia Collins-Mayo, Kingston University This is a rich and dynamic introduction to the varieties of religious life and the central issues in the sociology of religion today. It leads the reader through the key ideas and main debates within the field as well as offering in-depth descriptions and analysis of topics such as secularization, fundamentalism, Pentecostal Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, atheism, ‘The spiritual marketplace’, digital religion and new religions like Wicca. Emphasising religion as a global phenomenon, examining especially the ways in which globalization has had an impact on everyday religious life, Singleton has created an illuminating text suitable for students in a wide range of courses looking at religion as a social and cultural phenomenon.

Godsong

Godsong
Author: Amit Majmudar
Publisher: Knopf
Total Pages: 257
Release: 2021-03-30
Genre: Poetry
ISBN: 0525435298

A fresh, strikingly immediate and elegant verse translation of the classic, with an introduction and helpful guides to each section, by the rising American poet. Born in the United States into a secularized Hindu family, Amit Majmudar puzzled over the many religious traditions on offer, and found that the Bhagavad Gita had much to teach him with its "song of multiplicities." Chief among them is that "its own assertions aren't as important as the relationships between its characters . . . The Gita imagined a relationship in which the soul and God are equals"; it is, he believes, "the greatest poem of friendship . . . in any language." His verse translation captures the many tones and strategies Krishna uses with Arjuna--strict and berating, detached and philosophical, tender and personable. "Listening guides" to each section follow the main text, and expand in accessible terms on the text and what is happening between the lines. Godsong is an instant classic in the field, from a poet of skill, fine intellect, and--perhaps most important--devotion.

Krishna's Song

Krishna's Song
Author: Steven J. Rosen
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
Total Pages: 191
Release: 2007-09-30
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 0313345546

Rosen offers Westerners an easy-to-read introduction to a sacred text, demystifying its considerable philosophy in a user-friendly way. This is not yet another translation, merely reiterating what the Gita itself has to say. It is rather an attempt to culturally translate the text, making use of concepts and categories to which Western readers are accustomed. By engaging familiar motifs—such as issues of modernity, pop-culture icons, and well-known philosophers in the West—the author brings the Gita into focus for non-specialists and scholars alike. Through a series of contemporary news references and insightful summaries, readers will finally understand the facts and personalities that make up the Bhagavad Gita. Using his many years of Gita-centered research, Rosen unlocks the mysteries of the text's spiritual underpinnings. He provides an overview of the Gita's narrative and teachings alongside documentation of its traditional application and more modern ways in which the text can be understood. Students and scholars alike will rejoice in how well this book lays bare the culture and the context of the Gita, resulting in a reader's deep familiarity with this most sacred of all the world's wisdom texts.

The German Gita

The German Gita
Author: Bradley L. Herling
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 371
Release: 2014-02-04
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 1135501882

How did the Bhagavadgãtà first become an object of German philosophical and philological inquiry? How were its foundational concepts initially interpreted within German intellectual circles, and what does this episode in the history of cross-cultural encounter teach us about the status of comparative philosophy today? This book addresses these questions through a careful study of the figures who read, translated and interpreted the Bhagavadgãtà around the turn of the nineteenth century in Germany: J.G. Herder, F. Majer, F. Schlegel, A.W. Schlegel, W. von Humboldt, and G.W.F. Hegel. Methodologically, the study attends to the intellectual contexts and prejudices that framed the early reception of the text. But it also delves deeper by investigating the way these frameworks inflected the construction of the Bhagavadgãtà and its foundational concepts through the scholarly acts of excerpting, anthologization, and translation. Overall, the project contributes to the pluralization of Western philosophy and its history while simultaneously arguing for a continued critical alertness in cross-cultural comparison of philosophical and religious worldviews.

The Gita for a Global World

The Gita for a Global World
Author: Rohit Chopra
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2023-09-12
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9789357768009

COMBINING PHILOSOPHICAL UNDERSTANDING AND POLITICAL INSIGHT, ROHIT CHOPRA MAKES A STRONG CASE FOR THE RELEVANCE OF THE GITA IN THE MODERN, GLOBAL WORLD. The Gita in a Global World examines a very particular claim: can the ancient text that is the Gita offer a framework to negotiate the ethical challenges of capitalist modernity? We live in a world marked by greater existential precarity, and increased political and social turbulence and violence. Could the Gita, for all its philosophical abstraction, help us navigate this space? What can it tell us about global warming and violence, inequality and suffering, pandemics and the savage oppression of vulnerable groups? Rohit Chopra's masterful examination of the Gita interrogates the relevance of its ideas and sees in its articulation of the philosophy of universal being a more just and inclusive idea of human belonging. Combining philosophical discussion, meticulous research and sharp political insight, this book does what that ancient text has done for years-illuminate and provoke while asking each of us to choose how we will act to meet the challenges of the present and future. About the Author Rohit Chopra is Professor of Communication at Santa Clara University. His research centres on global media and identity, digital media, and the relationship between media, memory and violence. He is the author of The Virtual Hindu Rashtra: Saffron Nationalism and New Media (HarperCollins, 2019) and Technology and Nationalism in India: Cultural Negotiations from Colonialism to Cyberspace (Cambria, 2008), and co-editor of Global Media, Culture, and Identity: Theory, Cases, and Approaches (Routledge, 2011). Rohit also writes extensively in a journalistic capacity on media, politics and culture in global contexts. An expert on the role of social media in fomenting sectarian violence, he works with non-profits, think tanks, and technology and media firms on developing strategies to combat the negative effects of social media. Rohit is also the co-founder and co-host of the India Explained podcast, a conversation on matters related to India (www.soundcloud.com/indiaexplained).

Elevation to Krsna Consciousness

Elevation to Krsna Consciousness
Author: His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Publisher: The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
Total Pages: 77
Release: 2017-02-07
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9171498583

The quality of our consciousness can go up or down based on how we see the world and act in it. When we act like the eternal spiritual beings that we are – small parts of a supreme whole – makes us happy. But if we focus our attempts at happiness on the temporary body and mind – on matter – and make those our life's priority, our consciousness will shrink and we’ll be miserable. Spiritual elevation – raising our consciousness to higher levels – happens quickly when we revive our God consciousness. In this compact book, Srila Prabhupada recommends seeing the world as it is – a temporary place full of anxiety – and then taking the road to higher consciousness by rediscovering our relationship with the Supreme Person, Krishna. Anyone can become elevated; the journey begins with a single step up.