The End of Sorrow: The Bhagavad Gita for Daily Living, Volume 1

I have been reading this book for 1 1/2 years now, and have almost finished it. The cover and first pages have been ripped off from wear when I fall asleep on it. Countless times I have lost my place (and my bookmark) and started reading at the page on which it opened -- it always seems relevant to something I or a family member is going through at that time. Just the other day I was upset with the children for spilling sunflower seeds all over, and that night read a passages about the author's two nieces spilling ice cream on him. He did not bring it up to them because he chose not to put a damper on their enjoyment of the ice cream. He made it clear that putting little children first is paramount, which has helped me to be more patient with them.Not being an eastern scholar, I cannot vouch for the authenticity of the translation. Seems "true" to me, in that it reveals the underlying oneness of all and the battles and challenges we face to get to that actualization. This book is excellent for those looking for nightstand reading, and those trying to get an understanding of the Gita's analogy. Heck, it's excellent for anyone! n.b. I also love looking at the sanskrit letters above each stanza.

This is the most influential book in my life. It delivers common sense, practical insights about why and how to overcome preocupation with self. This great spiritual classic has survived for a reason. I cannot recommend it highly enough. It has gotten me through 2 decades of life's trials.

I began reading the Gita in 1968 while in college. The book has been the one steady beacon in a live long quest for personal enlightenment. There are two outstanding Gita commentaries that I have come across. One is that of Swami Sivanda I found in a used bookstore in the early '70's (still available at sivanadadlshq.org). The other is this one. I discovered Eknath Eswaran's wonderful translation and commentaries in the mid-80's and though I have read several others, it is the one I keep on my nightstand, I take on trips, and give to friends. Eswaran's commentaries are by far the most helpful to the contemporary American. He is fully fluent in English, lives in the Bay area, and is from India where the Gita guided his life and the lives of his family and ancestors. He is not promoting a specific yogic school as most commentaries do, but is interesting in making the Gita ans useful and universal as possible. He does a great job. Reading Eknath Eswaran's translation is like gazing at the original Gita's spirit through clear, unruffled water. He also has a single volume version, without extensive commentary, that I also recommend highly (along with his volume of Upanishad translations and his translation of Buddha's Dhammapada).

This book is one of the texts for my Eastern Spirituality class and it has made what could have been very difficult for Christians to understand (the Bhagavad Gita) into something simple and yet life-challenging at the same time. The Gita is indeed central to Hindu thought, and yet Christians can find much of value in it. Easwaran's modern translation and commentary can help any Christian who wants to go deeper into the spiritual life and follow the principles of Christ. Over and over again, meditation/prayer and service to others are emphasized, and if you have the discipline to read and apply these things to your own life it will be renewed and transformed.

I've read many translations of the Bhagavad-Gita; they range from mediocre to horrendous. Eknath Easwaran, however, has made this scripture not only accessible, but warm and inviting. The language is lucid, though always challenging. Even more helpful is Easwaran's extensive commentary on each verse of the Gita. He modernizes this scripture, and shows how very pertinent it is in today's turbulent world. Sri Easwaran is quite likeable--very funny, gentle, and unpretentious. The Bhagavad-Gita, simply put, is a book of two choices, and their consequences. It does not have a lot of do's and dont's, nor does it lead the reader to feel inferior or degraded. This book, in short, has tremendously shaped my life, and I believe it has the power to also do so for anyone who is lonely, confused, or simply wants some kind of guidance to lead them through life. Buy all three books; it will, I promise, be one of the best investments you'll ever make.