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This volume is a systematic and comprehensive introduction to one of the most read texts in South Asia, the Bhagavad-g¿t¿. The Bhagavad-g¿t¿ is at its core a religious text, a philosophical treatise and a literary work, which has occupied an authoritative position within Hinduism for the past millennium.
This book brings together themes central to the study of the G¿t¿, as it is popularly known - such as the Bhagavad-g¿t¿'s structure, the history of its exegesis, its acceptance by different traditions within Hinduism and its national and global relevance. It highlights the richness of the G¿t¿'s interpretations, examines its great interpretive flexibility and at the same time offers a conceptual structure based on a traditional commentarial tradition.
With contributions from major scholars across the world, this book will be indispensable for scholars and researchers of religious studies, especially Hinduism, Indian philosophy, Asian philosophy, Indian history, literature and South Asian studies.
List of contents
1. The
Bhagavad-g¿t¿ and its contents 2. The structure of the
Bhagavad-g¿t¿ 3.
Bhagavad-g¿t¿: its philosophy and interpretation 4. ¿äkara's deconstruction of the
Bhagavad-g¿t¿ grounded in his preunderstanding 5. The soteriology of devotion, divine grace, and teaching:
Bhagavad-g¿t¿ and the
¿r¿vai¿¿avas 6.
Karma in the
Bhagavad-g¿t¿:
Caitanya Vai¿¿ava views 7. The greatness of the
G¿t¿, as icon and mantra 8. The
Bhagavad-g¿t¿ and Indian nationalist movement: Tilak, Gandhi, and Aurobindo 9. The
G¿t¿ of the gurus: the
Bhagavad-g¿t¿ since Indian independence 10. Arjuna and Acyuta: the import of epithets in the
Bhagavad-g¿t¿
About the author
Ithamar Theodor is an associate professor of Hindu studies at Zefat Academic College, Safed, Israel, and the director of the Hindu-Jewish studies programme at Bar-Ilan University, Israel. His publications include Exploring the Bhagavadgītā: Philosophy, Structure and Meaning (2010), The Fifth Veda in Hinduism: Philosophy, Poetry and Devotion in the Bhāgavata Purāṇa (2016) and Dharma and Halacha: Comparative Studies in Hindu-Jewish Philosophy and Religion (2018).
Summary
This volume is a systematic and comprehensive introduction to one of the most read texts in South Asia, the Bhagavad-gita. It brings together themes such as the Gita’s structure, the history of its exegesis, its acceptance by different traditions within Hinduism, and its global relevance.
