cover image The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita

The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita

. Barron's Educational Series, $23.95 (144pp) ISBN 978-0-7641-2223-1

This well-illustrated version of the Bhagavad Gita, the central ancient text of devotional Hinduism, is distinguished by its easy accessibility. Prime's translations from the Sanskrit are not poetic, but they get the job done, and his section-by-section commentary opens the text to the spiritual seeker. Offered in the first person plural (""When we are overwhelmed by life's complexities...""), these comments show that Prime never loses sight of the audience for his book, and that he wants readers to understand the Gita in a personal way. In fact, Prime began this translation as a way of sharing the Gita with his own children, and his commentary exudes a fatherly and caring spirit. The book's photographs and illustrations are often breathtaking, showing Hindus at prayer or engaged in simple acts of daily life.