Gita: A Timeless Guide for Our Time

Bentwich, a meditation and yoga instructor, introduces readers to the flow and philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita in this approachable translation. The Gita, a 700-verse Sanskrit Hindu epic composed between the fifth and second centuries BCE, features a dialogue between a prince, Arjuna, and Krishna, his guide, charioteer, and divine master. While Bentwich claims this to be “the only translation that recreates in English the mesmerizing melodiousness, meter and rhyme of the Sanskrit original,” his overuse of rhyming often feels forced. Nonetheless, with his smooth Sanskrit translations—such as restating maya (normally translated “illusion”) as “nature’s veil”—Bentwich nicely updates the text compared to other translations which rely heavily on Sanskrit transliterations. Readers will benefit from the wisdom that the Gita has to offer, as well as the commentary that Bentwich provides as an introduction to each section of the text. Readers interested in the Bhagavad Gita or Hindu traditions in general will enjoy Bentwich’s fresh take on this enduring dialogue. [em](BookLife) [/em]