The Song of Krishna

"The Song of Krishna: The Illustrated Bhagavad Gita" follows "The Way of the Buddha" and "The Path of Virtue" in Abrams' ongoing series of classic spiritual and philosophical texts. "The Bhagavad Gita" - in Sanskrit, "The Song of God" - is part of the "Mahabharata", which is one of the two great Sanskrit epics (along with the "Ramayana"). The poem takes the form of a conversation between Krishna, the many-formed Hindu deity, advising Arjuna, his kinsman, as the pair go into battle against a rival clan. Krishna's moral counsel is often referred to as a concise version of Hindu philosophy, as well as a more generalized guide to leading a principled life. Its use as practical philosophy has extended into the business world, where its influence is comparable to that of Sun Tzu's "Art of War". "The Gita" was first written down between the sixth and fifth centuries BC, and it is now available around the world in over fifty languages. The classic Edwin Arnold translation has been in print constantly for over a hundred years. The Los Angeles County Museum of Art has provided illustrations from their extensive collection of Indian painting, sculpture and textiles, as well as some devotional figures and carvings. As with the other titles in the series, this volume has a three-piece case with staining and a ribbon.