Complete Edition
Translated by: Sri Alladi Mahadeva Sastry
Publisher: Samata Books, Madras, India
Edition: 7th Edition, 1977
Pages: 522
Format: PDF
This is the definitive English translation of Sri Sankaracharya’s classical commentary on the Bhagavad Gita. Sankaracharya’s commentary is the earliest extant commentary on the Gita and remains the most influential interpretation in the Advaita Vedanta tradition.
Download: Access the PDF from Internet Archive
About the Translation
Sri Alladi Mahadeva Sastry (1860-1921) was a renowned Sanskrit scholar and orientalist. He served as:
- Director, Oriental Section, Adyar Library
- Curator, Government Oriental Library, Mysore
- Fellow of the Theosophical Society
His translation, first published in 1897, has been recognized as the only English translation of Sankara’s Gita Bhashya available for 80 years and remains highly regarded for its accuracy and clarity.
Mahadeva Sastry also translated:
- Sankara’s commentary on the Taittiriya Upanishad
- Amritabindu Upanishad
- Dakshinamurti Stotra
- Pranava Vartika
- Dakshinamurti Upanishad
- Edited 4 of 5 volumes of Minor Upanishads for the Adyar Library
Publication History
- First Published: 1897
- Successive Editions: 1901, 1918, 1947, 1961, 1972
- 7th Edition: 1977 (with cooperation of Sri S.T. Ramalingam, Official Trustee administering the Vavilla Venkateswara Sastrulu Trust)
- Printed by: All India Press, Pondicherry, India
Content Overview
The text includes:
- Introduction - Context and significance of the Gita and Sankaracharya’s approach
- 18 Discourses - Each with Sankaracharya’s detailed commentary
- Complete Index - For easy reference and study
- Table of Contents - Detailed breakdown of all 18 chapters and their themes
How to Use This Edition
This edition is ideal for:
- Serious students of Advaita Vedanta philosophy
- Those seeking a classical commentary on the Gita
- Sanskrit scholars studying the original meaning
- Spiritual seekers exploring non-dual wisdom teachings
The commentary is comprehensive and philosophical, providing detailed analysis of each verse and its implications for spiritual practice and understanding.
Status
This text is in the public domain and available for free distribution and study.
Last Updated: 2026-02-28
Sri Jnaneshwar’s Masterpiece - MR Yardi Translation
The Life and Vision of Shri Jnaneshwar
Shri Jnaneshwar, the well-known saint of Maharashtra, was not only a realised soul but a gifted poet. At a very early age, he wrote his masterpiece, the Jnaneshwari, a commentary on the Gita in Marathi in exquisite poetry. He has explained the Gita not by recourse to rational arguments but by the profuse use of similes, metaphors and illustrations.
Initiated into the Natha Sampradaya by his elder brother Nivrittinatha, disciple of Gahininatha, he assimilated, in his later life, the non-dual jnana of Vedanta and the pure bhakti of the Bhagavata Dharma. In his Jnaneshwari, he calls the Gita the literary image of Lord Krishna. Indeed one can say that his Jnaneshwari is the literary image of his knowledge and experience.
The Poetry and Philosophy of Jnaneshwari
The Jnaneshwari, like the Gita, is a superb philosophical poem. Shri Jnaneshwar declares that by his words, he will give form to the formless and make the senses enjoy what is beyond them. He says that his diction is such as will excel nectar with a wager. He states that he has used such words that they will lead to quarrels among the senses:
The ears will have tongues to relish their savour. The tongue will say that the word is its object. The ears will wish to smell them. The eyes will say that the store of form has opened out for them. When a sentence becomes complete, the mind will go forward to embrace it.
The devotees of Jnaneshwar, therefore, while appreciating the beauties of his poetry, are likely to miss its import. But since Jnaneshwari is a religious text, only those who will become introspective and experience it even in a small way, will achieve bliss. As Shri Namdeva has said, one should experience at least one ovi. Many of his devotees take pleasure in the literary merits of his work, yet it is essential that after appreciating the poetry, one should try to understand his philosophy.
Shri Jnaneshwar’s Advaita Philosophy
Like Sri Shankaracharya, he was an advaita-vadin, a non-dualist. His interpretation of the Gita emphasizes the non-dual form of God and the culmination of devotion in Advaita bhakti. Consider his explanation of verse 9.12 of the Gita:
“The Lord says, although I am formless, without limiting conditions, inactive, beyond the qualities, changeless and all-pervasive, ignorant people ascribe to Me form, limitations, actions, qualities, and a definite place. Although I am unmanifest, desireless and devoid of action and enjoyment, they think of Me as manifest, full of desires, agent and enjoyer.”
Shri Jnaneshwar teaches that true knowledge consists in knowing God in the non-dual form and that devotion should culminate in Advaita bhakti. The devotee should realise God as all-pervasive; and wherever he casts his eyes, he should see God therein. This shows that Shri Jnaneshwar had become a Jnani-Bhakta of the highest order, as described in the Gita (verse 7.17)—a soul who combines the highest knowledge with the deepest devotion.
How to Approach This Translation
One ought to reflect over the thoughts expressed by Shri Jnaneshwar. This translation by MR Yardi aims to make such reflection easy, allowing contemporary seekers to engage not merely with the poetic brilliance of the Jnaneshwari, but with the profound philosophical wisdom it contains. By moving beyond the literary merits to embrace the spiritual philosophy, the reader opens the door to authentic spiritual transformation.
Complete Edition - MR Yardi Translation
Translator: MR Yardi
Commentary: Jnaneshwari (classical interpretation by Shri Jnaneshwar)
Language: English
Format: PDF
Download: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qbtvve_mvpclArjjpDdwUIswbi446ggr/view?usp=sharing
Verse 7.17 - The Four Types of Devotees
The Teaching
“Of these, the wise one who is constantly devoted to Me, and whose love is undeviating, is the best. For to the wise, I am very dear, and he too, is exceedingly dear to Me.”
This verse describes the highest form of devotion and the divine relationship between the wise seeker and the Lord. It appears in the context of Krishna describing the four types of people who approach him in devotion.
Context
Krishna is teaching about different types of devotion and different categories of seekers. While all forms of devotion lead ultimately to the divine, the devotion of the wise - those who seek knowledge and understanding of the divine nature - is the most complete and direct path.
Key Insights
The Wise One (Jnani):
- The wise one combines knowledge with unwavering devotion
- They understand the nature of the divine intellectually and experientially
- Their devotion is rooted in understanding, not blind faith alone
- They maintain constant awareness of the divine in all circumstances
Constancy and Dedication:
- “Constantly devoted” suggests uninterrupted awareness and practice
- “Undeviating love” means the heart is fully committed without wavering
- Such devotion becomes a living expression of understanding
Mutual Love:
- “I am very dear to the wise” - the divine holds the sincere seeker close
- “He too is exceedingly dear to Me” - mutual affection and recognition
- This suggests the dissolution of the boundary between lover and beloved
The Hierarchy of Devotion:
While Krishna acknowledges four types of seekers:
- Those in distress (seeking relief)
- Those seeking wealth and success
- The curious (seeking knowledge)
- The wise (seeking union with the divine)
He declares that the wise - those who seek understanding and union - are dearest to Him.
Spiritual Significance
This verse reveals that the path of wisdom (jnana) and the path of devotion (bhakti) are not separate but deeply intertwined. The highest realization comes when knowledge and love unite, when understanding is matched by the warmth of devotional dedication.
The promise here is profound: to the sincere seeker who combines wisdom with unwavering devotion, the divine responds with intimate proximity and overwhelming grace.
Reflection: What does it mean to seek the divine with both the clarity of understanding and the warmth of devoted love? How can wisdom and devotion work together in your spiritual practice?
Verse 2.47 - Your Right is to Work Only
The Teaching
“Thy right is to work only, but never to its fruits; let not the fruit-of-action be thy motive, nor let thy attachment be to inaction.”
This is one of the most fundamental teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, establishing the principle of Karma-Yoga - the yoga of action performed without attachment to results.
Context
Krishna addresses Arjuna’s despondency about the war, teaching him that his duty is to act in accordance with his dharma (righteous duty) without being bound by or attached to the outcomes of his actions. This liberates the performer from the cycle of bondage created by desire for fruits.
Key Insights
On Duty:
- Every individual has a duty (dharma) prescribed by their nature and station in life
- This duty must be performed with full commitment and care
On Results:
- One should not act for the sake of fruits or rewards
- The fruits of action are given by divine providence, not within human control
- Attachment to results creates bondage and perpetuates cycles of rebirth
On Inaction:
- Renouncing action is not the answer
- Even a sage must perform necessary actions
- True renunciation is acting without attachment, not avoiding action
Spiritual Significance
This verse encapsulates the essence of Karma-Yoga and reveals the secret to freedom within action. It teaches that liberation is possible not by abandoning responsibility, but by fulfilling one’s duties with wisdom and detachment.
The teaching dissolves the apparent contradiction between action and inaction, work and spiritual practice, showing that the highest spirituality is compatible with engaged, responsible living in the world.
Reflection: How can you bring this principle of right action without attachment into your daily life? What would change if you focused on the quality of your actions rather than their outcomes?
Verse 2.20 - The Imperishable Self
The Teaching
“That which is not born, that which does not die, that which is without birth, eternal, immortal, ageless and changeless - is called the Atman. How can such a Self be destroyed or destroyed?”
This verse presents one of the core teachings of the Bhagavad Gita: the recognition of the eternal, immutable nature of the Self (Atman) that transcends birth and death.
Context
Arjuna grieves for those who will die in the coming battle. Krishna uses this moment to teach the fundamental truth about the nature of existence - that the true Self is eternal and imperishable, and therefore, grief for the body’s death is based on ignorance of reality.
Key Insights
Nature of the Self:
- The Atman (Self/Soul) is unborn - it has no beginning
- It is imperishable - it cannot be destroyed
- It is eternal - it exists beyond time
- It is immortal - beyond the cycles of death and rebirth
- It is unchanging - unmoved by the transformations of the body and mind
The Body vs. The Self:
- The body is subject to birth and death
- But the Self that animates the body is eternal
- Identifying with the body as one’s true nature is the root of fear and sorrow
- Knowledge of the Self’s imperishable nature brings freedom from fear
Freedom from Grief:
- Once the eternal nature of the Self is recognized, grief becomes unfounded
- There is no one to be born, no one to die
- Only the body undergoes transformation; the Self remains untouched
Spiritual Significance
This verse addresses the fundamental human fear of death and dissolution. By revealing the imperishable nature of consciousness itself, Krishna shows that the ultimate reality transcends all limitation and change. This knowledge is the foundation of liberation.
Understanding this truth removes the existential anxiety that binds human beings and opens the door to freedom, peace, and authentic living.
Reflection: What would it mean for you to experience yourself as the eternal witness to all change, rather than identifying with what changes? How would this shift your relationship with mortality and time?
This section will feature personal insights, reflections, and analysis of the Bhagavad Gita teachings.
Deeper exploration of specific verses, their application to modern life, and contemplative reflections will be added here.
Check back soon for expanded commentary!
Last Updated: 2026-02-28
Duty as Yajna - Shri Jnaneshwar’s Teaching
Action as Sacred Offering
Shri Jnaneshwar says that everyone should perform his duty as a yajna and offer his or her actions as flowers at the feet of God.
This teaching encapsulates the essence of karma-yoga as revealed in the Bhagavad Gita. Every action, when performed with the right understanding and dedication, becomes a form of worship. The ordinary becomes sacred when infused with the awareness that all action is ultimately an offering to the Divine.
By viewing duty not as an obligation or burden, but as an opportunity to serve God through our work, we transform our daily lives into a continuous act of worship. Each deed becomes a petal laid at the lotus feet of the Supreme. This perspective liberates us from attachment to results while honoring the sanctity of our responsibilities.
This is the path of the householder who realizes that worldly duty, when offered with devotion, is no different from the worship of the renunciate—both are expressions of surrender to the Divine will.
External Insights - Coming Soon
This section will feature curated insights, commentary, and reflections on the Bhagavad Gita from various sources including:
- Blog posts and articles exploring specific teachings
- Video summaries and discussions
- Contemporary interpretations and applications
- Insights from spiritual teachers and scholars
- Reddit discussions and community reflections
- Curated wisdom from various traditions
We are actively collecting and curating quality external material to share here. Check back soon!
Last Updated: 2026-02-28