The Bhagavad Gita 101

The Ancient Hindu Enlightenment Series, Book 4

By: Matthew Barnes

Narrated by: Kara Jackman

The Bhagavad Gita (or “Song of God”) is one of the richest, most complete, and most important spiritual works ever composed.

Its teachings have been a timeless source of inspiration, wisdom, and guidance for over a thousand years.

The Gita (as it is affectionately known) is laid out as the story of a regular person, Arjuna, who has become despondent after coming to see life as a meaningless, pointless, and never-ending struggle. Arjuna is ready to quit. Sound familiar?

Krishna (a mysterious friend and hero of the story) comes to Arjuna in his time of need and counsels him on the meaning of life, as well as the path that leads to purpose and deliverance.

What does Arjuna find at the end of his journey? Meaning. Tranquility. Enlightenment.

Because the struggles Arjuna faced and suffered from are the same as those we face today, the teachings of the Gita are every bit as pertinent in our era as they were over a thousand years ago when it was first recorded.

I designed my version of this enduring classic to be concise, modern, and accessible to all listeners, even those with no prior knowledge of Hindu philosophy.

©2020 Matthew Barnes (P)2023 Matthew Barnes

Poorly Produced Recording

While I imagine I might found this author’s extreme simplification of the Gita text tolerable in paperback, the poorly performed and shoddily recorded version makes it very difficult to endure. There must be a better option.

Too Plain, Too Simple

A simplistic, even juvenile reduction of the Gita, and not terribly true to the original. This might be a good intro for, like, a 5th grader, but if you're an adult seeker, you'd be much better served by reading or listening to Eknath Easwaran's books on the Gita. Narration also very poor, very amateur sounding, and mispronounces many Sanskrit words. Stay away from this one.