2015-16 Academic Catalog

The Bhagavad Gita (The Blessed Lord's Song) may not be the Hindu "Bible" (there is none), but it is now, as it has been for two millennia, one of the most beloved and influential of Indian texts, a rich source of reflection about metaphysics, theology, yoga, and ethics. This course will center on a close reading of the Gita, within its context in Indian religious thought and the epic of which it is a part, the Mahabharata. We also will explore modern interpretations of the Gita, by Indians like Tilak and Gandhi and by Western artists working in various media.