Read this when
The Bhagavad Gita
Frozen before the big decision, hands shaking, can't even pick up the bow? Arjuna felt that on a battlefield. The advice: control the action, release the outcome.
Who it's for
Chapter 1 is a vivid picture of someone freezing under pressure: Arjuna's limbs give way, his mouth dries, he trembles, his bow slips from his hand, and he sits down refusing to act.
Feelings it meets
What it is
The Bhagavad Gita is a Hindu scripture of 18 chapters and about 700 verses that forms part of the Mahabharata epic and is traditionally attributed to the sage Vyasa. It is set on the battlefield of Kurukshetra just before a war: the warrior prince Arjuna sees relatives, teachers and friends in the opposing army and is overcome by moral crisis and doubt about whether to fight.
Where to find it
Older translations (e.g., Edwin Arnold's 'The Song Celestial', 1885) are public domain and free on Project Gutenberg. Eknath Easwaran's (Nilgiri Press) and Laurie Patton's (Penguin) translations are i.
Before you start
Heads up: War themes and images of destruction.
Age: Ages 12+
We read the world wrong and say that it deceives us.Rabindranath Tagore, Stray Birds, no. 75
