What do you think?
Rate this book
SHREEMAD BHAGVAD GEETA (SAMPURNA GEETA
The Song of Eternity -- A dialogue between Lord Krishna the divine in us and Arjuna the symbol of our deluded ego (jeevabhava) -- How our mental confusion, delusion, desires, passions etc destroy our inner peace and how to overcome them is indicated -- Geeta is a consolation to the bereaved, disillusioned, disappointed, morally slipped and spiritually fallen -- It is a guidance to a politician, businessman and teenagers. The grand vision of the universe and all pervasiveness of God indicated -- The secret of action pointed out -- How one can step up efficiency, inner peace, concentration, usefulness to others and joy to himself is indicated -- Tips for effective meditation given -- Nature of the perfect man pointed out -- Science of spiritual growth, spiritual fall and impotent stagnation is indicated -- The beauty of the spirit and the ways of reaching the divine goal are indicated and that is the glory of Geeta.
- GenresReligion
1527 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2018
About the author
Chinmayananda
386 books143 followersChinmayananda Saraswati, also known as Swami Chinmayananda and born Balakrishnan Menon, was an Indian spiritual leader and teacher who inspired the formation of Chinmaya Mission in 1953 to spread the message of Vedanta. The organization, which was founded by his disciples and led by him, has over 300 centres in India and internationally.
He was a disciple of Sivananda Saraswati at Rishikesh, who founded the Divine Life Society. He was later advised by Sivananda to study under Tapovan Maharaj in Uttarkashi in the Himalayas.
He was a disciple of Sivananda Saraswati at Rishikesh, who founded the Divine Life Society. He was later advised by Sivananda to study under Tapovan Maharaj in Uttarkashi in the Himalayas.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 4, 2018
Very useful and handy
Three cheers to Kindle for introducing Sanskrit texts ... Three cheers to Chinmaya Mission for digitising their texts ... very useful translation of Srimad Bhagavad Gita with English translation and transliteration by Swami Chinmayananda
Three cheers to Kindle for introducing Sanskrit texts ... Three cheers to Chinmaya Mission for digitising their texts ... very useful translation of Srimad Bhagavad Gita with English translation and transliteration by Swami Chinmayananda
March 10, 2018
Amazing book on spirituality and self-improvement
March 5, 2019
A manual for living life to the fullest!
March 17, 2019
The words of God Himself..
February 24, 2026
Sri Rama Gita is a relatively lesser-known but deeply rich text within the Vedantic tradition, and Swami Chinmayananda's commentary on it brings his characteristic clarity and directness to what is essentially a conversation between Rama and Lakshmana on the nature of the Self.
The text itself is drawn from the Adhyatma Ramayana, where after returning to Ayodhya, Lakshmana approaches Rama not as a brother seeking casual wisdom but as a sincere disciple seeking liberation. This shift — from the epic narrative of the Ramayana to a purely philosophical dialogue — is what makes the Sri Rama Gita unique. It transforms Rama from a heroic king into an Acharya, a teacher of Advaita Vedanta, and the whole drama of the Ramayana becomes a kind of prologue to this final philosophical flowering.
The central teaching follows the classical Advaitic framework: the individual self (jiva) is not separate from Brahman, the ultimate reality. Rama explains that ignorance (avidya) is the root of all bondage and that the world of names and forms, however vivid and compelling, is ultimately superimposed on the one undivided Consciousness. Lakshmana's questions are beautifully structured — he asks with genuine puzzlement rather than intellectual cleverness — and this gives Rama the occasion to build the teaching in an accessible, step-by-step way.
What Chinmayananda does particularly well in his commentary is anchor the abstract Vedantic concepts in the emotional and devotional register that the Ramayana already carries. For most readers, Rama is not just a philosophical figure — he is beloved, worshipped, emotionally close. Chinmayananda uses this pre-existing relationship between the reader and Rama to make the Advaitic teaching less intimidating. When Rama says that he is pure Consciousness, the reader doesn't receive this as a cold metaphysical claim but as something said by someone they trust and love. This is pedagogically quite sophisticated.
Chinmayananda also emphasizes the role of the Guru-disciple relationship throughout, treating the Rama-Lakshmana dynamic as a model for how knowledge must be transmitted — not through books alone but through a living encounter between a realized teacher and a prepared student. Lakshmana's preparation, forged through years of selfless service and renunciation during the exile, is implicitly presented as the reason he is now capable of receiving this teaching. This reflects the classical insistence in Vedanta that jnana (knowledge) alone isn't sufficient without a purified mind.
The text also touches on the nature of maya and how the world, though not ultimately real in the absolute sense, is not to be dismissed or despised. Chinmayananda is careful to guard against a misreading of Advaita as nihilism or world-rejection. The point isn't that the world doesn't exist, but that it has no independent existence apart from Consciousness. This is a subtle but important distinction, and his commentary handles it with care.
One of the more striking aspects of the dialogue is how Rama deals with the question of action and renunciation. For someone like Rama, who has just fought a cosmic war, the question of whether action and knowledge can coexist is deeply personal. The teaching here resonates with the Bhagavad Gita's doctrine of nishkama karma — action without attachment — but is given a distinctly Advaitic coloring: the realized person acts, but there is no sense of individual doership. The ego has dissolved; what remains acts spontaneously, like a river flowing to the sea.
Compared to the Bhagavad Gita, the Sri Rama Gita is shorter and less philosophically dense, but it has an intimacy and warmth that is all its own. The brotherly love between Rama and Lakshmana softens the teaching without diluting it. Chinmayananda was particularly drawn to texts that bridged bhakti and jnana, devotion and knowledge, and this text sits beautifully at that intersection. His commentary is accessible without being simplistic, and it works well both for someone new to Vedanta and for someone revisiting foundational ideas with fresh eyes.
The text itself is drawn from the Adhyatma Ramayana, where after returning to Ayodhya, Lakshmana approaches Rama not as a brother seeking casual wisdom but as a sincere disciple seeking liberation. This shift — from the epic narrative of the Ramayana to a purely philosophical dialogue — is what makes the Sri Rama Gita unique. It transforms Rama from a heroic king into an Acharya, a teacher of Advaita Vedanta, and the whole drama of the Ramayana becomes a kind of prologue to this final philosophical flowering.
The central teaching follows the classical Advaitic framework: the individual self (jiva) is not separate from Brahman, the ultimate reality. Rama explains that ignorance (avidya) is the root of all bondage and that the world of names and forms, however vivid and compelling, is ultimately superimposed on the one undivided Consciousness. Lakshmana's questions are beautifully structured — he asks with genuine puzzlement rather than intellectual cleverness — and this gives Rama the occasion to build the teaching in an accessible, step-by-step way.
What Chinmayananda does particularly well in his commentary is anchor the abstract Vedantic concepts in the emotional and devotional register that the Ramayana already carries. For most readers, Rama is not just a philosophical figure — he is beloved, worshipped, emotionally close. Chinmayananda uses this pre-existing relationship between the reader and Rama to make the Advaitic teaching less intimidating. When Rama says that he is pure Consciousness, the reader doesn't receive this as a cold metaphysical claim but as something said by someone they trust and love. This is pedagogically quite sophisticated.
Chinmayananda also emphasizes the role of the Guru-disciple relationship throughout, treating the Rama-Lakshmana dynamic as a model for how knowledge must be transmitted — not through books alone but through a living encounter between a realized teacher and a prepared student. Lakshmana's preparation, forged through years of selfless service and renunciation during the exile, is implicitly presented as the reason he is now capable of receiving this teaching. This reflects the classical insistence in Vedanta that jnana (knowledge) alone isn't sufficient without a purified mind.
The text also touches on the nature of maya and how the world, though not ultimately real in the absolute sense, is not to be dismissed or despised. Chinmayananda is careful to guard against a misreading of Advaita as nihilism or world-rejection. The point isn't that the world doesn't exist, but that it has no independent existence apart from Consciousness. This is a subtle but important distinction, and his commentary handles it with care.
One of the more striking aspects of the dialogue is how Rama deals with the question of action and renunciation. For someone like Rama, who has just fought a cosmic war, the question of whether action and knowledge can coexist is deeply personal. The teaching here resonates with the Bhagavad Gita's doctrine of nishkama karma — action without attachment — but is given a distinctly Advaitic coloring: the realized person acts, but there is no sense of individual doership. The ego has dissolved; what remains acts spontaneously, like a river flowing to the sea.
Compared to the Bhagavad Gita, the Sri Rama Gita is shorter and less philosophically dense, but it has an intimacy and warmth that is all its own. The brotherly love between Rama and Lakshmana softens the teaching without diluting it. Chinmayananda was particularly drawn to texts that bridged bhakti and jnana, devotion and knowledge, and this text sits beautifully at that intersection. His commentary is accessible without being simplistic, and it works well both for someone new to Vedanta and for someone revisiting foundational ideas with fresh eyes.
June 11, 2023
The Rama Gita is a part of Adhyatma Ramayana: The Spiritual Version of the Rama Saga. It contains Rama's spiritual instruction to his beloved brother Lakṣmaṇa. It presents the Upanishadic thought in a nutshell, in a lucid manner. It is a practical guide for one following the Advaitic method of contemplating on the reality.
Swami Chinmayananda's commentary on Sri Rama Gita reveals the deep significance of each verse and helps in getting a profound understanding of the text.
Swami Chinmayananda's commentary on Sri Rama Gita reveals the deep significance of each verse and helps in getting a profound understanding of the text.
December 5, 2019
The very first book mentioning yoga. Ever. Considered a holy book by an entire continent. To be read with an open mind, and a strong willingness to change its inner self. Among the mandatory readings for future yoga teachers. Full of ancient wisdom and in connection with so many things you learn in a YTT (yoga Teacher Training). It’s the kind of book you read, and re-read, and comeback to so many times in your life.
August 12, 2023
The answers to all the questions, asked or unasked.
January 22, 2023
Some important excerpts can be found at my blog post
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews