In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna first appears to the broken-hearted Arjuna, who is slumped and crying on the battlefield between the army’s of the Pandavas watching as his friends and neighbors on both sides shed blood. He asks God how this can be, how this killing can be right, and Krishna responds in a stern and loving manner. Krishna tells him, “Only the man who is unmoved by sensations, the wise man indifferent to pleasure, to pain, is fit for becoming deathless.” As they talk on the battlefield, Krishna pours his wisdom onto Arjuna like a sweet nectar. In beautiful, simple stanzas he tells him the power of non-attachment and the strength of Self it creates.

The Bhagavad Gita, which means Song of the Lord, is one of the most read spiritual books on the planet. It is a practical guide for acting within the world, finding and seeing through one’s duty while developing non-attachment to the results of one’s work and relationships. It offers advice and life lessons in the form of a conversation between Arjuna and Krishna, so that we can move through life with the least amount of suffering and mental agitation. I can’t recommend reading something more! It’s short, too, so don’t be intimidated!