“A sacred text is like a life-long relationship and a divine blessing which will not reveal all its secrets the first time you go through it. One has to put many hours and days and days of hard work to understand its heart and soul.”
Marketing and advertising professional turned author Richa Tilokani has very beautifully put in these two lines what Bhagwat Gita can mean to many.
The millennium old knowledge that has been passed down through tradition was lost and revived many a times. The original Bhagwat Gita in Sanskrit is such that only enlightened Masters can decipher it and make others understand its meaning. However, the author has meticulously undergone intensive research and written the book in English which anyone can just pick from the shelf and start reading with ease.
The language of the book is simple and profound. The author has taken care of explaining each and every shloka in a very lucid manner as the narration flows from Arjun Vishad Yoga to Karma Yoga, Dhyan Yoga to Bhakti Yoga to Mokshaya Sansya Yoga. Reading the book helps us take refuge in the Divine through wisdom. The characters and their deep meaning conversation come alive effortlessly as we read the chapters.
Yes, the beauty of The Teachings of Bhagwat Gita by Richa Tilokani lies in this! Simplicity of words.
She has made the spiritual knowledge simple and easy to understand. This makes the book a perfect tool to handle daily life situations for everyone. Teachings of Bhagwat Gita are not limited to any age, sect or region. It is universal in nature and applicable to one and all. People from across the globe can pick and read the book as the teachings are pertinent to entire humanity.
The book is in English, but the author has sprinkled some Sanskrit words at places from the original text. Each chapter has been named in English as well as retains the actual Sanskrit heading eg. Sankhya Yoga, Karma Yoga etc. retaining the soul of the sacred book.
Those who have read the Bhagwat Gita in Sanskrit may miss reading the shlokas. But nevertheless, even for them the simplified translation of the shlokas is way of reading and revising. As we know, the more we read Bhagwat Gita, the more the transcendental knowledge gets established in us.
What I loved about the book is that towards the end of each chapter, author has conscientiously made bullet points of essence of the chapter. This makes it easy for a layman to understand it better with reference to context with modern life. How and why one must understand Him? How this philosophy is still relevant today? What are the benefits of implementing its tools and teachings? The author has summed it all.
Reading and comprehending Bhagwat Gita is not easy. But it is impressive to see how well Richa has understood the philosophy and has put it down for the readers to understand it. As she writes in the preface “I was taught the Bhagwat Gita- which is a part of the epic Mahabharata written by the sage Vyasa- by my grandfather Pandit Vishnukant Shastri who was a revered scholar and a true devotee of Lord Rama.” No doubt, it is not possible to write a book on Bhagwat Gita until and unless it is well engrained in the DNA. The deep understanding of the subject by the author is well reflected in the book.
In today’s world where pandemic is causing a lot of turbulence and people are drifting away from their roots, the author has done an earnest job of bringing this transcendental knowledge to the readers. I recommend this book as a perfect gift for anyone across different age group around the globe. It can be understood easily by children as well as by senior citizens, by a layman as well as by a yogi. The book is a must have in have in every household and institution.
The book runs with a pace that holds the interest of the reader. The book narrates like a story book with moral values. If you are a connoisseur of Bhagwat Gita, you can just go on reading from one chapter to another back to back. If you are reading it for the first time you can read and savour the book at your pace.
If you haven’t read Bhagwat Gita, thinking it to be heavily loaded with knowledge, this book is the perfect platform to make you understand its basics. If you are a savant in Bhagwat Gita, again this book is perfect to help you revise and reflect. The book empowers the reader in every way.
The super-secret knowledge, guhyam gyan given to Arjun in the battlefield has been beautifully presented by the author. The book is an epitome of knowledge and philosophical discourse written in impeccable English. I personally feel the book deserves a hard cover so that it can be preserved and passed on from one generation to another. She has done a great service to the humanity by presenting ‘The teachings of Bhagwat Gita’ in such a simple form. The knowledge that uplifts and establishes the good in humans in Bhagwat Gita is here to stay and ready to go from house to house.
Chrysanthemum Chronicles' Verdict: Reading Richa Tilokani’s The Teachings Of Bhagwat Gita, Timeless Wisdom For The Modern Age, I felt that even though it is the most simple form of Bhagwat Gita, some may fail to understand the transcendental knowledge. I would say, it is ok, read it and let the seed for its understanding be sown, that would manifest into a tree bearing fruits sooner or later.
Review by Associate Editor & Senior Correspondent
Shristee Singh
Richa Tilokani holds a Masters Degree in business administration (MBA) from SP Jain Institute of Marketing & Research, Mumbai. She is a marketing, communication and advertising professional who loves writing books and poems. She has contributed to myriad magazines, newspapers, blogs and anthologies; writing on wellness, travel, fashion, lifestyle and culture. Her first book The Teachings of Bhagavad Gita- Timeless Wisdom for the Modern Age was published in 2021. She lives in Chennai.