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How to Read the Gita

How to begin the Gita and keep reading it: the order, a plain translation, a commentary and a question of your own, in a simple, a detailed and a deeper reading.

In brief

  • Begin with one question and one verse, not at page one.
  • Read in order the first time, with one plain translation.
  • Bring in a commentary after you have met the verse yourself.
  • The Gita asks you to reflect fully and then choose for yourself.

Many people open the Gita once and put it down again. This topic is for anyone who wants to begin and keep going. It covers where to start, in what order to read, which translation to use, when to turn to a commentary, and how to read with a question of your own.

The short answer is to begin with one question and one verse. In the first round, read in order with one plain translation, and bring in a commentary only after you have met the verse yourself.

It is the second step of the path Begin the Gita, after What Is the Gita? and before The Eighteen Chapters at a Glance.

There are three readings. The simple reading shows where to start on the first day. The detailed reading covers order, translation, commentary and your own question. The deeper reading takes one verse and reads it at five distances. If you cannot decide, try Not sure where to start? or Find something to read.

Read at your level

Same topic, three depths. Pick the one that fits you today; you can switch any time.

Start with Simple →

Simple New to this topic. Plain words, one idea at a time. Where Should You Start Reading the Gita? A Simple Way to Begin on Day One You do not need to start at page one; chapter 1 is the scene, and the teaching begins in chapter 2. 5 min · Read → In Depth Know the basics. Verse by verse, with reasons. How to Read the Gita: Order, Translation, Commentary and a Question of Your Own Four choices decide how you read the Gita: the order, the translation, the commentary and a question of your own. 10 min · Read → Deeper Want the text itself: Sanskrit terms, commentary, close reading. Reading One Verse at Five Distances: Gita 2.47, from a Single Word to Your Own Life A verse is read at five distances: its words, its sentence, the verses around it, the whole Gita and your own life. 12 min · Read → Quick summary Short on time. The whole topic in a few minutes. How to Read the Gita: Quick Summary Begin with one question and one verse. 9 min · Read →

Key shlokas

Part of these learning paths

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