"The Bhagavad Gita opens with one of the most compelling scenes in Indian, or world, literature. This new translation by Stanley Lombardo stays as close to the original Sanskrit as possible, despite differences in English and Sanskrit idiom and sentence structure. Close attention is paid to readability, sensitivity to the tonal range, and capturing some sense of the original's rhythmic movement. An illuminating Introduction and Afterword by Richard H. Davis place the poem in historical and cultural context. This volume is intended for both the student and scholar, as well as the general reader"--