Book Review | Aksara Bhagvad Gita | The Literature Today

Concept- This book is a non-conforming, concept driven study which breaks the persisting semantic and syntactic versions of Bhagvad Gita. We are flooded with a plethora of commentaries and versions of Gita in our religious landscape, then where does this book stand in this crowd? Is it like selling the same old version under a new cover design? The answer is a big No. This book is embellished with a new approach; be it in content or presentation. It is more like a fictionalized background to depict the realistic essence of Gita. As we perceive Gita as the word of God, we often take it as non-negotiable and uncompromising element which our Almighty is communicating. However, there prevails a non-word component of communication by God which unfortunately remained untouched or unveiled from the human race. This book is going to be an effort to bring in harmony and peace amongst the otherwise lost religious bigots through unleashing the non-word component of Gita. It is going to serve like a template to understand the religious scriptures through an observational phenomena and experiential reality. 

Representation- Well! To say the least, representation is unique. This book is not deciphering the meaning of life through Krishna’s preaching and Arjuna’s miasma of doubts. Instead, this book has realistic characters from our very own world or era who thrives to understand what Gita means or how Gita is incorporated in their daily endeavours. Aksara Bhagvad Gita starts with Christine’s book launch and travels to a galore of protagonists who harbour their own unique version of Gita. The narrative progresses through a debate between two different ideologies, making the storyline more lucid.

This book answers the questions of life by exploring the type of interpretation that is to be made. This depends on the personae of the reader, the circumstances, place time, and other variables. That’s why I say; when you read this book, you’ll get a variable of answer for a single query. As they say; after interpretation, cross-check formulae for verifying the correctness and the extent of correctness and here the book comes to tell you that the best cross check would always be personal experience and self-perception.

Significance of this Book- This book has landed in an appropriate frame of time when the world is more divided than ever. Every religion proclaims to be the healer and humans are drowning in the sea of orthodoxy without knowing who is correct and who is wrong. Gita serves as a book of knowledge, a manual for consultation as a reference book, as a solution provider to those at cross roads. You may consult it to overcome a particular problem, to get a true perspective of Puranas or Scriptures, to conclude the right course of action or to develop a love for God, or to get Moksha.

Target Readers- A good reader is first a believer of the concept. Language is fluid, presentation is realistic; thus anyone can read this book. A believer in God would find this book though provoking while a dogmatic or a bigot would chomp it over with criticism. 

Language- Fluid and intelligible. Constructive approach has been inducted which in turn will serve as a food for thought. The book is long; of course Gita forms the essence of human life and it cannot be over within 100 pages. Though long, the interesting narrative make it a good read. 

Cover Design- It is imperative to have a silhouette of Lord Krishna and Arjuna in a Chariot for any book that delves into Gita. Cover design is subtle, simple and elegant and fitting for this book.  

Overall, Aksara Bhagvad Gita is a novel and intelligent approach in deciphering the true meaning of life through incorporating the verses of Gita.