The Bhagavad Gita: As It Is, to me is a book that is something you pick up with the purpose you will not have when you put it down. I find every time I pick it up for one Intention, my Intentions shift a little.

The translator and purport author is His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada founder-Acarya of ISKCON, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. His purports and life story has been read, watched, and listened to by me a few thousand times in the last six years. He really does feel like another one of my grandfathers that passed before I was able to meet them.

The original author of the Bhagavad Gita is Vyasa recounting the exact words Krishna spoke on the battlefield of Kurukshetra to Arjuna. The Bhagavad Gita actually is a small subset of another of my favorite books I will speak about next the Mahabharata.

Every time I re-read The Bhagavad Gita: As It Is, I find it is a lot like Church. We hear similar verses, with the similar sermon, given by the same or similar Pastor a year a part; but somehow, we find completely different meanings every single time.

As I am always saying the material world of the Maya Express is constantly trying to find ways to keep us off our paths. So, at first, I would nitpick as the Maya Express would take a piece that doesn’t reflect the overall story and twist it to find faults in the whole story. I would put it down. Debate out loud. Eventually going back and finishing it.

Nowadays, I spend a lot of time with the Bible and the Gita all around me. From Church to Temple to my home Sanctuary. Most of my days I find myself in the comfort of debate with thousands of biblical verses and Sanskrit slokas that I have read and studied.

Somedays, some parts will really tickle my nerve. So, I will debate with Prabhupada a verse or move over the debate to Krishna and I will discuss it with Him. Other times I will discuss with Jesus and the Bible as well. I literally have them on my windowsill above my laptop right now.

I even have Them on my dashboard to keep me from being too big of a jerk behind the wheel.

All of these inner dialogues are just ways to talk things out with the Source. Our Spiritual Guide. Whomever you see that Guide as, just talk it out.

I think that is what the Bhagavad Gita: As It Is has become for me. It isn’t just a Spiritual text that I can quote to defend some material world debate of politics or theological differences.

Instead, it has become the firm railing along my Spiritual Path.

The Bhagavad Gita: As It Is, is a guide, that I use to guide me in my work every day. In my family choices every day. In my many choices throughout the day, every snack, every meal, every conversation, every word typed.

I don’t use The Bhagavad Gita: As It Is (and more recently included the Bible) as companions to prove my religious beliefs are better than yours.

I use Them to feel the Love that is found inside of Them; and let that Love guide me in the decisions I make for me. I use Their guidance to help me make the best decisions and words to express myself with the best Path of Intentions.

If I had to summarize what The Bhagavad Gita: As It Is means to me, I would start with this.

The purpose of The Bhagavad Gita: As It Is, is NOT to help you prove yourself better than everyone else, its purpose is to help you find you. Just like the fact we are different every time the earth rotates around the sun; you will find more of you, every time you re-read The Bhagavad Gita: As It Is.

The Bhagavad Gita: As It Is

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada

This was one of many books that has helped guide me on the new Path of Mindfulness I was about to endeavor on next.