The Self cannot be pierced by weapons or burned by fire; water cannot wet it, nor can the wind dry it. The Self cannot be pierced or burned, made wet or dry. It is everlasting and infinite, standing on the motionless foundation of eternity. (Page 11)

In 2006, I’ve read 100 books. I wanted my 100th book of the year to be symbolic, so I chose the Bhagavad Gita, a Hindu scripture that’s very meaningful to me. In truth, I’ve probably read this book several times over the course of the year. In particular, I studied Chapter 6 in-depth, learning and memorising the verses in the ancient Sanskrit language.

This translation of the Gita, by Eknath Easwaran, remains my favourite although I’ve read numerous others. The Bhagavad Gita is a small part of a larger work called the Mahabharata. It describes an epic battle between two warring clans, the Kurus and the Pandavas.

Arjuna, a warrior, hesitates in battle because he sees friends and family fighting on both sides; he doesn’t wish to kill those he loves and respects. Luckily for Arjune, his charioteer, Krishna, is actually an incarnation of Divine Consiousness. In this moment of indecision, Krishna instructs Arjuna, revealing the paths to unity with God:knowledge, devotion, action, and meditation and persuading him that he must follow his Dharma and fight the battle.

The story is a metaphor for the struggle that exists within each one of us to find our own path and find meaning in life. Eknath Easwaran calls it ‘the war within.’ The battle is between two parts of human nature and we choose between them every day. According to the Gita, our destiny is in our own hands and we shape it by our choices, by how we choose to live.

This volume is my favourite translation of the Gita, but there are many. Another that I often recommend is Jack Hawley’s ‘The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners.’ This short, profound little book has changed my life in so many ways. I reread it every year and recommend it to everyone I know.