Contains selected excerpts from Paramahansa Yogananda's complete commentary on the Bhagavad Gita: 'God talks with Arjuna: the Bhagavad Gita--a new translation and commentary.' Also, Yogananda's original translation of the Bhagavad Gita into English is included in uninterrupted sequential form--Provided by publisher Preface vii PART 1: Keys to the Gita's Wisdom 1. Introduction to The Song of the Spirit 3 Wisdom From an Ancient Higher Age of Civilization Cracking the Code of the Gita's Yogic Symbolism Bhagavan Krishna, Lord of Yoga: Divine Teacher of the Gita 2. The Spiritual Battle of Everyday Life 14 Using the Power of Introspection for a Victorious Life The Spiritual Battlefield of Man's Body and Mind Material Consciousness Versus Spiritual Consciousness Taking Sides in the War of Good Against Evil Soul Versus Ego 3. Yoga: The Method of Victory 25 Activating the Soul's Powers Through Meditation Spiritual Effects of the Practice of Yoga Awakening the Eightfold Essence of Yoga Within Yourself 4. The Psychological Forces That Oppose the Soul 40 Egoism (Symbolized by Bhishma) Kama (Lust) Symbolized by Duryodhana (Material Desire) The Good and Bad Power of Habit (Symbolized by Drona) 5. The Triumph of the Soul Through Practice of Yoga 48 Raja Yoga: The Highest Path Outer Renunciation, Scriptural Study, and Serviceful Action Are Bypaths Raja Yoga Is the True Culmination of All Religious Practices Kriya Yoga: The Essential Technique of Raja Yoga The Reign of King Soul in the Spiritualized Bodily Kingdom PART 2: The Bhagavad Gita (translation by Paramahansa Yogananda) I: The Despondency of Arjuna 59 II: Sankhya and Yoga: Cosmic Wisdom and the Method of Its Attainment 65 III: Karma Yoga: The Path of Spiritual Action 75 IV: The Supreme Science of Knowing God 82 V: Freedom Through Inner Renunciation 88 VI: Permanent Shelter in Spirit Through Yoga Meditation 93 VII: The Nature of Spirit and the Spirit of Nature 99 VIII: The Imperishable Absolute: Beyond the Cycles of Creation and Dissolution 103 IX: The Royal Knowledge, The Royal Mystery 107 X: The Infinite Manifestations of the Unmanifest Spirit 111 XI: Vision of Visions: The Lord Reveals His Cosmic Form 116 XII: Bhakti Yoga: Union Through Devotion 126 XIII: The Field and the Knower of the Field 129 XIV: Transcending the Gunas 134 XV: Purushottama: The Uttermost Being 137 XVI: Embracing the Divine and Shunning the Demonic 140 XVII: Three Kinds of Faith 143 XVIII: In Truth Do I Promise Thee: Thou Shalt Attain Me 147 Conclusion: Arise! Before you is the royal path! 156 About the Author 161 Index 173