The Philosophy of the Bhagavad-Gita

This thematic exploration of a key Indological text boldly argues that the philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita is holistically distinctive.

Ithamar Theodor (Author)

9781009628457, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 20 November 2025

210 pages
23.5 x 16.1 x 1.5 cm, 0.44 kg

'The Bhagavad Gita shares in the pluralism of the Hindu tradition, and therefore one can see how its teachings can be aligned with the basic doctrines of different schools of thought. This, however, has the unfortunate consequence of preventing the identification of the doctrines of the Bhagavad Gita on their own terms, which will fully respect its pluralism but would not make it a handmaiden of pre-existing schools of thought. When such attempts have been made in the past, they have been made by people who were interested in the confessional study of religion. The present book constitutes a serious attempt by an academic scholar of the Bhagavad Gita to outline its teachings through some key terms, but without anchoring them in pre-existing schools of thought or giving them a confessional turn. I recommend this significant monograph warmly.' Arvind Sharma, Birks Professor of Comparative Religion, McGill University

The Bhagavad Gita is a world classic often considered to be not just the 'Hindu Bible' but sometimes the 'Indian Bible' as well. Over the last two centuries, it has attracted much scholarly attention from Indologists. Ithamar Theodor's bold and revisionist monograph aspires to further develop their scholarship by treating the Gita as a discrete philosophy and by offering a systematic survey of its main topics and doctrines, in so doing emphasising their philosophical potential. A major innovation here is the articulation of the Gita's structure extracted from Vedantic and Yogic pattens of thought, presented in a modern fashion. This centres on the Gita's Vedantic concept of hierarchical reality and its Yogic concept of a ladder. Beyond its overarching philosophical and holistic approach to the Bhagavad Gita, the book addresses major themes such as dharma, rebirth, Yoga and Sankhya, bhakti, the Upanishadic nature of the text, and concepts of divinity.

Acknowledgements
1. Applying a philosophical approach
2. Dharma, karma-yoga and dharma-yoga
3. Rebirth in the Bhagavad-Gītā
4. Yoga in the Bhagavad-Gītā
5. Sāṅkhya in the Bhagavad-Gītā
6. Jñāna and the Upaniṣadic nature of the Bhagavad-Gītā
7. Bhakti in the Bhagavad-Gītā
8. Concepts of Divinity in the Bhagavad-Gītā
9. The Bhagavad-Gita's educational doctrine
10. Glossary
11. Bibliography
12. Index.

Subject Areas: Buddhism [HRE]