This is not a straight english translation of gita.
Instead, I found this book is inspiring me to learn sanskrit and read gita in its original language.

“All the Upanishads are like cows, Partha [Arjuna] is the calf and the learned drink, the milk that is the great ambrosia of the Gita.”
--Gita Dhayanam (9 verse long Sanskrit poem sung before the Gita)

“The Bhagvad Gita for millennials” is perhaps a very fresh and modernized approach to throw light upon the Gita. In a very holistic portrayal, Bibek Debroy captures the essence of the Bhagavad Gita in a personalized manner, giving us a new commentary on the scripture.

Most of the current generation’s idea of the Gita (and many of the older generations’ too) perhaps starts and culminates in 2 very well-known verses. One being verse 4.7: “Yada Yada Hi Dharmasya Glanirbhavati Bharata….” and the other being verse 2.47: “Karmanye Vadikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana.…” Thus, a book that caters exclusively to the need of the millennials was quite necessary and very much anticipated, and Debroy with his mastery of the ancient Hindu Sanskrit texts, writes a book that can be both called as an introduction to the Gita, or perhaps even a shrunk, summarized gist of the essential concepts of the Gita.

This edition hasn’t been made into a complete and sequentially intact translation of the Gita (since there exists many already). What is different in this book is that the book is a very apt discussion of philosophy, and also spiritual discourses. The tone of the book is thereby referential, bridging gaps between the Gita and also other related scriptures. We get to see a limited quantity of the verses mentioned in the Gita, but they appear as citations. It is somewhat of a guide that is meant to open the eyes of the readers the giant pool of ideologies and allegories that is housed in the Gita—urging them to read upon it more, ponder over questions and delve deeper. I could metaphorically represent the thought behind the book as this: imagine the discussion and analysis made in the book as the pearls shining on the riverbed, but to get a glimpse of the whole ornament, you have to dig deeper. Such is the book. It entices us to read further, gives enough stimuli that will perhaps make us treat the book as the grand doorway that marks the entry to a more detailed understanding of such mature scriptures.

A question that can come to the mind is, how has the book adapted to be millenial-centric? As far my understanding goes, this book can work very well for someone who isn’t accustomed to the notion of the Gita (a beginner), or someone who feels lost in the vast expanse of Gita. Keeping in mind the level and the maturity of the audience, Bibek Debroy ensures not to make the book very prescriptive or normative. In a vague attempt to make the Gita more graspable, he writes a very open-minded discussion, infused with stories, references, translations, analysis that can familiarise us with how unanimous and massive the Gita is. With the difficulty level toned down, and the complexity somewhat simplified, reading this edition requires almost no prerequisite knowledge of the religious texts. In a minimised and condensed fashion, the book can become a guiding light leading the path to a more nuanced consumption of the scriptures. As one goes deeper into this book, its certain to make the reader perplexed at times, but as Debroy takes us through a camaraderie of Sanskrit syllables and modern alphabets, of the shrutis and the smritis, of puranas and itihas, of atman and brahman, of superiority and generality, additions versus dismissals—this book ultimately highlights a friendship between what is ancient and what is modern, carving a method of coexistence between familiarity and novelty.

Thanks Rupa Publications for the copy.