by Jagadeesh (Author)
The Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads are two of the most important works in Hinduism, and they are deeply intertwined with each other. The Bhagavad Gita is a part of the Mahabharata epic, in which the warrior Arjuna is faced with a difficult moral dilemma. After much deliberation, Krishna, as his friend and advisor, gives Arjuna insight and advice based on the teachings found in Upanishadic texts. Thus, many of the concepts found in the Bhagavad Gita - such as reincarnation, dharma (duty), karma (action) and moksha (freedom from rebirth) - directly stem from ideas found in the Upanishadic tradition. Together, these two texts lay out the pattern for living a righteous life within Hinduism.
Without reading the Upanishads, we cannot gain a comprehensive understanding of the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, as they are closely intertwined. In this book, I have made a humble attempt to explain each chapter of the Bhagavad Gita in relation to the Upanishads.