Sacred Hindu scripture is freshly presented in adventurous, contemporary English poetry, capturing the wildness of the original Sanskrit language that has been lost in generations of listless prose translations. Long considered among the most important texts in the history of literature and philosophy, the 700 verses here capture the dialogue between Krishna, revered by Hindus as a manifestation of God, and the character of Arjuna on the battlefield before the start of the Kurukshetra War. Explaining not only the duties of a warrior but also elaborating upon different Yogic and Vedantic philosophies through examples and analogies, this major ancient Indian epic has often been described as a concise introduction to Hindu theology and a practical, self-contained guide to life.