The Philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita: An Analytical Study of Moral and Metaphysical Foundations

This book delves into the moral and metaphysical foundations of the philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita into two parts. Part one explores the moral philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita (Gita), detailing the structure of moral actions, the nature of moral agency, and the primacy of free will within a universe governed by eternal divine laws. The second part of this book examines the divine order of the universe, explaining the nature of the supreme Godhead that orchestrates the cosmos according to fixed moral laws, or dharma.

Unlike traditional commentaries, this book offers an analytical study of Gita’s core moral and metaphysical concepts. It elucidates why moral agents must detach from their actions and surrender their ego and agency to Godhead, viewing their actions as offerings or yajna. It provides a roadmap for overcoming temporal struggles to attain the timeless reality of the Divine.

Presenting the Gita as an open-ended philosophical text, this book addresses how ordinary individuals can lead morally enlightened and spiritually fulfilled lives.

Ramesh Chandra Pradhan is a former Professor of Philosophy, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India where he taught philosophy since 1987. Before this he also taught philosophy at Utkal University, Bhubaneswar and Karnataka University, Dharwad. He was Commonwealth Academic Staff Fellow at the University of Oxford during 1990-1991. His research interests include philosophy of Wittgenstein, Philosophy of Language, Philosophy of Mind, and Metaphysics. He has published many papers and books in these areas. His recent publications include Mind, Meaning and World (Spinger 2019), Metaphysics of Consciousness (Springer 2020), The Early Philosophy of Daya Krishna (Spinger 2021), Metaphysical Idealism (CSP, Uk, 2024) and Ethics, Self and the World (Springer 2024).