Essays on the Gita is a compilation of Sri Aurobindo's writings that were initially published in the Arya. In these essays, Aurobindo explores the Bhagavad Gita's spiritual philosophy and its practical application to human life.Sri Aurobindo’s Essays on the Gita explores the philosophy and method of self-discipline as presented in the Bhagavad Gita. Aurobindo emphasizes the Gita's unique position among religious texts, as it is embedded within the epic history of the Mahabharata. This context is crucial because the teachings arise from a critical moment in Arjuna's life, who is faced with a violent and terrible action. Aurobindo urges readers to consider the setting and the characters to fully grasp the Gita's central ideas. Aurobindo highlights three spiritually significant elements within the Gita: the divine personality of the Teacher (Krishna), the relationship between the Teacher and the disciple (Arjuna), and the occasion of the teaching (the battlefield of Kurukshetra). He points out that the divine Teacher, the internal Divinity, is always present in every human being. This God in man takes possession of human consciousness and becomes a guide, illuminating the meaning of life and the secret of divine action.

Spiritual and Ethical Guidance: The teaching of the Gita must be regarded not merely in the light of a general spiritual philosophy or ethical doctrine, but as bearing upon a practical crisis in the application of ethics and spirituality to human life. Synthesis of Yogas: The core message of the Gita is fundamentally the same as that of the Integral Yoga. It teaches the art of acting with perfect surrender, even with violence wherever required, to bring justice where adharma prevails, with an unwavering divine compassion instead of pity, as demonstrated by Kali and Shiva. Relevance to Modern Readers: It summarizes the deep wisdom of the older and more arcane Vedas and Upanishads and makes it practical and accessible to the modern reader and to daily life. Exploration of Key Concepts: In his second volume, the author delves into the next three chapters, namely, Kurukshetra, Man and the Battle of Life and The Creed of the Aryan Fighter.

The Divine Teacher: Sri Krishna is shown as the Lord of Yoga, the Avatāra and Puruṣottama, the highest Being, who is the knower of many births and who is not bound by any law. The Teacher of the Gita is therefore not only the God in man who veils himself in the world of knowledge, but the God in man who moves our whole world of action, by and for whom all our humanity exists and struggles and labors, towards whom all human life travels and progresses. He is the secret Master of works and sacrifice and the Friend of the human peoples. Sri Krishna specifically took a human birth in the age of the Dvāparayuga with a mission to reestablish dharma or righteousness on earth even if it involved war and destruction. The Human Disciple: The Divine Teacher identifies his ideal instrument, Arjuna, in order to achieve his goal of reinstating dharma. Arjuna is the most valiant kṣatriya, or noble warrior, who gets completely disoriented when faced with the gruesome prospect of killing those whom he reveres most. The Lord calls upon Arjuna to continue to do his kartavyam karma or ‘the action to be performed’. The Synthesis of Inner and Outer Struggle: The Gita lays stress upon the struggle of which the world is the theatre, in its two aspects, the inner struggle and the outer battle. In the inner struggle, the enemies are within, in the individual, and the slaying of desire, ignorance, egoism is the victory. But there is an outer struggle between the powers of the Dharma and the Adharma in the human collectivity. The former is supported by the divine, the godlike nature in man, and by those who represent it or strive to realize it in human life, the latter by the Titanic or demoniac, the Asuric and Rakshasic nature whose head is a violent egoism, and by those who represent and strive to satisfy it. War as a Harbinger of Progress: Contrary to the more ‘virtuous’ standpoint in support of a homogenised non-violent approach to reality despite provocations, the reader is systematically shown how war, under present evolutionary circumstances, often acts as the harbinger of great progress on various fronts when viewed through a broader lens. It leads to the establishment of a more unified world order as was the case with the formation of the United Nations after the two World Wars that were fought in quick succession during the past century. Similarly, the reader learns that Sri Krishna’s purpose for allowing the large-scale war to happen was to take India to the next level of its evolution, from being a clan-centric assortment of kingdoms to a nation-centric one.

Timeless Wisdom: The Gita is as if the bottomless sea, the source of a myriad gems and even a few of these jewels would be sufficient to enrich and transform an ordinary person into a wise and ardent devotee ready for inspired action in the face of the most challenging conflicts and life’s circumstances as critical as Arjuna’s dilemma of having to slaughter his beloved elders and teachers for a ‘mere’ kingdom. Influence on Indian Thought: The author shows that one of the prime objectives of the war was to bring together the scattered kingdoms in that age and forge a larger national unity—the Mahabharata, ‘Great-India’, after which the itihāsa (literally meaning ‘history’ in Sanskrit) is named. This is, subsequently, said to have played a significant role in the conceptualisation and formation of the geo-cultural-political entity called India or Bhārata today. Relevance Across Cultures: Often indeed the Gita itself suggests the wider scope that can in this way be given to an idea in itself local or limited. Thus it dwells on the ancient Indian system and idea of sacrifice as an interchange between gods and men, a system and idea which have long been practically obsolete in India itself and are no longer real to the general human mind; but we find here a sense so entirely subtle, figurative and symbolic given to the word sacrifice and the conception of the gods is so little local or mythological, so entirely cosmic and philosophical that we can easily accept both as expressive of a practical fact of psychology and general law of Nature and so.

Inspiration for Action: We see that the Gita is not meant to be yet another spiritual text revealed to an ascetic in the seclusion of a mountain cave. It is instead a clarion call for enlightened action in the midst of life, not just in moments of deep crisis, but potentially as a roadmap for every ‘(in)significant’ step in life. Promotion of Integral Living: Through these chapters, the author provides insightful details on the map of liberated actions as revealed by Sri Krishna to Arjuna in the Gita, and for a more integral living in the present age, based on his wide readings in Sri Aurobindo’s and The Mother’s writings and teachings. Encouragement of Evolution: This set of volumes shows at every step how the core message of the Gita is fundamentally the same as that of the Integral Yoga. It also serves to demonstrate how both Sri Aurobindo and The Mother inspired humankind to achieve the next level of evolution by bringing down the Supramental Consciousness.

\\\"Essays on the Gita\\\" Volume 2 by Sri Aurobindo, published in 1928, is a continuation of his profound analysis of the Bhagavad Gita, a key philosophical and spiritual text in Hinduism. In this volume, Aurobindo delves deeper into the teachings of the Gita, examining its various aspects and their implications for spiritual practice and understanding.Brief Overview: Philosophical Exploration: The volume continues Aurobindo?s exploration of the Gita?s philosophy, focusing on its concepts of divine will, knowledge, action, and devotion. Aurobindo presents a detailed interpretation of these concepts, showing how they interrelate and contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the Gita.Integration of Yoga Paths: Aurobindo discusses the integration of different paths of yoga as outlined in the Gita?specifically, Karma Yoga (the yoga of action), Jnana Yoga (the yoga of knowledge), and Bhakti Yoga (the yoga of devotion). He emphasizes how these paths are interconnected and how they contribute to spiritual evolution and liberation.Practical Application: The essays provide insights into how the Gita?s teachings can be applied in practical terms, offering guidance on how to incorporate its principles into daily life and spiritual practice.Transcendental Vision: Aurobindo elaborates on the Gita?s vision of the divine and the transcendental reality. He explores how the Gita?s teachings address the nature of the divine, the self, and the universe.Modern Relevance: The volume also addresses the relevance of the Gita?s teachings in the context of modern thought and contemporary spiritual practices, highlighting its enduring significance.Overall, Volume 2 of \\\"Essays on the Gita\\\" by Sri Aurobindo is a rich, insightful examination of the Bhagavad Gita?s teachings. It continues to offer a deep philosophical analysis and practical guidance based on the text, contributing to a broader understanding of its spiritual and philosophical dimensions.