Dance of Divine Love

In the BHAGAVAD GITA the "dance" of divine love takes the form of a vibrant dialogue between Divinity and Devotee, in poetry, philosophy, and divine affection. This introduction to and new translation of the BHAGAVAD GITA will be coming out from Harper San Francisco / Harper Collins on May 1st, 2007.

“Graham Schweig's felicitous translation of the Gita deserves to be called a translational classic in its own right.”

---Arvind Sharma, Professor of Religion, McGill University

“Graham Schweig's new, beautiful, and accessible translation of the Gita, backed by his enormous knowledge and authoritative commentary, will remain the standard text of this marvelous Song for years to come, if indeed it is ever superseded.”

---Huston Smith, author of The World's Religions

“Graham Schweig's translation combines a subtle feel for the Sankrit text along with its distinct poetic rhythms and syntax, and a clear rendering of the text's difficult philosophical ideas---the English is crystal clear and eminently readable.”

---Ariel Glucklich, Professor of Theology (Hinduism), Georgetown University

THE BHAGAVAD GITA COMES TO US FROM SACRED INDIA. Its verses of ancient wisdom on the mysteries of human existence speak to us today as if they had just been spoken. The Bhagavad Gita is one of the most loved works among the collections of scriptural texts found within Hindu traditions. It also stands out among the holy books of the major world religions, for its flowing Sanskrit verses present a uniquely vivid portrait of the intimacy between humanity and divinity. Indeed, this divine intimacy is revealed in the form of a dialogue that takes the soul on an inward journey culminating in the ultimate state of yoga, in which souls unite with the heart of God.

Bhagavad Gita may be translated as “the song of the Beloved Lord,” which conveys a divine yearning. The word Bhagavad means “the Beloved Lord,” referring to Krishna, whose voice is prominent throughout the work. In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna, perhaps the most loved of all manifestations of divinity in India, is identified as the ultimate and supreme Lord, from whom all other divine manifestations emanate. Gita means “song,” in this case one coming from Krishna or God. Clearly the text is a philosophical poem and not a song in the literal sense. At a deeper level, however, it is a song issuing forth from the heart of God. It is the secret call of the divinity for all souls to love him, to take the journey to him, to be blissfully united with him.

One who sees me everywhere and sees all things in me, To such a person I am never lost nor is such a person ever lost to me.

----Bhagavad Gita 6.30

Even among all yogis, one whose inner self has come to me, Who is full of faith, who offers love to me----- that one is considered by me to be the most deeply absorbed in yoga.

----Bhagavad Gita 6.47

Hear still further the greatest secret of all, my supreme message: “You are so much loved by me!” Therefore I shall speak for your well-being.

----Bhagavad Gita 18.64

“The love between Radha and Krishna, the divine couple, becomes a song, as well as a dance, and the reader is invited to join in the celebration, along with the chorus of celestial singers. In fact, Caitanya himself inquires, “Among all songs, which song is the very essence of the soul?” Ramananda replies, “That which is about the loving encounters of Radha and Krishna – this is the inmost heart of all songs”. Thus, the Rasa story can truly be called the song of songs of India”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Graham M. Schweig, Ph.D. is the author of DANCE OF DIVINE LOVE: INDIA'S CLASSIC SACRED LOVE STORY, published by Princeton University Press (2005). This book contains his translation from the Sanskrit of the famous Rasa Lila of Krishna with his beloved milk-maidens, the Gopis. It is considered one of the most beautiful poems and expressions of divine love ever written. Graham began his study of this great love poem when pursuing his research for a doctoral dissertation at Harvard.

Graham's new forthcoming book, published by Harper San Francisco / Harper Collins (to be released in April 2007), is entitled BHAGAVAD GITA: THE BELOVED LORD'S SECRET LOVE SONG. There have been numerous translations of and introductions to the Bhagavad Gita over the past few centuries. But it is rare to find one that is both accurate and poetically sensitive to the original poetry of the text that also reveals its deepest message: “the supreme secret of yoga.”

Graham is a scholar of the history and philosophy of yoga, Sanskrit language and literature, Bhakti devotional traditions of India, and love mysticism in world religions. He did his graduate studies at both the University of Chicago and Harvard University, and received his doctorate from Harvard University in Comparative Religion. He is currently Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Director of the Indic Studies Program at Christopher Newport University on the Virginia peninsula, and also Visiting Associate Professor of Sanskrit at the University of Virginia. He began his teaching as a teaching fellow at Harvard, and has taught at Duke University and the University of North Carolina. Graham recently was a Visiting Fellow at the Oxford Centre of Hindu Studies of Oxford University and has been accepted as a Visiting Fellow at Clare Hall of Cambridge University.

Graham is both a professor in the study of religion and a long-time practitioner of various forms of meditational and devotional yoga under the guidance of traditional teachers. He regularly offers yoga workshops, lectures, and seminars. He has travelled to India seven times, once residing in India for a year, directing a Smithsonian Institution funded research grant for preserving ancient palm-leaf manuscripts.For Graham's lecture and yoga workshop schedule, please visit his website at:www.grahamschweig.com