The Bhagavad-Gita — Edwin Arnold / Edwin Lester Arnold

In the epic Mahabharata, after Sanjaya -- counsellor of the Kuru king Dhritarashtra -- returns from the battlefield to announce the death of Bhisma, he begins recounting the details of the Mahabharata war. Bhagavad Gita forms the content of this recollection. The Gita begins before the start of the climactic Kurukshetra War, where the Pandava prince Arjuna is filled with doubt on the battlefield. Realizing that his enemies are his own relatives, beloved friends, and revered teachers, he turns to his charioteer and guide, Krishna, for advice. Responding to Arjuna's confusion and moral dilemma, Krishna explains to Arjuna his duties as a warrior and prince, elaborating on a variety of philosophical concepts.