Bhagavad Gita & Gita Govinda

Publisher Marketing: BHAGAVAD GITA Revised into Modern English by Paul Smith from the original Sanskrit by Shri Purohit Swami. Introductions to Chapters by Charles Johnston The Bhagavad Gita is the single most famous poem in the ancient literature of India. It is equally celebrated as the highest spiritual philosophy and poetry. It constitutes the beginning and in a sense the end of any true knowledge of Indian mysticism. The translator refers to it as 'The Bible of India'. The Guardian said of this translation in 1935 when it was first published: "A beautiful rendering, and gives the reader a clearer and more truthful impression of what the Indian reader takes it to mean than a literal translation would do." Insightful introductions by Charles Johnston. Illustrated. GITA GOVINDA Translation by Puran Singh & Paul Smith Jayadeva (circa 12oo AD.) was a Sanskrit poet and most known for his immortal composition, the epic poem/play Gita Govinda that depicts the divine love of Avatar Krishna and his consort, Radha. This poem is considered an important text in the Bhakti (Path of Love) movement of Hinduism. The work delineates the love of Krishna for Radha, the milkmaid, his faithlessness and subsequent return to her, and is taken as symbolical of the human soul's straying from its true allegiance but returning at length to the God that created it. It elaborates the eight moods of the heroine that over the years has been an inspiration for many paintings, compositions and choreographic works in Indian classical dances. It has been translated into many languages and is considered to be among the finest examples of Sanskrit poetry. Paul Smith has worked with Puran Singh's powerful & beautiful original free-form poetic version and brought it up to date. Large Format Edition 7" x 10" 360 pages. COMMENTS ON PAUL SMITH'S TRANSLATION OF HAFIZ'S 'DIVAN'. "It is not a joke... the English version of ALL the ghazals of Hafiz is a great feat and of paramount importance. Dr. Mir Mohammad Taghavi (Dr. of Literature) Tehran. "Smith has probably put together the greatest collection of literary facts and history concerning Hafiz." Daniel Ladinsky (Penguin Books author). "Superb translations. 99% Hafiz 1% Paul Smith." Ali Akbar Shapurzman, translator of many mystical works in English into Persian and knower of Hafiz's Divan off by heart. Paul Smith is a poet, author and translator of many books of Sufi poets from the Persian, Arabic, Urdu, Turkish, Pashtu and other languages including Hafiz, Sadi, Nizami, Rumi, 'Attar, Sana'i, Jahan Khatun, Obeyd Zakani, Nesimi, Kabir, Anvari, Ansari, Jami, Khayyam, Rudaki, Yunus Emre 'Iraqi, Ghalib and many others, as well as poetry, fiction, plays, biographies, children's books and screenplays. www.newhumanitybooksbookheaven.com Contributor Bio:  Smith, Paul Paul H. Smith, a retired Army intelligence officer and Operation Desert Storm veteran, spent seven years in the Department of Defense's remote-viewing program, serving as operational remote viewer, theory instructor and trainer, security officer, and unit historian. Smith has a B. A. in Middle Eastern studies from Brigham Young University, and an M. S. in Strategic Intelligence (Middle East emphasis) from the Defense Intelligence College, and is a doctoral candidate in philosophy at the University of Texas at Austin. He is president of Remote Viewing Instructional Services, Inc., and vice president of the nonprofit International Remote Viewing Association.