My Gita by Devdutt Pattanaik

Book Summary

My Gita is Devdutt Pattanaik’s attempt to demystify The Bhagavad Gita for modern readers, making this ancient spiritual text more accessible without losing its essential power. Rather than going through the Gita verse by verse (a traditional approach), Pattanaik takes a thematic path. He picks out central themes from the Gita — such as duty (dharma), action without attachment, relationships, conflict, and the inner struggle — and shows how these ideas are relevant in the world today.

Some things the book emphasizes:

• The dialogic setup: Krishna and Arjuna’s conversation isn’t just white‑black moralizing, but arises in the context of Arjuna’s confusion and moral conflict. Pattanaik draws attention to how Krishna encourages understanding rather than immediate judgment.

• The way the Gita is transmitted: through Sanjaya conveying the battlefield scene (which Arjuna experiences, Dhritarashtra hears about) — Pattanaik uses this to explore how what we hear may differ from what someone else hears, and how meaning can be shaped by the listener. 

• How relationships, not just individual spiritual striving, are central. Even the Gita, which is often treated as a solitary inward path, emphasizes interconnectedness (with others, with society) — how one’s actions affect many.

Overall, My Gita is less about theology or ritual, more about how people today might live with its teachings: making difficult choices, acting in a world of moral ambiguity, and balancing personal ethics and societal expectation. It comes with Pattanaik’s illustrations and diagrams to help clarify ideas. 

About Devdutt Pattanaik

Devdutt Pattanaik is an Indian mythologist, writer, illustrator, and speaker known for his ability to explain ancient stories, symbols, myths, and religious ideas in ways that connect with modern life. He was born in 1970, trained in medicine (MBBS, Grant Medical College, Mumbai) and later got a postgraduate diploma in Comparative Mythology.

He worked for many years in the pharmaceutical/healthcare sector before focusing full‑time on myth, narrative, and culture. He has written over 50 books, hundreds of articles/columns, both in English and regional languages. He also draws illustrations for many of his own works. Pattanaik uses mythology not just as stories of gods and heroes, but as tools to understand contemporary leadership, ethics, identity, culture, and human relationships. He often explores the symbolic meanings in myths and how rituals, characters, and narratives still carry wisdom that remains relevant today.