Shrimad Bhagavad Gita Rahasya, also called Karmayoga Shastra, was written by Lokmanya Tilak in pencil during his imprisonment at Mandalay (1908–14) and published in Marathi in 1915. It argues that the heart of the Gita is not renunciation of the world but energetic, selfless action within it.
Key arguments
- The traditional commentaries, especially Shankara's, read the Gita as teaching renunciation (sannyasa) and knowledge as the path to liberation; Tilak argued that this misreads the Gita's purpose.
- Krishna's teaching to Arjuna is a call to act — to fight a just battle — without selfish desire: this is karma yoga, the Gita's central message.
- Knowledge and devotion are not ends in themselves but the foundation of right action; even the liberated person continues to work for the welfare of the world (lokasangraha).
Influence
Gita Rahasya was quickly translated into Hindi, Gujarati, Bengali and other languages and became a manual for freedom fighters, who saw political struggle as a spiritual duty. It remains one of the major modern commentaries on the Gita.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the main argument of Gita Rahasya?
That the Bhagavad Gita's central teaching is karma yoga — selfless action in the world — rather than renunciation.
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Read nextThe Life Divine — Sri Aurobindo's Philosophy ExplainedSources & copyright status
- B. G. Tilak, Shrimad Bhagavad Gita Rahasya (1915) — public domain
- Historical facts: not subject to copyright.
- Commentary and translations on this page: original to The Hindu Book. © The Hindu Book, all rights reserved.
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