The Bhagavad Gītā is possibly the best-known Hindu text, both in India and in the West. In this course we shall undertake a close reading of the Gītā and examine the various facets of the text and its reach:
 the Gītā's literary, historical and cultural context
 doctrinal contributions of the Gītā to Hinduism
 textual criticism of the Gītā
 the Gītā's influence on Indian nationalism
 the Gītā's reception in the West
 the genre of imitative Gītā literature
All texts will be read in English translations, no knowledge of Sanskrit or other Indian languages is required. While not a prerequisite, a prior course on Hinduism and/or Eastern Religions will be helpful.