This is a large heavy book with everything you could need for studying the Bhagavad Gita.For Sanskrit students, this book is popular since it includes Devanagari text, transliterated Sanskrit, comprehensive breakdown of compound words, word-by-word meanings, English translation, and commentary from Sri Ramakrishna's teachings.The publishers in India have kept this book very inexpensive for many years, but note that the production quality, though good, is not the same as books from the West. Some of the books have covers with a wrinkled lamination, or the cover may be a little bent. Nonetheless, this Gita is well worth inclusion in the libraries of students of Sanskrit and the Bhagavad Gita. Twenty-six Impressions and 200,000 copies--The figures exemplify the popularity of the book.About the AuthorSwami Chidbhavananda was born in Senguttaipalayam near Pollachi in Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu, India. His parents named him 'Chinnu'. He studied in Stanes School, Coimbatore. He was one of the two Indians in his class, the rest being British. His parents wanted him to go to England after completing his degree in Presidency College, Chennai. While making arrangements for his travel abroad, he came across a book about Swami Vivekananda's philosophy. The book had a profound impact on his mind. He started visiting Ramakrishna Math in Mylapore often and had discussions with Swamijis. Finally, he decided to become a sanyasi and went to Ramakrishna Mission in Belur, West Bengal. His guru was Swami Shivananda who was a direct disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. As per the wish and advice of Swami Sivananda, he returned to Tamil Nadu and established an Ashram near Ooty. In the late forties, he established the Ramakrishna Tapovanam in Tiruparaithurai, Tiruchi district.Since then, Tapovanam has established several educational institutions in Tamil Nadu and propagates the ideals of Ramakrishna and Vivekananda through religious and social activities such as book publishing. Swami Chidbhavananda has authored more than a hundred books in Tamil and English. His books address a variety of topics ranging from deep philosophical enquiry to contemporary social life. He has written a lot of dramas based on ancient Hindu scriptures that are performed by students. His commentary on the Gita in English and Tamil has been praised. He established Vivekananda College, Madurai, a Gurukula Institute of Life-training in 1971, the only college of its type in the whole of India. It has been reaccredited by NAAC with A Grade (CGPA 3.57 out of 4.00 C. Subramaniam,was his nephew. He died in 1985. The Bhagavadgita with his commentary has created printing history.