The 700-verse Hindu scripture referred to by Mahatma Gandhi as his “spiritual dictionary” has taken on epic proportions.
Limited edition copies of the Bhagavad Gita– the largest in the world – are being snapped up in Africa, including South Africa – for R12 000 each.
Thirty five of the 40 large Gitas, published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust (BBT), have been sold since their launch last year.
The remaining books reached South Africa during the recent BBT Africa Conference in Durban.
The event was held in honour of Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.
Srila Prabhupada, as he is known by students and followers, is considered a world renowned spiritual leader and scholar of Krishna consciousness, whose work has sparked a movement throughout Africa and around the world.
This year marked the 40th anniversary of his first visit to South Africa.
“For decades, his lectures, writings and teachings on Vedic wisdom have brought together citizens from all corners of the African continent in peaceful and spiritual gatherings,” the publishing house said.
At the event Jayadvaita Swami also launched his new book, Vanity Karma, which is a cross-cultural commentary on Ecclesiastes (a book of the Bible) and the Bhagavad Gita.
BBT operations manager for Africa, Mfundo Nkosi, said the company was established in 1972 by Swami Prabhupada.
“We are the largest publisher of ancient and classic Vaishnava texts, epics and contemporary works on the philosophy, theology and culture of Bhakti yoga.
“Every year we embark on a road to different countries showcasing our new books.”
For the publishing house, the idea to publish the deluxe edition of the Bhagavad Gita was to ensure the legacy and its teachings were remembered and lived on for decades to come.
The book weighs in at a hefty 18kg.
“There are 18 chapters and 893 pages that are made from standard, thick and acid free paper,” said Nkosi.
“This will ensure that the pages don’t deteriorate over time.
“The cover is gold plated with images of Krishna and Arjuna. It’s simply stunning.”
Since its launch in Africa, the book had been selling fast, he added.
“The Bhagavad Gita is a limited edition and only 40 copies were brought to South Africa and already 35 are sold.
“Devotees are keeping them as family heirlooms for generations to come.”
Nkosi said the Bhagavad Gita had been published in more than 70 languages.
He added that more than 50 million copies of the book had been distributed over the past 30 years.