Online Course Format
Our courses are asynchronous, so you can log in any time of the day or night to access the course materials, but they have a weekly Zoom meeting that all are encouraged to participate in (they will be recorded and posted). To facilitate the flow of discussion in the online course forums, each course is divided into units. You will be encouraged to progress through the course alongside the other course participants. A two-week period at the end of the course is provided for you to reflect on what you have learned, to consider how your learning can be applied to your daily life, to give feedback on your learning experience, and to complete any outstanding readings or assignments.
The Bhagavad Gita is the best known of Hinduism’s extensive scriptures. A relatively short text, it is composed in the form of a dialogue between the warrior Arjuna and his princely advisor Krishna at the start of a great battle. The text is of special interest to Bahá'ís, both because of its profound wisdom, and because in this text, Krishna reveals himself to be a Manifestation of God. As ‘Abdu’l-Bahá noted, Krishna was “the cause of the illumination of the world of humanity,” and confirms that he was “sent by God”. This course offers an in-depth exploration of the Bhagavad Gita within its larger context of ancient and contemporary Hinduism and examines points of alignment between its spiritual teachings and those of the Bahá'í Faith.
The course draws on the recently published book by Anil Sarwal, Srimad Bhagavad Gita and the Baha’i Faith (2026, BPT-India).
Translations of the Bhagavad Gita: Sarwal uses The Bhagavadgita: With an Introductory Essay, Sanskrit Text, English Translation and Notes, by Dr S. Radhakrishnan (George Allen Unwin Ltd, originally published in 1948).
Other recommended currently available translations are those by Laurie Patton (2008), Gavin Flood (2013), and Barbara Stoler Miller (1986)
Faculty: Anne Pearson
Tuition: $150 (tuition discounts available)