Ep 71: Gita Series: Lessons from the Bhagavad Gita (20 of 20)

In this episode, James concludes our 20-part series on the Bhagavad Gita, the world's most famous poem that has surprisingly influenced Western thought for centuries. He dives into the often-overlooked theme of leadership within the Gita, emphasizing the timeless principle that leaders must lead by example. Drawing on insights from Chapter 3, James explores how the actions and standards set by leaders influence those around them. He reflects on the profound impact the Gita has had on iconic figures like Thoreau, Emerson, and Gandhi, shaping their philosophies and inspiring social change. As the series wraps up, James encourages listeners to explore the Gita themselves, recommending a thoughtful and transformative reading approach.

The Daily Vedantic is a daily podcast and YouTube channel dedicated to the timeless wisdom of the Upanishads (⁠https://www.thedailyvedantic.co⁠). Dating back to over 5,000 years ago, the source of nearly all Eastern Philosophy, and loved by Western giants from Emerson to Thoreau to Carl Jung and Alan Watts, studied daily by Joseph Campbell to Aldous Huxley to Arthur Schopenhauer and countless others, The Daily Vedantic aims to make this ancient philosophy as modern and accessible as it is simple, practical — and profound.

James Beshara (⁠https://www.twitter.com/jamesbeshara⁠) is a renowned startup founder of multiple companies, a prolific startup investor in 200+ others including some of the biggest startup names on the planet, a husband and father of three little girls, and philosophy student and teacher in Los Angeles.

James also co-hosts Yoga For Your Intellect (⁠https://www.YFYI.co⁠), a biweekly long-form conversational podcast with his teacher Joseph Emmett ( ⁠https://www.instagram.com/yogaforyourintellect⁠ ).

James is a student of Swami Parthasarathy, the acclaimed author of Vedanta Treatise (⁠Vedanta Treatise – The Eternities⁠)  and teacher at Vedanta Academy in Malavli, India. As James says often, when you’re ready for the real thing, Swami’s daily lectures are where the true wisdom and systematic discovery of the world’s oldest continually studied philosophy resides: ⁠https://www.vedantaworld.org⁠

Interested in this particular translation of the Bhagavad Gita? Find it here: https://www.vedantaworld.org/books-and-media/12-books/82-bhagavad-gita