Ashok Kumar Malhotra

The Bhagavad Gita, more than any other book, has influenced the lives of generations of people in India. It has been a standard text on Hinduism for centuries. However, the Bhagavad Gita is not only a religious-historical work, but also a great book of literature. It has appealed to scholars in terms of its literary style and philosophical content, while to the layperson it has offered basic principles on how to live a meaningful life. Malhotra's innovative translation is meant for all those students and general readers who are curious about issues pertaining to the existential predicament of humankind. He presents these enduring themes in a language that will be easily understandable to the newly initiated. Indeed, Malhotra offers a "transcreation" rather than a translation, in which he does not translate every word and phrase but instead captures the essential ideas and meanings that are crucial to overall understanding of this great text.

The second edition of Instant Nirvana presents discussion in a clear and readable language of the most recent scientific research (1990-2007) on the effects of Yoga and Meditation on the human personality. It also includes the author's encounters with the Dalai Lama and the Sai Baba along with the discussion of the philosophies and techniques of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (TM), Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada (Hare Krishna Movement), Guru Maharajji (Divine Light Mission), Baba Muktananda (Siddha Yoga), and Bhagwan Rajneesh (Dynamic Meditation). Other highlights of the book are the reports of participants and author’s personal experiments with Yoga to deal with health issues and illness. The Instant Nirvana is a must “read” for all those who want to make sense of this very popular phenomenon of our time.