Verses for the Brave

Written originally in Sanskrit, Yoga-Vasistha is a long philosophical poem in the tradition of the Bhagavad Gita, full of stories on superhuman feats and supernatural events. Attributed to Valmiki, the verses are in the form of a series of conversations between the sixteen-year-old Rama and the celebrated guru of his family, Vasistha. Verses for the Brave is a selection of 218 verses from the Yoga-Vasistha, ones that reflect upon the world and life, emphasizing the need for balance between involvement in worldly affairs and the motivation to attain liberation. A gorgeous rendition of a significant companion to the Ramayana, it offers the heroes of now a philosophy of the past.