1. Arjuna’s crisis is established in Chapter 1 of the Bhagavad Gita. The crisis is a classic choice between fighting or fleeing, standing up to injustice versus passive inaction. Of course, had Arjuna refused to engage, the rest of the Gita would not have been written. Arjuna is a hero because he was willing to make personal sacrifices and to walk the delicate razor’s edge of the middle path. A balanced and truly yogic response is to fight judiciously and consciously.2. Arjuna is a disciple of Lord Krishna. As he is confronted by the presenting crisis in Chapter 1, Arjuna consults with Krishna about how to proceed, and in Chapter 2, Krishna offers his advice. Krishna advises Arjuna to take action based on the spiritual principles of both dharma, duty, and also the immortality of Atma, the oversoul of each person. As long as one takes action consciously, selflessly, and in the best interests of others, the actions can be deemed good and justifiable, even if there is some harm or even death that results. In this vein, Krishna also teaches Arjuna about the law of karma (cause and effect) and that one’s actions are all one has control over. Yet actions do beget reactions. Inaction is a type of action.
3. In Chapter 3, Arjuna asks Krishna again why fighting would be an appropriate action. This is where Krishna explains in more detail about karma. Arjuna has been taught to be passive, and that fighting is wrong because it could lead to killing. Yet Krishna also teaches him that...
Rather than being the reward for one's earthly obedience to God, and therefore a destination in and of itself then, as it is within Islam, Christianity and Judaism; arrival at nirvana and therefore the ceasing of further reincarnations comes from finally reconciling non-attachment in one's present life with personal responsibility in one's present life - as Krishna advises Arjuna to do now, on the eve of this war. Holden further
Hebrew Bible (Genesis-1-22) and Bhagavad-Gita Similarities between Christianity and Hinduism are often acknowledged. Part of what is similar to Christian teachings is found in the Bhagavad Gita and revealed by Krishna, the supreme god of Hinduism. God is, in Christian belief, the creator of the world and the Supreme Being. Likewise, in the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna is recognized as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Arjuna addresses Krishna as the one
Bhagavad-Gita is a conversation between Lord Krishna and Arjuna, narrated by the Bhisma-Parva of the Mahabharata. It is 18 chapters long, totaling 701 Sanskrit verses. Within these verses is found the basis for the path of spiritual enlightenment. It is highly symbolic and much is left to the interpretation of the reader. The Bhagavad-Gita was originally written in Sanskrit as early as 200 BC. Since then, there have been many
Bhagavad Gita and the Tale of Genji Within the Bhagavad Gita, there is the persistent of three major themes: knowledge (jnana), action (karma), and love (bhakti).When it comes to knowledge, one of the major lessons that Krishna is able to demonstrate is the damage via the misplacement of grief, since the eternal soul, unlike the body, cannot be killed. Thus, some of the major lessons regarding knowledge refer to the
The goddess' relationship with Odysseus and Telemachus is similar, though she takes more of a parental role with Telemachus, who lacks the maturity of his father. With Penelope, Athena only interacts to the extent that it helps her objectives regarding Odysseus. 5) the Odyssey is more about Telemachus because Odysseus is fully-formed but Telemachus comes of age. Much of Odysseus' tale is more for entertainment while Telemachus' tale is richer
The Epic of Gilgamesh, The Iliad, and the Bhagavad Gita are three of the most enduring ancient texts in the canon of global literature. All are heroic tales focusing on a strong male warrior protagonist, who endures a series of tests in order to achieve their goals and retain their status as leaders of their community. However, unlike Achilles, the hero of Homer’s Iliad, or Arjuna, hero of the Bhagavad
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