|
|
The Bhagavad Gita, which means “Song of the Lord”, is a beautiful, philosophical poem which has become a core Hindu Text in both India and the West. The setting is a battlefield where Arjuna, a warrior, and Krishna, Arjuna’s charioteer are involved in a dialogue. This dialogue addresses many themes of Hinduism including duty (dharma), discipline (yoga), action (karma), knowledge (jnana), and devotion (bhakti). These resolution of which path to take in Hinduism went unresolved through the centuries as Hindu text was developed. Central to the Bhagavad Gita is the reconciliation of these conflicting paths. This makes it a fundamental source of guidance for Hindus, as well as anyone seeking a life of inner peace. The guidelines set forth in the Gita can bring about a sea of calm even in the chaos of modern society. The Bhagavad Gita does an incredible job of systematically building dramatic narratives to direct the reader or practitioner to a path of peace. Throughout the story, Arjuna questions Krishna. At times, Arjuna seems confused over the inconsistencies in Krishna’s advice. As the story unfolds Krishna prioritizes these spiritual paths and weaves a resolution between the seemingly inconsistencies, but in the end, instead of inconsistencies there is resolution. These inconsistencies are a struggle between Arjuna’s physical self, the world and reality as he knows it, and his attachment to the outcome of his actions as opposed to true inconsistencies in Krishna’s advice. The inconsistencies arise more from Arjuna’s lack of knowledge or True Spiritual understanding. The conflict survives in Arjunas own mind until the end of the story when Truth is revealed to him and a new cosmic view is seen through Krishna. To understand how the Truth in the story, one must read with a careful, critical eye through the story. As the story begins, Arjuna is paralyzed by his own fears. His fears and attachment to outcome of actions places him in place of uncertainty, confusion and inability to act. Krishna criticizes Arjuna explaining that his same fear and uncertainty is actually a human quality, not a holy one and that these same fears and attachments are the roots of all evil and are not conducive to living a path of Sacred duty. He explains to Arjuna how the grief and pity that he feels is what keeps one locked in the the endless cycle of birth and rebirth and that we only will cycle again. We shall not cease to exist. It is the contact with the elements of the physical that cause pain, pleasure, desires and “fleeting things that come and go” (Miller,pg 31). This however is not reality. The soul does not die, it changes with time and the only way to move beyond this dream state of life is by performing a more Sacred duty which is expounded upon in later chapters. Krishna explains to Arjuna that even inaction contains action; as even inaction has consequences. The world requires certain duties, certain actions, but then Krishna expands this to give one and understanding of actions without attachment. In the third teaching, the foundation is laid to perform action without attachment. Krishna explains that, “As the ignorant act with attachment to actions, Arjuna, so wise men should act with detachment to preserve the world.” (Miller, pg 44) Action is compared to sacrifice within the third and 4th teachings. It is a sacrifice to perform actions without attachments, without desire, without enjoying the egotistical trip of the outcome of your end result. Detachment from the outcome of the actions moves you away from the physical, selfish center and moves you to a place of connectedness with God and who you truly are-a place of Truth.
|
