The Bhagavad-Gita Reading Response
1. Arjuna is heavily influenced by the ethos of Krishna in the presentation of his arguments. This is directly supported in the text as Arjuna states “Krishna, only you can dispel / this doubt of mine completely…” (The Bhagavad-Gita 70). Since the only person who can convince Arjuna is Krishna, it doesn’t matter what the opinions are of others are. However, this is not necessarily foolish, devotion to Krishna bring about a great reward. Krishna states “If he is devoted solely to me, / even a violent criminal / must be deemed a man of virtue, / for his resolve is right” (89). With Krishna’s great power and such an award present for devotion to Krishna, it is no surprise that Arjuna aligns himself with the …show more content…
The concept of justice in The Bhagavad-Gita is nonintuitive, prompting the dilemma that Arjuna faces. Arjuna when faced with the challenge of having to kill his family states “Honor forbids us to kill / our cousins…” (28) and “…we have heard / that a place in hell / is reserved for men / who undermine family duties” (29). This assumption, which would align with a more modern idea of what justice truly entails, is completely contradictory to what Krishna explains to Arjuna. Krishna states that “he who thinks this self a killer / and he who thinks it killed, / both fail to understand; / it does not kill, nor is it killed” (34). Essentially, since all beings are reincarnated, there is not murder. Murder would be the returning of a soul back to the gods. Krishna reinforces this point by stating “…since the cycle [of life and death] is inevitable, / you have no cause to grieve” (35). This starkly contrasts what justice entails in The Hebrew Bible – especially in relation to the act of murder. When Moses “…goes to hear the word of God…the Ten Commandments are revealed to him” (The Hebrew Bible 155). One of these commandments is “You shall not murder” (192). The Ten Commandments focus what justice is composed of my stating what actions are unjust. The Hebrew Bible states “You shall not steal” (192) while The Bhagavad-Gita, focused more on metacognition, stating “…performing action with detachment, / one achieves supreme good” (The Bhagavad-Gita 45). The Hebrew Bible’s focus then …show more content…
The revelation scene in The Bhagavad-Gita and in The Hebrew Bible, residing in the Book of Job, are similar in that human arrogance is the catalyst. Arjuna questions Krishna, in which he is in no place to do considering his mortality, stating “I see no good / in killing my kinsmen” (27). Arjuna questions Krishna at the end of several of the teachings as well, which typically prompt the introduction of the next teaching. This occurs at the end of the third teaching when Arjuna asks “Krishna, what makes a person / commit evil / against his own will, / as if compelled by force? (48). The next teaching is rightfully called knowledge after Arjuna’s lack of. Job in The Hebrew Bible is also educated accordingly after questioning God. God replies “Where were you when I founded the earth?” (The Hebrew Bible 212). It’s clear that Arjuna’s and Job’s questioning, in regard to the hardships in which they have faced, are arrogant. However, the main difference between how God, in The Hebrew Bible, and Krishna is how they handle the situation. Krishna continues deliberating answering seemingly all of Arjuna’s questions. God, however, is quick to point out the incredible difference in power between Job and himself, asking additional questions like “can you tie the bands of the Pleiades, or loose Orion’s reigns?” (The Hebrew Bible
1. Arjuna is heavily influenced by the ethos of Krishna in the presentation of his arguments. This is directly supported in the text as Arjuna states “Krishna, only you can dispel / this doubt of mine completely…” (The Bhagavad-Gita 70). Since the only person who can convince Arjuna is Krishna, it doesn’t matter what the opinions are of others are. However, this is not necessarily foolish, devotion to Krishna bring about a great reward. Krishna states “If he is devoted solely to me, / even a violent criminal / must be deemed a man of virtue, / for his resolve is right” (89). With Krishna’s great power and such an award present for devotion to Krishna, it is no surprise that Arjuna aligns himself with the …show more content…
The concept of justice in The Bhagavad-Gita is nonintuitive, prompting the dilemma that Arjuna faces. Arjuna when faced with the challenge of having to kill his family states “Honor forbids us to kill / our cousins…” (28) and “…we have heard / that a place in hell / is reserved for men / who undermine family duties” (29). This assumption, which would align with a more modern idea of what justice truly entails, is completely contradictory to what Krishna explains to Arjuna. Krishna states that “he who thinks this self a killer / and he who thinks it killed, / both fail to understand; / it does not kill, nor is it killed” (34). Essentially, since all beings are reincarnated, there is not murder. Murder would be the returning of a soul back to the gods. Krishna reinforces this point by stating “…since the cycle [of life and death] is inevitable, / you have no cause to grieve” (35). This starkly contrasts what justice entails in The Hebrew Bible – especially in relation to the act of murder. When Moses “…goes to hear the word of God…the Ten Commandments are revealed to him” (The Hebrew Bible 155). One of these commandments is “You shall not murder” (192). The Ten Commandments focus what justice is composed of my stating what actions are unjust. The Hebrew Bible states “You shall not steal” (192) while The Bhagavad-Gita, focused more on metacognition, stating “…performing action with detachment, / one achieves supreme good” (The Bhagavad-Gita 45). The Hebrew Bible’s focus then …show more content…
The revelation scene in The Bhagavad-Gita and in The Hebrew Bible, residing in the Book of Job, are similar in that human arrogance is the catalyst. Arjuna questions Krishna, in which he is in no place to do considering his mortality, stating “I see no good / in killing my kinsmen” (27). Arjuna questions Krishna at the end of several of the teachings as well, which typically prompt the introduction of the next teaching. This occurs at the end of the third teaching when Arjuna asks “Krishna, what makes a person / commit evil / against his own will, / as if compelled by force? (48). The next teaching is rightfully called knowledge after Arjuna’s lack of. Job in The Hebrew Bible is also educated accordingly after questioning God. God replies “Where were you when I founded the earth?” (The Hebrew Bible 212). It’s clear that Arjuna’s and Job’s questioning, in regard to the hardships in which they have faced, are arrogant. However, the main difference between how God, in The Hebrew Bible, and Krishna is how they handle the situation. Krishna continues deliberating answering seemingly all of Arjuna’s questions. God, however, is quick to point out the incredible difference in power between Job and himself, asking additional questions like “can you tie the bands of the Pleiades, or loose Orion’s reigns?” (The Hebrew Bible