Bhagavad Gita
The initial sentiments presented in Bhagavad Gita can be frightening due to the total number of names together with the terms that emerge from Dhritarashtra and Sanjaya. They can be intimidating especially to people who do not understand Hinduism. The initial chapter is just a historical context and a recipe of what follows later. It is basically a conversion of two people concerning yogic principles and philosophy contrary to battle treatise which is apparently laid in the inauguration chapter. The introductory chapter lays the conflict background that Arjuna seeks to retaliate the passing of the kingdom by Dhritarashtra to his son instead of the rightful king who is Yudhishthira, Arjuna’s brother (pp. 1-5).
Bhagavad Gita portrays various themes as pertains to life and saintliness. However, this essay seeks to highlight the themes of life, death, and peace in this 700 stanza scripture. In Bhagavad Gita life has been given a sense of duty. Arjuna’s actions define the real perception of life according to Hinduism. Arjuna is ready to take vengeance concerning the injustice done by Dhritarashtra.
According to Hinduism, people are reborn depending on their karma which is basically the cumulative effect occasioned by our actions. Life is well defined through these characters. For instance, Dhritarashtra fits in the very definition of life according to Hinduism. Hinduism religion believes that life is a succession of actions having consequences (p. 79, 3:1-4, 4:1-4). Eveything that the characters do in Bhagavad Gita is a recipe of an entire collection of consequences with influence on other people.
Every action in life will certainly meet a reaction. Dhritarashtra comes to terms with this and has to live out the consequences that come with Arjuna’s negative reactions. Therefore, the birth and death cycle must be ended by individuals as they bear their karma.On matters of death, Bhagavad Gita re-affirms that a person transforms into another creature after dying. A person must execute is dharma in life. He is a warrior and he is ready to fight even his uncle.
Killing his uncle appears to be an option as this will serve best in restoring order in the society. There is a kind of inner turmoil in Arjuna over the reality that he should kill his own members of the family. Death is therefore seen as a source of complete liberation. Arjuna must fight his uncle because of the control of power which he actually does not want. However, he must do it because power does not amount to ultimate liberation. The fate of a person making choices influences that person for many death and rebirth cycles.
Arjuna must make this choice of killing that is based on true wisdom to allow an individual to consequently gain eternal liberation (p. 57 42:1-3). Bhagavad Gita also propagates the theme of peace. Finding peace is being completely wrapped up in the divine. This is what an individual’s love is.
It will only come if an individdual forsakes everything and aligns themselves on the path of God. In Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna is told to take refuge in him solely with his entire being. It is from the grace of God that Arjuna will achieve the eternal place, peace (p144, 62: 1-4). Arjuna seeks to know from Krishna the nature of a man who has been freed from routine concerns and what is expected of a wise man in life each day of his life. Most laymen fear pursuing spiritual paths because they believe that finding peace is like giving up the world.
Arjuna says that such men merely live without any worry about results. Arjuna finds peace in all that he does, peace wherever he goes since he has been able to find himself. He does not believe in there being a bad or a good thing. What is there is what we see and nothing more than that.In conclusion, Bhagavad Gita exemplifies people’s way of life, meaning of death and the pursuit of peace in a more practical way. Bhagavad Gita conveys a very important message that God has created many avenues to the truth.
Every person should find their own specific path. These paths may be a life defined by religious piety, struggle for freedom, ritual sacrifices or study and contemplation. Hindu does not concern its self with defining the gods’ world absolutely. Gods take different forms. God ceremonies are thus not important but the understanding that the deity is truth is most imperative. This gives people the courage to live their lives and ultimately follow karma.
