Topic > Reflection on the Bhagavad-gita

The original Bhagavad-Gita was written between 400 and 200 BC Despite its age, it is still a relevant Hindu text that is still studied and experienced today. It can be easily applied to daily life, even for non-Hindu people. The text is filled with lessons from the Hindu entity Krishna, as Arjuna, a prince, encounters difficult questions about war and life. The Bhagavad-Gita deals with Arjuna's dilemma and how Krishna helps him to make a decision about it; this is a great example of how one's worldview can influence the decisions one makes. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay At the beginning of the Bhagavad-Gita, Arjuna, one of the main characters, introduced the dilemma of war and killing his relatives. Arjuna is the leader of the small Pandava army that is about to fight Duryodhana's larger army. The reason why Arjuna wants to fight is because king Dhritarashtra is trying to pass the kingdom to Duryodhana when the rightful ruler is Arjuna's brother Yudhishthira. (Miller, 1986, ch.1, lines 1-20). However, in the first teaching, Arjuna is shocked that Duryodhana's army is full of his family: “I do not want to kill them even if I die, Krishna; not for the kingship of all three worlds, much less for the earth!” (Miller, 1986, ch.1, line 35). In other words, Arjuna does not want to conquer a kingdom if it means killing his family. He goes on to ask, “How can we ignore the wisdom of turning away from evil when we see the sin of family destruction, Krishna?” (Miller, 1986, ch.1, line 39). He considers the destruction of the family a sin and wants no part of it. Despite Arjuna's lack of fighting spirit, Krishna insists that he continue in battle. Krishna, an entity feuding with Arjuna, is the one who advises him in this dilemma. He convinces Arjuna to fight by speaking of his faith and wisdom. Krishna first states that Arjuna is a coward and that if he goes back he will lose his honor. In the second teaching he says: “We know that our bodies end, but the embodied self endures…” (Miller, 1986, ch.2, line 18). Krishna is talking about reincarnation. He basically tells Arjuna that it's okay to kill people in this war because they will simply be reincarnated. There are many other lessons that Krishna follows, but one of the most important is the one about having faith in Krishna and the supreme god. He insists on the seventh teaching: “practice discipline in my protection, with your mind focused on me…” (Miller, 1986, chapter 7, line 1). To separate himself from the material world and achieve a good life in the afterlife, Arjuna must dedicate his life to Krishna and the Hindu religion. With these and many other lessons, Krishna convinces Arjuna that it is right for this battle to take place. The Bhagavad-Gita is a precious text of the Hindu religion and therefore accurately represents how a worldview can influence decisions. Everyone has their own way of seeing the world. In the case of Arjuna, he sees the world through a Hindu worldview. At first, Arjuna did not want to carry on the war. However, Krishna, an entity of the Hindu religion, convinced him otherwise. Arjuna says after all Krishna's lessons: “Krishna, my illusion is destroyed and by your grace I have regained my memory; I stand here with my doubts dispelled, ready to act on your words. (Miller, 1986, ch. 18, line 73). Arjuna decided to continue into battle because he believed in what Krishna was saying. Other worldviews are exactly like this. People make decisions and act based on what they believe. Worldviews have a huge impact on how decisions are made. In conclusion, the,