The Bhagavad gita Summary - New Horizons

The Bhagavadgita

E. Royston Pike

Main Points Of The Text

* Bhagavad Gita means the song of the lord or god.
* It is an epic like Iliad and Odyssey written by Homer, an ancient Greek poet.
* Bhagavad Gita is narrated by Krishna to Arjuna.
* It is about the Great War between the two celebrated families of Indian princes.
* Krishna is the charioteer of the young Indian Prince named Arjuna, who is his cousin.
* Dr.  Radhakrishna says that Gita appeared in the fifth century before Christianity.
* Arjuna considers war as evil and demonic  act because it causes violence and destruction.

Summary

The first great teaching of Bhagavadgita is this astonishing Divine Reality, this God of God, this Brahma, is a God to be approached and worshipped with such an intimately passionate love as that of man for a woman and a woman for a man. The name 'Bhagavadgita' means the song of the Lord For about two thousand years, the Bhagavadgita has been the most cherished of all the sacred scriptures. The author of it is anonymous.

In the war of Mahabharata, Lord Krishna plays the role of the charioteer of Arjuna. He refused to take up arms of either side, since he is closely related to all the princes engaged but he has consented to serve as Arjuna's charioteer and to aid him with his advice.

Dhritarastra and Pandu are brothers. Dhritrarashtra was blind and was therefore deemed king of incapable of reigning. When they came of age, Pandu became king of Hastinapura. But after a time he retired into solitude in the Himalaya Mountains and there died. Dhritrarashtra there upon became king in his turn, not withstanding his blindness. He was  a father of a hundred sons, commonly called the kuru princes. They were all bad, and the worst of them was the eldest, Duryodhana, who was bold, crafty and malicious. King Pandu had had five sons by his two wives.

The Pandu princes were good and wise while their cousins the kurus were evil. In their childhood, their uncle, king Dhirtarashtra showed them great kindness, bringing them up with his own sons and intending to give them a share in the kingdom when they were old enough. But the Pandu princess were driven away without giving them their share. This made them humiliated and resorted to take back their share from Dhristratarsatra.

In the war between the Pandavas and Kauravas, Arjuna hesitated to start the war because when he was just about to give the world to change, his heart has been smitten with compunction. He thinks to himself that in only a few minutes time, so many of those brave men on his side and on the side facing him will be biting the dust in their death agony and that he may perhaps crave a way through to the throne! The very thought fills him with revulsion, and he turns suddenly to his charioteer and implores him to tell him what to do.

Arjuna said that it is not good to make war one one's kinsfolk and slaughter them. He hated triumph and domination, wealth and ease that could be won sadly. Arjun's perception of cousins is that they are blinded by lust and anger, so that they can't see hoe how wrong it is to make war on one's own kinsfolk and slaughter them. Krishna tells reassures him to fulfill his duty, to fight for justice.

In Hindu religion, Krishna is an incarnation of avatar of Vishnu one of the great gods of the Hindu Trinity. After death of the body the spirit goes on to inhabit another body, which is similar to the replacing of old clothes by new ones.

Gandhi is highly affected or influence by Bhagavadgita. He said that he found a solace in the Bhagavadgita which he didn't fine even in the Sermon on the Mount. He says that when he is completely disappointed he turns to the Bhagavadgita. He further says that in the verse of the religious scripture, he begins to smile in the midst of overwhelming tragedies.

The influence of 'bhakti' love of God manifested in human form this is the great doctrine of Bhagavadgita that has become incorporated in the spiritual inheritance of the Hindu peoples.

1. What is the relation of Krishna and Arjuna?

Krishna is the charioteer of the young Indian Prince named Arjuna, who is also his cousin.

2. What was the role of Lord Krishna in the war of Mahabharat?

In the war of Mahabharata, Lord Krishna plays the role of the charioteer of Arjuna. He refused to take up arms on either side, since he is closely related to all the princes engaged but he has consented to serve as Arjuna's charioteer and to aid him with his advice.

3. What is Bhagavadgita?

The name "Bhagavadgita" means the song of the Lord For about two thousands years, the Bhagavadgita has been the most cherished of all sacred scriptures. The author of it is anoymous.

4. Who are Dhritarashtra, Pandu and Duryodha?

Dhritarastra and Pandu are brothers. Dhritrarashtra was blind and was there deemed incapable of reigning. When they came of age, Pandu became king of Hastinapura. But after a time, he retired into solitude in the Himalaya Mountains and there died. Dhritrarashtra there upon became king in his turn, notwithstanding his blindness. He was a father of a hundred sons, commonly called the kuru princes. They were all bad, and the worst of them was the eldest, Duryodhana, who was bold, crafty and malicious. King Pandu had had five sons by his two wives who were all wise and noble.

DEALING WITH THE TEXT

1. Why did Arjuna hesitate to start the war?

Arjuna hesitated to start the war because when he was just about to give the world to change, his heart has been smitten with compunction. He thinks to himself that in only a few minutes time, so many of those gallant men on his side and on the side facing him will be biting the dust in their death agony and that he  may perhaps crave a way through to the throne! The very thought fills him with revulsion, and he turns suddenly to his charioteer and implores him to tell him what to do.

2. Why did he hate the victory in war?

Arjuna said that it is not good make war one own kinsfolk and slaughter them. He hated triumph and domination, wealth and ease that could be won sadly.

3. Describes Arjuna's perception of his cousins.

Arjuna's perception of his cousins is that they are blinded by lust and anger, so that they can't see how wrong it is to make war on one's own kinsfolk and slaughter them.

4. Why did Krishna say to Arjuna, "thou graves where no grief should be"?

Krishna said it to Arjuna to take him out of grief  and to persuade him to start war.

5. Which activity is compared with the replacing of old clothes by the new ones?

After the death of the body, the spirit goes on to inhibit another body which is similar to the replacing of old clothes by the new ones.

6. What is the first great teaching of the Bhagavadgita?

The first great teaching of Bhagavadgita is that this stupendous Divine Reality, this God of Gods , this Brahma is a God to be approached to draw near to, to be worshipped and what is more to be loved, with such an intimately passionate love as that of man for a women and a woman for a man.

7. What is the final message of the Gita?

The final message of the "Gita is the message spoken by Krishna to Arjuna but one which countless souls have taken to their heart as addressed to them as a personal revelation.

Take My last word, My utmost meaning level!
Give me thy heart! adore Me! Serve Me! Cling
In faith and love and reverence to Me!
So shalt thou come to Me! I promise true,
For thou art sweet to Me! Fly to me alone!
Make Me thy single refuge! I will free
thy soul from all its sins! Be a good cheer!

8. Describe the great doctrine of the Bhagavadgita.

The inculcation of  "bhakti" love of God manifested in human from this is the great doctrine of Bhagavadgita that has become incorporated in the spiritual inheritance of the Hindu peoples.

9. Interpret Hamatma Gandhi's saying "I find a solace in the Bhagavadagita".

Gandhi was highly affected or influence by Bhagavadagita. He said that he found a solace in the Bhagavadagita which he didn't find even in the Sermon on the Mount. He says that when he is completely disappointed, he turn to Bhagavadgita . He further says that in the verse of this religious scripture, he begins to smile in the midest of overwhelming tragedies.

Areas of Writing

1. Summarize the essence of the Bhagavadgita.

The main theme of the content of Bhagavadgita is the explanation of five basic concepts of truth: Ishwara ( The Supreme Controller), jiva ( Living beings, the soul), Prakriti ( Nature, matter), Karma (Action) and Kala ( Time).

When Arjun was depressed and was not ready to fight the battle, Krishna counsels him on various aspects of Dharma, what one should do and what not . Krishna explained to him what a man his worth of, what his action should be , what knowledge he should have, how time controls all. He said to Arjuna, who you are that you think you will kill your brother. You are just a puppet in the hand of the time. He said that time has already written everybody's death and you are just an executioner. He explained the inner meaning of life and said that our body is just like the cloth we wear everyday, soul is  the greatest possession. One can destroy body but not soul.

2. Compare the preaching of the Gita with Plato's philosophy.

Like the Bhagavadgita, Plato believes there is reincarnation. If a man lives in virtuous life, he achieves blissful immortality in heaven; if he lives an unjust life, he is born as inferior animals. The way to correct this "irrational" aspect of embodiment is through education. Philosophy is seen as intellectual, and anti-sensual, a bias that Nietzsche would later attack.

As for the soul, Plato divides it into Reason residing in the head. Spirit in the heart and Appetite in the belly; each has to be regularly exercised. Reason is promoted by the liver, which gives bitterness to protect us from false knowledge- the liver has a divinatory role. Bones anchor the soul, the lungs allow in the smallest particles of air, fire or water but also by disproportional relations between body and soul. The genitals (male and female) meanwhile, are unruly because they continually seek emission.

The physical world, then is a living creature containing all the living creatures that were visible. It contains gods of whom Plato says very little, animals, birds, fish plants and men and was created by a God.

3. God is the create of world. Argue for or against this statement.

Argument against God as creator of world

The Big Bang Theory is logical, and it seems to me, scientifically correct. To assume that the entire universe was created by a single being immortal or otherwise, I think is absolutely absurd not to mention naive. Think about it: The universe created by one guy, created by one massive explosion of celestial matter and everything needed to evolve before things really began to click. What makes more senses, what is more logical? Science logic and fact are the guiding principles of my life. I do have faith in supernatural powers and immortals that have the ability to control the happenings on Earth, but I'm sorry, the thought of the entire universe, which will expand forever and ever, created by one single person? I don't think so.

I think that the "theory" that god created the universe/ world only "stand" for religious minded people. There is actually some evidence that the  "big bang" created the world. Nobody can show proof that "god" created the world/universe.

Argument in favour of God as creator of world

I believe quite strongly, that God exists. Therefore I must conclude that He created the universe. However, I also consider myself a student of science and must accept the evidence for an event that has caused the universe to expand infinitely from a single point. These two beliefs are not in any way in opposition to one another of one reaches the logical conclusion that all great religious texts are a collection of myths, each of which contains a kernel of truth but have been changed over possibly thousands of years by oral retelling. By doing so, we can then hypothesize (since the existence of God be proven) that God was the driving force behind the creation of the universe.

4. Visit library or web sites and writer shorts notes on Homer, the New Testament, the New Testament, Sermon on the Mount.

Homer is a legendary ancient Greek epic poet, traditionally said to be the author's of the epic poems the Iliad and the Odysse.

The Sermon on the Mount is a compilation of Jesus's sayings, epitomizing his moral teaching. Christians believes that Jesus of Nazareth gave this sermon (estimated around AD 30) on a mountainside to his disciples and a large crowed.

The New Testament is the name given to the second major division of the Christian Bible, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament. Unlike the Old Testament, the contents of the new Testament were written after the advent of and deal explicitly with Christianity- though within the religion, both the Old and New Testament has therefore frequently accompanied the spread of Christianity around the world, and both reflects and serves as a source for Christian theology.