the bhagavad gita : Jennifer Byerly

After reading some of the bhagavad gita I realized how beautiful a work of art it is. In addition to being a religious text it really is an engaging story that relates so centrally to some of the major Hindu concepts. The first of these is mpermanence: Arjuna ( a soldier in a great battle against some of his own family and friends) understands that his physical body is temporary and it is his soul that is transient. Krishna tells Arjuna not to be worried, that if he follows his dharma and accepts the impermanence and insignificance of the temporal things within this world and follows his duties – that he’ll feel better and will be better equipped to fulfill his destiny. “Just as the embodied/while in this body/passes through childhood/youth, and old age/ So also the embodied/ attains another body -/ the wise person/ is not bewildered by this” (39.) It’s also an important note that this transience is what makes you ultimately strong… “Indeed/the person whom/these do not trouble/…that one is prepared/for immortality” (39.) So ultimately what Krishna is stressing is that the way to God is through following one’s dharma.

Not following one’s dharma:
By not following one’s dharma great misfortune will meet you, says Krishna. It is important to note then that by following your own dharma you’ll be following in accordance with how God wishes you to live your life – but likewise, if you don’t follow your dharma you are dooming yourself to a life wrought with struggle. “Now, if you should not/undertake this battle,/ which is in accordance/ with dharma/and your reputation,/ you shall meet/ with misfortune” (44.) This stress on following one’s dharma – as illustrated by Krishna’s example for a warrior’s duty to go into battle, seems to have strong implications for the caste system. This kind of admonishing to follow the path they were born into might quell any underclass revolutions or urges to become better than the situation you were born into.

This has important implications for the caste system in India and would allow for the disadvantaged groups of Hindus to have the serenity to stay in their socio-economic positions and live to be as happy as they can with their situations. It enables them to be content with their status and prevents any religious or social uprising.