Bhagavad Gita (Char, Themes, Symbols etc)

Question 1

Arjuna

Answer 1

• central protagonist
• ## prince of the Pandava clan

Question 2

Krishna

Answer 2

• Hindu deity, one of Vishnu’s incarnations
• ## symbol of devotional love

Question 3

Vishnu

Answer 3

• god of preservation
• appears as incarnations such as Krishna and Rama

Question 4

Bharata family

Answer 4

The royal family that the Pandavas and Kauravas all belong to

Question 5

Pandavas

Answer 5

• Arjuna’s side of the Bharata family, who are battling their cousins (the Kauravas) to take back Hastinapura in the set-up to the Bhagavad Gita.

Question 6

Kauravas

Answer 6

The side of the Bharata family that opposes Arjuna and the Pandavas.

Question 7

Sanjaya

Answer 7

A man who is gifted with the ability to see everything that occurs between the Pandavas and Kauravas on the battlefield and to overhear the entire dialogue between Arjuna and Krishna.

Question 8

Theme: Detachment and Dharma

Answer 8

Krishna persuades Arjuna to fight by emphasizing the importance of following one’s duty (dharma) rather than being swayed by emotions or attachment to outcomes. He argues that the soul is eternal, and actions should be performed without desire for personal gain or fear of consequence.

Krishna teaches Arjuna that true righteousness lies in fulfilling one’s duties without attachment to the results, as prescribed by the sacred moral code of dharma. While actions are inevitable, they should be performed selflessly as offerings to the divine. Krishna explains that caste and social context determine one’s duty, with Arjuna’s duty being to fight valiantly as a warrior.

Arjuna’s realization of his true dharma and acceptance of his duty to fight symbolize the importance of understanding one’s purpose and relinquishing attachment to worldly desires. By embracing his duty, Arjuna finds courage and clarity, demonstrating the path to spiritual enlightenment for all Hindus.

Question 9

Dharma

Answer 9

A central concept in Hindu philosophy, and arguably the central concept in the Bhagavad Gita, dharma is a moral code of behavior that follows from one’s sacred duty to the gods, other people, and the universe.

Question 10

Reincarnation and the Self

Answer 10

In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna teaches Arjuna about the two components of human beings: the eternal self (atman) and the body. The eternal self remains unchanged through reincarnation, shedding various bodies until it transcends reincarnation altogether and reunites with the divine. Bodies are composed of three material forces called gunas, and the eternal self’s proximity to reincarnation depends on the dominance of sattva, which brings joy and wisdom, in the body.

Reincarnation is governed by Krishna, who offers progressively purer bodies to those moving towards enlightenment. Through living virtuously and achieving divine purity, the soul eventually transcends reincarnation and joins Krishna in a state beyond life and death. This transcendence promises endless pleasure and the cessation of consciousness. Krishna uses the promise of transcendence to persuade Arjuna to return to battle, showing mortals the potential to become divine through moral living.

Reincarnation and its promise of transcendence have remained central to Hindu tradition, emphasizing the importance of turning to the divine and ridding oneself of lower gunas to move closer to transcendence.

Question 11

Yoga

Answer 11

Often translated as “discipline” or “spiritual path,” yoga is a practice of deliberate, intense devotional engagement that usually involves meditation.

Question 12

Atman

Answer 12

atman, (Sanskrit: “self,” “breath”) one of the most basic concepts in Hinduism, the universal self, identical with the eternal core of the personality that after death either transmigrates to a new life or attains release (moksha) from the bonds of existence.