Essay On Arjuna

890 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Dharma in hinduism essay

CHAPTER---3 KARMA YOGA- PATH OF SELFLESS ACTION (43 Verses) Lord Krishna has already given a glimpse of his teaching of Karma Marga in chapter -2 verses 39 to 51. Here Lord Krishna teaches Arjuna in detail about the same path.
Contents
Arjuna asking the Lord to clarify his doubt- Lord Krishna teaching Arjuna about the importance of Karma Maarga for attaining the state of Brahman- The Lord asking Arjuna to do his duty of fighting-The need and importance of Vedic Yagnas or Sacrifices that are Karmas or actions for maintaining the cyclical order of the Cosmos- Importance of sharing the remnants of Vedic …show more content…

O, Janaardana, (Krishna) if you think that the path of knowledge or Jnaana Yoga is supreme then why are you asking me to perform the cruel act of fighting,(Karma Yoga) O, Keshava (Krishna)?

Vyaamishreneva vaakyena buddhim mohayaseeva me tad ekam vada nishchitya yena shreyo'ham aapnuyaam // 3.2
2. You are creating confusion in my mind by giving contradictory statements. Therefore tell me with certainty that single path that will lead to my highest good.
Verses-----3 to 9 Krishna teaching Arjuna about the importance of the path of selfless action performed in a detached manner as a spiritual Saadhana or discipline for attaining the Supreme State of Universal Consciousness .
Sri Bhagavaan uvaacha

Loke'smin dwividha nishthaa puraa proktaa maya Anagha jnaana yogena Saankhyaanaam Karma yogena yoginaam // 3.3 //
Lord Krishna said,
3. O, Anagha (Arjuna), in this world, there are two paths of spiritual disciplines (Yogas) that I have taught- the path of Jnaana (knowledge) of the Saankhyas (for those who always contemplate on the Self) and the path of Karma (the path of selfless action combined with devotion) for the Karma Yogis or spiritual seekers who follow the path of Selfless

Show More
Related

  • Moralism In The Bhagavad Gita

    1043 Words  | 3 Pages

    From the beginning of humankind, people have constantly had to deal with inner battles. Many of these issues cease to exist as time goes on, while new ones arise to take their place. There is one issue, however, that has remained consistent throughout time – morality. For centuries, humans have fought against the outside world and themselves to keep their morals properly aligned. The issue of morality is so dominant that it is still plays a vital role in today’s society. This can be seen in wars, law systems, codes of conduct, and religious texts. An example of a religious text where this can be seen is in pages 185 - 188 of the Bhagavad Gita, where Krishna, also referred to as “The Blessed One”, guides Arjuna through his inner struggles between

    Read More

  • Understanding Life: Perspectives from Socrates to Bhagavad Gita

    837 Words  | 2 Pages

    According to Socrates, “True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us.” To include, Proverbs, 3:5-6 states, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not rely on your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” (Bible). In like manner, throughout the sacred text of Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna, has a difficult time understanding life and does not want to partake in his natural-born duty as a warrior. On the other hand, Bhagavad Gita, means, “Song of the Blessed One”, and it is based on Hinduism. Hinduism is a well-known religion and The Bhagavad Gita is based on its ancient principles. However, although the sacred text of Bhadgavad

    Read More

  • Analysis Of The Bhagavad Gita

    1155 Words  | 3 Pages

    The story of Arjuna and his conversation with Krishna, begins before the start of a war with Arjuna’s grandfather. In the Hindu faith Krishna is known as an avatar for the God Vishnu. Vishnu is the as their God/Creator all things. This conversation between the two, is told as an epic poem, known as “The Bhagavad-Gita”. In this poem, Krishna is presented to Arjuna as his charioteer. It is in this conversation that Krishna that he reveals who he is, and delivers onto Arjuna his 18 teachings, of the universe. The Bhagavad-Gita presents many ideas ranging from the true spirt of man, to the sacred duty (dharma) of the individual, society, and the universe. The aim of this paper is to examine these ideas. I’ll first discus Dharma, where it comes from, and how to obtain it. Then I will

    Read More

  • The Five Yamas of Hatha Yoga

    980 Words  | 2 Pages

    Yoga is a discipline both involving physical and mental control that originated in India. The word Yoga is derived from the Sanskrit word, "yug", meaning union and it means the joining of the individual spirit with the universal spirit. The type of yoga known as Hatha Yoga, ("Ha"- sun, "tha"-moon) is what is most commonly practiced and this yoga involves the path of the mind and body and is the most physical. There are eight limbs or steps of Hatha Yoga, the first step being the five Yamas. There are five yamas and these concern your behavior to the world.

    Read More

  • Comparing the Journeys of Hesse's Siddhartha and Gandhi

    2051 Words  | 5 Pages

    Seeking nirvana, Siddhartha assessed his situation and came to the conclusion that he had learned all there was to learn from his home and his teachers there. So he found new teachers, the Samanas. Through their teachings, he could only find the higher self by killin...

    Read More

  • The Historical Context of The Bhagavad Gita and Its Relation to Indian Religious Doctrines

    2504 Words  | 6 Pages

    The Bhagavad Gita is perhaps the most famous, and definitely the most widely-read, ethical text of ancient India. As an episode in India's great epic, the Mahabharata, The Bhagavad Gita now ranks as one of the three principal texts that define and capture the essence of Hinduism; the other two being the Upanishads and the Brahma Sutras. Though this work contains much theology, its kernel is ethical and its teaching is set in the context of an ethical problem. The teaching of The Bhagavad Gita is summed up in the maxim "your business is with the deed and not with the result." When Arjuna, the third son of king Pandu (dynasty name: Pandavas) is about to begin a war that became inevitable once his one hundred cousins belonging to the Kaurava dynasty refused to return even a few villages to the five Pandava brothers after their return from enforced exile, he looks at his cousins, uncles and friends standing on the other side of the battlefield and wonders whether he is morally prepared and justified in killing his blood relations even though it was he, along with his brother Bhima, who had courageously prepared for this war. Arjuna is certain that he would be victorious in this war since he has Lord Krishna (one of the ten incarnations of Vishnu) on his side. He is able to visualize the scene at the end of the battle; the dead bodies of his cousins lying on the battlefield, motionless and incapable of vengeance. It is then that he looses his nerve to fight.

    Read More

  • ExploringThe Bhagavad Gita

    1828 Words  | 4 Pages

    He goes so far as to describe how chaos swells to corrupt even the women in the families, creating disorder in society. Arjuna tells Krishna that the punishment for men who undermine the duties of the family are destined for a place in hell. Finally, Arjuna asks Krishna which is right: the tie to sacred duty or reason?

    Read More

  • America’s Personal Values, Compared

    1187 Words  | 3 Pages

    "From the Bhagavad-Gita." Prentice Hall Literature. Trans. Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood. Upper Saddle: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2004. 182-89. Print.

    Read More

  • The Caste System and Reincarnation’s Effect on Ancient Hinduism

    672 Words  | 2 Pages

    Karma and rebirth were used to reinforce the responsibility of each caste. When Arjuna had uncertainty about whether or not to fight against members of his family, Kṛṣṇa attempted to persuade him that “No one is able to destroy that imperishable soul” (2.17) because “For the soul there is neither birth nor death at any time” (2.20). The Hindu religion believes that the body is just temporary for t...

    Read More

  • The Great Scripture of Hinduism

    694 Words  | 2 Pages

    In this story, the Lord Vishnu, whose duty it is to protect the universe from corruptive forces, takes the bodily form of Sri Krishna. He then lowers himself, out of love, and takes the humble position of charioteer to Prince Arjuna, a reluctant warrior. The battle is over a kingdom, one that will be, according to Price Arjuna, 'fruitless'; if it is won by the spilling of his relatives' blood. Arjuna initially believes that 'when a family declines, ancient traditions are destroyed'; (Ch 1, 40-41). Though a noble belief, Sri Krishna tells him that he is incorrect. Krishna then begins to set Prince Arjuna on his 'path to salvation,'; teaching him the ways of a selfless life. The most amazing aspect of all of this, I find, is that throughout the entire story – through all of Prince Arjuna's reluctance and stubborn beliefs – Krishna, the deity, never abandons him. This love and devotion, shown by a deity for a subject, is amazing. It is a kind of two-way worship that I admire greatly.

    Read More

  • The Teachings of Bhagavad-Gita

    928 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Bhagavad-Gita teaches many things, and amongst these, morality and moral law are developed for the Hindu religion. What Krishna, the primary Hindu god, declares in this somewhat epic poem to be the "basis of good in this world" (stanza 3, pg. 620 of text) is for people to take action. Action, as he goes on to state, is within the very nature of our beings to do. Krishna even states that "without action you even fail to sustain your own body" (stanza 8, pg. 620 of text). Thus, Krishna feels that action is very important and key. To take this concept as a relation to ethics, Krishna tells Arjuna, the warrior he is talking to in this poem, that "Action imprisons the world unless it is done as sacrifice; freed from attachment, Arjuna, perform action as sacrifice!" (stanza 9, pg. 620 of text). Thus, Krishna is prescribing that, in order for an action to be considered good, the good that he already declared to be the basis of all good in the world, one must detach himself from the action being performed and perform the action sacrificially. The detachment aspect is incredibly important to Krishna, for he proclaims that in "performing action with detachment, one achieves supreme good" (stanza 19, pg 620 of text). By doing this, Krishna believes that the world is preserved, for other people will follow the warrior's actions and imitate them in their own lives. A leader, such as a warrior or king, "sets the standard for the world to follow" (stanza 21, pg. 621 of text), as Krishna says and thus must take whatever action is necessary for the world to not be destroyed, to set examples of goodness and right in his own actions. By separating himself from these actions, thus becoming detached, he can achieve this. Another main reason that Krishna feels detachment is necessary is this: "You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself the cause of the results of your activities, and never be attached to not doing your duty." (Bhagavad-Gita 2.47). Thus, so long as one does not profit from his own actions, the action itself is good. And, this is Krishna's prescription for leading a life of morality and duty is the moral law to follow in order to achieve this.

    Read More

  • Karma Yoga and Bhagvad Gita

    1874 Words  | 4 Pages

    Personally, among the three margas (karma-bhakti-jnana) in Hinduism to attain Kaivalya, I am attracted and influenced by the karma marga or also called as kriya yoga. Karma means work or action and involved connecting with god by performing one’s duty. Bhagvad Gita is an example of Karma Marga, Mahatma Gandhi can be a great example to the notion. The main idea of Karma yoga is – do your duty and do not be concerned with the results. The Gita is based on this prima facie school of thought. When Arjuna is skeptic about waging war against his own family, Lord Krishna explains the importance of abiding by one’s own karma (duty).

    Read More

  • Liberation Thought and Bhakti-yoga

    1089 Words  | 3 Pages

    For Hinduism, the ultimate liberation is returning to Braham. According to Bhagavad Gita, there are three ways of practice that lead to liberation.¬¬¬¬. These are janna-yoga (the way of knowledge), bhakti- yoga (the practice of devotion) and karma-yoga (the course of action). In other words, one can practice any of these methods to achieve union with God. This paper I will analyze some important aspects of bhakti-yoga and how it can lead one to attain ultimate liberation—return to Atman. In doing this investigation, I hope to help the reader broaden their knowledge on liberation in Hinduism. As Radhakrishnan says we may climb the mountain from different paths, but the view from the summit is identical for all.

    Read More

  • Confucius: Philosopher, Reformer and Architect of Confucianism

    1369 Words  | 3 Pages

    The book is based on the conversation between Arjuna who was one of the greatest warrior of his time and Krishna who was a charioteer of Arjuna. Studying Bhagavad Gita teaches us about Dharma, Karma, reincarnation and salvation. Dharma is defined as duty and Karma is a belief that each and every action we do have consequences which has to be suffered by reincarnating through various lives. Bhagavad Gita informs us that Karma guarantees that every individual will be able to reap the benefits of his/her good work and have to suffer the consequences for the actions, good actions brings benefits whereas bad actions brings costs (Chatterjee). Taking base of the facts about Dharma, Karma, reincarnation, and salvation, the book teaches us to be wise and faithful with our duties. With an irony that salvation can only be attained by keeping track of Dharma, the book motivates us to rethink about the consequences of every action we take. This has helped developing good morality in individuals and has helped developing a better

    Read More

  • Mantra Yoga And Karma Yoga

    763 Words  | 2 Pages

    It is said that any person who can chant or sing Vedas can achieve the ultimate salvation or union with supreme consciousness only by chanting the mantras, which is the aim of Mantra Yoga.

    Read More

More about Essay On Arjuna

Open Document