The Bhagavad Gita I

1
The Bhagavad Gita I

• Asian Religions
• Berger

2
The Status of the Bhagavad Gita

• 6th chapter of the epic Mahabharata
• Two Divisions of Scriptural Texts
• sruti (heard) direct perception of divine
  truth
• smrti (remembered) handed on through tradition
• Gita predominantly considered smrti text, but is
  accorded sruti status by some groups such as the
  Krishna Consciousness movement of Bengal (16th
  century)

3
Synthetic Tendencies of Gita

• Gitas Attempt to Harmonize Stands of Religion
• Ancient Brahminism and new Devotionalism (bhakti)
• Upanisadic doctrines with new theism
• Ideals of caste society and renunciation
• Gitas form of theism
• -- henotheism (istadeva) preferred
  divinity
• -- brings together brahman and personhood

4
Genealogy of the Epic War

• Prasara / Satyavati Vyasa (author of narrative)
• Vyasa / daughters of Santanu
• Dhritarastra Duryodana (Kauravas bad guys)
• Pandu Yudhisthira, Arjuna (Pandavas good
  guys)\
• Krishna (incarnation of Vishnu) assists Kauravas
  but advises Pandavas

5
Arjunas Arguments against War

• Duties to the Family (p.35)
• Intimacy and laws of kula-dharma
• Destruction of Society (p.35)
• Destroying family will destroy castes and society
• Arjunas Moral Standards
• Consequences that will result from actions are
  the basis upon which acts are judged moral or
  immoral

6
Krishnas Arguments for War I

• The Immortality of the Soul (pp. 36, 43, 44)
• The need to distinguish body from true self
• The Responsibility of Castes (pp. 37, 39, 40)
• The superiority of caste to family duty
• Non-attachment to consequences (pp. 37, 38-39)
• Karma accrues based on intention, not fruits
• Krishnas Moral Standards
• Correct mystical/metaphysical knowledge
• Intentional, not consequential, standards of
  moral judgement

7
Reading for Next Class

• Yoga (pp. 51-52, 59-68)