Arjuna

Our World Lit class just started watching the Bhagavad-Gita because we are now studying Hindi/Sanskrit Literature. We were watching the part where Arjuna is refusing to fight in a battle. The Gita is a conversation between Arjuna and Krishna. Arjuna is the hero, the divine avatar Krishna is the charioteer. Krishna is an avatar of the supreme Brahman. The story begins with Arjuna's kinsmen and friends about to go to war over ownership of the kingdom. The kingdom was passed to Arjuna's cousin. Though Arjuna is the rightful king he is reluctant to fight. He doesn't necessarily want the kingdom and he does not want to shed the blood of his family over the crown. He thinks killing is evil especially in his own family. He tells Krishna he will not fight and throws down his weapons. While trying to convince Arjuna, Krishna tells Arjuna of dharma karma. Krishna explains Arjuna's dharma, or duty. As a member of the warrior caste Arjuna is born to fight and he must fight in order to keep the right balance of karma. Karma is the effect our actions have on our life cycle, or samsara. Krishna tells Arjuna that he would not be killing his family because there is no true death of the soul, just a shedding of the earthly body between life cycles. Arjuna then decides to fight in this battle.