111
See also: Living in harmony 38 ■ A rational world 92–99 ■ Hinduism in the political age 124–25 ■ Let kindness and
compassion rule 146–47 ■ Striving in the way of God 278 ■ The Sikh code of conduct 296–301
HINDUISM
He applauds the willingness
to act dutifully out of selfless
motives, setting aside any selfish
preferences. Krishna then gives
Arjuna a second reason for going
into battle: the self is immortal and
passes through a succession of
incarnations, so no one is really
killed. Only the body dies; the soul
will live again in a different body.
A context of change
When the Gita was composed, there
were two very different streams of
religious thought in India. The older
of the two, dating from the early
Vedic period, promoted social order
and duty as the basis of morality.
However, it had been challenged by
newer philosophies—particularly
the Buddhist and Jain religions—
in which not killing was the first
precept and foundation of morality.
This represented a departure from
the Vedic class system and its
traditional obligations. Arjuna’s
dilemma reflects that clash of moral
priorities, and Krishna’s advice
is an attempt to maintain class
obligations in the face of criticism
from philosophies centered on the
idea of karma and reincarnation. ■The epic poems
The teaching on selfless duty
is just one of the themes to be
found in the Bhagavad-Gita,
a work noted for the beauty
of its imagery and language.
It is part of the Mahabharata,
an epic poem that chronicles
the rivalry between two
branches of one family.
The other great Hindu epic
is the Ramayana, which tells
of the relationship between
Prince Rama and his wife Sita,
through her kidnap by the
demon Ravana. Its narrative,
has a wonderful, much-loved
cast of characters.
These epics offer a positive
view of the brahmins and
Vedic sacrifices, and highlight
the dire consequences of royal
rivalry. They explore moral
dilemmas and celebrate human
qualities, presenting role
models for Hindus to follow.
Both epics were created over a
long period, probably starting
in the 4th or 5th century BCE.I despair at the thought
of going to war. You are a prince: it is
your duty to fight.Your feelings are
immaterial; put them
aside and do your duty.The self is immortal and
eternal, so it is wrong to think
that anyone will die.It is only by forgoing
your duty to fight in a just
war that you would sin.I grieve that my kindred
and teachers will die.I do not wish to kill those
I love and respect.But if I kill will I not
have sinned?Krishna reassures Arjuna that
killing is the duty of a righteous
warrior in a just war.
Arjuna Krishna
Ravana, the vengeful demon
king and villain of the Ramayana,
is played by a dancer in a
production of the Ramayana
in Kerala, Southern India.