Post by You_Got_A_Stew_Goin_Baby on Feb 8, 2018 6:08:39 GMT
Hello all.
So, I am reading the Bhagavad Gita (translation by Eknath Easwaran), and I have some questions that maybe someone with more insight into the Gita or Hinduism in general could enlighten me on.
So, in chapter 2, Arjuna confesses his trepidation about fighting his cousins in the soon-to-come battle, and implores Krishna to give him a reason to fight. Krishna goes on to say that Arjuna's fears are unfounded, due to the fact that his atman, that is his immortal Self, will live on regardless of whether Arjuna lives or dies on the battle field, as will the atman of everyone else on the battlefield. In the introduction to this edition, Easwaran defines the atman as:
So, basically if I understand it, Brahman is the godhead that underlies our physical reality, and atman is our eternal, divine connection with Brahman that lies at the core of our being. Krishna says that Arjuna does not realize this, and so is fearful of battle, and that by practicing yoga (not just the physical aspect, but the more comprehensive mental aspects as well) Arjuna can overcome this lower level of consciousness and transcend the petty concerns and fears of mortal life to reach a more enlightened realization of the immortal Self.
So, this is all well and good, but then Krishna goes on to say that it is Arjuna's duty to fight because he is a warrior, and it is his dharma as a warrior to fight bravely in battle. Attaining a connection with his atman will clear Arjuna's mind of concern and allow him to fulfill his dharma more successfully, I think. Easwaran defines dharma as:
So, Arjuna is a warrior, and his dharma is to be brave and fight for his clan (in this case his brother, who seeks to take the throne of Kurukshetra in the larger story of the Mahabharata, of which the Bhagavad Gita is only a small part). BUT, Arjuna must first realize his atman, that is his eternal Self, which connects him with all living things in the eternal godhead of existence, in order to overcome his fears and concerns.
So my question is this. If Krishna says that Arjuna should seek to attain an awareness of the Self (atman) and transcend his mortal consciousness, then why the fuck should Arjuna care about fulfilling his dharma as a warrior and fighting on the battlefield? Will fulfilling his dharma, in conjunction with yoga, help Arjuna attain connection with his atman? What if he dies and is reincarnated as a farmer: must he then fulfill the dharma of a farmer in order to help reach a connection with his atman? What is the 'thing' that 'the essence of a thing' in the definition of dharma refers to? Something intrinsic to each persons atman, or is it a separate set of laws for certain types of livelihoods (warrior, priest, artisan, farmer, etc.)?
tl:dr - Krishna implores Arjuna to stop being a pussy and do yoga to attain enlightenment so he can kill his cousins on the battlefield. But if Arjuna attains enlightenment, why the fuck should he care about defending his honor as a warrior (i.e., fulfilling his dharma)?
Thanks.
So, I am reading the Bhagavad Gita (translation by Eknath Easwaran), and I have some questions that maybe someone with more insight into the Gita or Hinduism in general could enlighten me on.
So, in chapter 2, Arjuna confesses his trepidation about fighting his cousins in the soon-to-come battle, and implores Krishna to give him a reason to fight. Krishna goes on to say that Arjuna's fears are unfounded, due to the fact that his atman, that is his immortal Self, will live on regardless of whether Arjuna lives or dies on the battle field, as will the atman of everyone else on the battlefield. In the introduction to this edition, Easwaran defines the atman as:
...the divine core of personality...a core of consciousness beyond time and change...Atman is Brahman: the Self in each person is not different from the Godhead [Brahman, or the god behind the physical world]...the Self is one, the same in every creature.
So, basically if I understand it, Brahman is the godhead that underlies our physical reality, and atman is our eternal, divine connection with Brahman that lies at the core of our being. Krishna says that Arjuna does not realize this, and so is fearful of battle, and that by practicing yoga (not just the physical aspect, but the more comprehensive mental aspects as well) Arjuna can overcome this lower level of consciousness and transcend the petty concerns and fears of mortal life to reach a more enlightened realization of the immortal Self.
So, this is all well and good, but then Krishna goes on to say that it is Arjuna's duty to fight because he is a warrior, and it is his dharma as a warrior to fight bravely in battle. Attaining a connection with his atman will clear Arjuna's mind of concern and allow him to fulfill his dharma more successfully, I think. Easwaran defines dharma as:
Generally, dharma implies support from within: the essence of a thing, its virtue, that which makes it what it is...on a larger scale, dharma means the essential order of things, an integrity and harmony in the universe and the affairs of life that cannot be disturbed without courting chaos. Thus it means rightness, justice, goodness, purpose, rather than chance.
So, Arjuna is a warrior, and his dharma is to be brave and fight for his clan (in this case his brother, who seeks to take the throne of Kurukshetra in the larger story of the Mahabharata, of which the Bhagavad Gita is only a small part). BUT, Arjuna must first realize his atman, that is his eternal Self, which connects him with all living things in the eternal godhead of existence, in order to overcome his fears and concerns.
So my question is this. If Krishna says that Arjuna should seek to attain an awareness of the Self (atman) and transcend his mortal consciousness, then why the fuck should Arjuna care about fulfilling his dharma as a warrior and fighting on the battlefield? Will fulfilling his dharma, in conjunction with yoga, help Arjuna attain connection with his atman? What if he dies and is reincarnated as a farmer: must he then fulfill the dharma of a farmer in order to help reach a connection with his atman? What is the 'thing' that 'the essence of a thing' in the definition of dharma refers to? Something intrinsic to each persons atman, or is it a separate set of laws for certain types of livelihoods (warrior, priest, artisan, farmer, etc.)?
tl:dr - Krishna implores Arjuna to stop being a pussy and do yoga to attain enlightenment so he can kill his cousins on the battlefield. But if Arjuna attains enlightenment, why the fuck should he care about defending his honor as a warrior (i.e., fulfilling his dharma)?
Thanks.