Last week I posted about my findings while reading from the
Mahabharata, an ancient epic poem written in India that contains key beliefs of
the Hindu culture. I dedicated this week to reading from the Bhagavad-Gita, a sacred scripture taken
from the Mahabharata that is so important to Hinduism that it is often treated
as a free standing text. The poem recounts a conversation between Lord Krishna
(later revealed to be the Supreme Being himself) and a prince named Arjuna who
questions the war he’s fighting against his own cousins. As they stand on the
battlefield with both sides ready for conflict, Lord Krishna (often referred to
simply as “the Lord”) teaches Arjuna his duties as a warrior in the caste
system of India and also instructs him on how to live a righteous life. As
such, this text allows us to have a better understanding of Hindu theology and
the caste system of ancient India.
