StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...

The use of allegory in the Bhagavad Gita by Eknath Easwaran - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
The song of God or the Bhagavad Gita is perhaps the most inspiring poem that has been handed down to us over the centuries. While the song may have been sung centuries ago, it is still a work relevant to our own time. The Bhagavad Gita's fantastic allegory makes it one of the most timeless, one of the most inspiring, and unarguably one of the most thoughtful and interesting works ever connected to world religions.
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER98.9% of users find it useful
The use of allegory in the Bhagavad Gita by Eknath Easwaran
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "The use of allegory in the Bhagavad Gita by Eknath Easwaran"

Download file to see previous pages

The magical words of the Gita have been taken all around the world, and have inspired millions of people. Therefore, there can be little doubt as regards its efficacy, timeless relevance and of course, its wondrous, practical simplicity. The allegory, the wonderful symbolization of the world in all its colors - makes the song of God one of the greatest and most relevant works of religion. And this allegory can be seen in the Gita itself - a study of the entire epic is not even necessary! So, it is important to analyze and understand the reason for the Bhagavad Gita's strong influence on our minds - which can be properly done only by studying the beautiful allegory that is used in the poem.

The entire Mahabharata is itself full of symbols, if we look deeply. Whether it is Dhritarashtra's blindness, Yudhishthira's flying chariot, a brotherhood of five Pandavas as compared to an ocean of a hundred Kauravas - all these strange characterizations and symbolizations carry a distinct meaning in themselves. The most prominent symbols, however, are the incarnation of Lord Krishna on the Earth, and his subsequent role as a charioteer to the Pandava Arjuna - who has been depicted as Nara (Man).

It is commonly understood that the discourse given by Krishna to Arjuna is the only thing that comes close to an Allegory - being interpreted as God teaching man some important ideals (very much like the ten commandments!), but that is simply not true - The allegory can be seen and felt the moment Arjuna panics at the time of the commencement of battle - Man panics when he has to do his duty. And here, Man is Arjuna and his duty is to participate in this war. From this moment on, we can observe a great deal of wonderful and intelligent symbolization the great poet Veda Vyasa has hidden in the Gita. ".take me to the middle of the battlefield, my dear Krishna, so that I may observe the armies facing each other.

" - Thus did Arjuna plead with his charioteer (after the conch of the commencement of the battle was sounded!). "Middle of the battlefield" "My Dear Krishna" "may observe the armies facing each other" "after the conch of commencement of the battle was sounded" - have these questions ever been raised NEVER! But the entire soul of the poem's allegory is contained in these words. The moment Arjuna panicked, the Lord smiled. The very setting of the Gita and the conversation between Nara (Arjuna) and Narayana (Krishna) is too bizarre and eccentric for words - but that setting makes the song of God "Timeless".

The "middle of the battlefield" is actually a point in everyone's life, when one has to make a crucial, life-changing decision. Arjuna wanted a clear view of both armies, and that could be done only when he could stand at the middle of the battlefield, impartially. The symbol "middle of the battlefield" actually teaches us just that - to be completely impartial while making an important decision. One should never be carried away by senseless and overwhelming

...Download file to see next pages Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“The use of allegory in the Bhagavad Gita by Eknath Easwaran Essay”, n.d.)
The use of allegory in the Bhagavad Gita by Eknath Easwaran Essay. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1520596-the-use-of-allegory-in-the-bhagavad-gita-by-eknath-easwaran
(The Use of Allegory in the Bhagavad Gita by Eknath Easwaran Essay)
The Use of Allegory in the Bhagavad Gita by Eknath Easwaran Essay. https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1520596-the-use-of-allegory-in-the-bhagavad-gita-by-eknath-easwaran.
“The Use of Allegory in the Bhagavad Gita by Eknath Easwaran Essay”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/miscellaneous/1520596-the-use-of-allegory-in-the-bhagavad-gita-by-eknath-easwaran.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF The use of allegory in the Bhagavad Gita by Eknath Easwaran

Hebrew Bible and Bhagavad-Gita

In the paper “Hebrew Bible and Bhagavad-gita” the author discusses religion and faith, which maintain universality in their nature and scope.... The same is the feelings of reverence and regard for Krishna in Hindu mythology and their holy book gita, which declares him as God incarnated for the welfare of humanity, as Krishna is attributed to stating that: “I am birth-less and changeless.... I am the lord (gita, IV: 6); almost the same statement is associated with Jesus Christ, where he views himself as the Lord, which does not experience any change in his person altogether (Malachi 3:6)....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

Hinduism - Bhagavad Gita with Reference to Upanishads

In “The Ultimate Person” chapter of the bhagavad gita, the conversation between the Lord Krishna, the teacher and the student Arjuna was presented.... This paper aims to thoroughly explain the teachings of the Upanishads with reference to the texts of the “bhagavad gita: The Beloved Lord's Secret Love Song”, a part of the Itihaas scripture Mahabharata, by Graham M.... Schweig's “bhagavad gita: The Beloved Lord's Secret Love Song” encompasses the metaphysical concepts such as the distinction between body and soul (matter/spirit), the principle of nonattached action, the virtues of disciplines… and the respective places of knowledge and devotion in spiritual life” (Rosen 108)....
17 Pages (4250 words) Essay

Chapter Three of Bhagavad Gita and Purusha Sukta

Schweig's “bhagavad gita: The Beloved Lord's Secret Love Song” establishes the eternal duties of the human beings.... hellip; The sociological significance of “bhagavad gita” can be understood through the historical dynamics of the social structure as observed in the later Vedic society.... Yagya or sacrifice is another theme of the third chapter of “bhagavad gita”.... The essence of the teachings of Lord Krishna and his universal form as exemplified in “bhagavad gita” closely resembles to that of the Purusha Sukta....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Concept of Justice in Bhagavad Gita

hellip; The author states that the bhagavad gita is considered to be the sacred text of Hinduism and has pivotal importance.... the bhagavad gita is considered to be the sacred text of Hinduism and has pivotal importance.... This paper “Concept of Justice in bhagavad gita” has selected three concepts of justice in different religions, which is found in their sacred thrust.... The three scriptures selected are bhagavad gita, Bible, and the Koran....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

Bhagavad-Gita: Discourses 1 through 6 (pp. 1 -- 60)

The he was about to fight involved his own family Bhagavad-gita: Dis s through 6 The dialogue between the great warrior Arjuna and God Krishna forms what is commonly known as the Bhagavat gita.... I do not see any good in killing my kinsmen in battle,” (The Bhavagan gita, 31).... ?? (The Bhavagan gita 26).... (The Bhavagan gita 37).... ReferenceBhagavad-gita: Discourses 1 through 6 (pp....
2 Pages (500 words) Article

Bhagavad-Gita: Discourses 13 through 18 (finish)

Krishna further asserts that all the qualities and modifications in an individual are triggered Dis s thirteen through eighteen Dis s thirteen through eighteen in the bhagavad-Gita, dis s thirteen through eighteen are the simplest discourses for me to comprehend.... In the eighteenth discourse, Krishna summarizes the entire message in the bhagavad-Gita by stating that human beings should be conscious with what they do because they do things with one motive, which is to get God's mercy and grace, and to achieve eternal life....
2 Pages (500 words) Article

Iliad, Antigone and Bhagavad Gita

Homer's Iliad, Sophocles' Antigone and the bhagavad gita constitute ancients works that reflect the cultural realities of their periods and… Indeed, Iliad mainly foregrounds the actions about the Trojan War; Antigone portrays Creon's abuse of power while the bhagavad gita exposes philosophical models in the Hindu society.... the bhagavad gita foregrounds the concept of dharma that represents the duty a person has to accomplish.... The narrator reports Arjuna's change of mind: “ O King, thereafter, while about to engage in the releasing of weapons, Arjuna on whose banner Hanuuman is pictured, having observed the sons of Dhrtarastra ready for battle, at that time taking up his bow and spoke these words unto Lord Krsna” (gita 1....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

How Does the Bhagavad-Gita Reveal Fundamental Teachings of Hinduism

This essay "How Does the bhagavad-Gita Reveal Fundamental Teachings of Hinduism" sheds some light on fundamental teachings of Hinduism that explore the possibilities of human life.... hellip; In Bhagavad-gita, the essence of the fundamental teachings of Hinduism like yoga, karma/ dharma, and action is revealed by Lord Krishna, and this revelation can be generalized to the wider context of day to day life.... In short, Bhagavad-gita can be considered as an innovative medium that reveals the fundamental teachings of Hinduism expressed in lyrical format....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us