The Gita comprises eighteen chapters. That genuine teaching of Raja-Yoga is at once a science and an art that explains how each individual soul is connected to God (the Self).
The dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna: its historical context
It is divided into three six-chapter sections:
– Chapters 1 to 6 are about karma-yoga, the path of action.
– Chapters 7 to 12 are about bhakti-yoga, the path of devotion.
– Chapters 13 to 18 are about jnana-yoga, the path of knowledge.
The Gita is the epitome of the Vedic culture and literature. It deals with all the essential topics concerning human beings. It is set in the narrative framework of a dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna. Krishna is God manifested and descended onto the Earth in order to restore the dharma (the duty, what is right), which men lost five thousand years ago.
The Bhagavad Gita is part of an epic narrative, the Mahabharata.
Its context is as follows:
When King Pandu died, his blind brother Dhritarashtra was awarded guardianship as of right to Pandu’s five children (known as the Pandava brothers) until they would be old enough for reigning. Dhritarashtra had a hundred sons, the eldest being Duryodhana. They are known as the Kaurava brothers. On several occasions the latter plotted to get rid of the Pandavas as well as of their Queen mother Kunti, but each time the fiendish plots were foiled through the intervention of Vidura, the Pandava brothers’ uncle, and thanks to Lord Krishna’s protection. Then Duryodhana arranged a last ploy in the form of a dice game. Here we must point out that any warrior (a kshatrya) had to adhere to a Code of Honour by which they could not refuse to take up a challenge, whether it be at war or at play. So, Duryodhana had the Pandavas play that dice game and, through cheating, he managed to dispossess them of their kingdom and of all their goods. Hence they were forced into a thirteen-year exile, after which they would regain their kingdom. But at the end of that forcible exile, Duryodhana treated them with contempt, denying them any right to anything.
Right from the beginning of that story, Lord Krishna got involved in trying to settle the dispute peacefully. It was a family dispute, since the Kauravas and the Pandavas were cousins. The tragedy involved uncles, masters, friends and allies, each of them having to take up a position for or against either party, as per their own duties, interests or spiritual understandings.
The real issue was: can a kingdom in distress be left under the rule of a blind king, of an ambitious queen and of corrupt sons who, to top this all, opposed any peaceful solving of the conflict they had triggered against the Pandavas?
The Pandavas were Lord Krishna’s devotees and friends. They were persons of high moral character. The eldest brother, Yudhisthira, was the son Kunti had with god Dharma. Dharma had to be restored, and God’s avatar (god Vishnu), in the form of Lord Krishna, was there to make sure it would be.
Formally speaking, the Kauravas also were Krishna’s allies. Apparently, Duryodhana showed him respect, but he would never follow his advice. In fact, it was Krishna’s power that attracted him, more then his wisdom and his love, as the following episode shows clearly.
When it was clear that the battle could not be avoided, Lord Krishna let the opponents choose between either his armies or his mere presence. When they came for choosing, the Lord was asleep. Arjuna (one of the Pandavas) sat modestly at his feet, whereas Duryodhana was already there, sitting next to the Lord’s head. Duryodhana, an epitome of egotistic tendencies (we’ll return to this point later), claimed precedence, saying, “I arrived first. So I am superseding. I have a right to be supported by the Lord. I, I, I…” When the Lord opened his eyes, he first saw Arjuna standing submissively at his feet, and gave him precedence, but Arjuna gave way to his cousin. So, Duryodhana was the first to decide on what he wanted: the Lord’s power and armed forces, or the Lord himself, his mere non-combatant presence? A symbol of the heart, Arjuna stood second and he was happy to be left with the Lord’s presence, rather than His power. Duryodhana probably thought Arjuna was rather stupid to have let him get all the Lord’s forces, without having to care for the Lord himself. Now, that choice makes all the difference between knowledge, even spiritual knowledge, and the Lord Himself, who is there, motionless, peaceful and shining at the very core of our selves.
The epic says that the battle lasted for ten days, leading to millions of deaths on both sides. Each camp used special weapons called Brahmastra, that were both psychic ones and powerful artifacts, such as Krishna’s wheel, which had destructive effects. The battle was fought under the Code of Honour, a one-on-one fight between soldiers or between knights, any unarmed or wounded man being spared.
Theophile the Elder
An excerpt from Theophile’s journal
Comments on the Bhagavad Gita