By Dr. Nancy K. Kerns

Ancient India and

The Bhagavad-Gita

Ancient India

History and Heroic Age

Beginnings of Indian Civilization

c. 3000 BC – 1500 BC

Earliest known Indian

civilization develops in Indus

River Valley

Writings exist but currently

remain un-deciphered

Beginnings of Classical Indian Literature

1500 BC – 500 BC

Aryan tribes settle region now known as India

Introduce Sanskrit language, from which all later Indian

dialects evolve

Sanskrit dialect

Tamil becomes

the language of

classical Indian

literature starting

with Rig Veda

(1200 - 1000 BC)

Heroic Age (700 BC – 400 AD)

Rise of Hinduism

Rise of the caste system

Brahmin (priests)

Kshatriya (rulers, land

owners, warriors)

Vaishya (merchants)

Sudra (artisans, farmers)

Harijans (“untouchables”)

Rise of the heroic epic

Hinduism’s Ideas of Divinity

Hindu Trinity

Brahma: Creator

Vishnu: Sustainer

Shiva: Destroyer

Many other deities exist,

but are all manifestations of

the Trinity

Basic Religious Tenets of Hinduism

“Dharma” guides all conduct; defines conscience and law

“Karma” are the deeds one does during life

Reincarnation / rebirth

Soul created pure and immortal

Soul reincarnated based on karma of previous life

Ultimately liberated from rebirth when one is in karmic balance; goes to another plane of existence

The Bhagavad-Gita

The Indian Epic and Hindu Scripture

The Indian EpicsLong narrative poems which deal with legendary history

(here, Aryan tribes and Indian royal houses)

Mahabharata: Story of civil war between three royal houses;

contains Bhagavad-Gita

Ramayana: Story of Prince Rama’s exile and adventures

Nature of the Bhagavad-Gita

Inserted into the narrative of

The Mahabharata epic

Translated “Song of the

Lord”: Functions as guide to

Hindus on how to achieve

karmic balance

Treated as a Hindu Scripture

Krishna is an incarnation of

the god Vishnu the Sustainer

Arjuna stands as a

representative of humanity

Narrative Context of Bhagavad-Gita

Narrator is the bard who is telling the Mahabharata epic

Arjuna is a warrior hero of ancient India’s civil war who is despairing at fighting his own people on the eve of a historic battle

Krishna is disguised as his charioteer and is encouraging him; his divine teachings to Arjuna make up the Bhagavad-Gita and are meant to be directed towards all Hindus

Main Themes / Questions

What is dharma?

How does one know one’s dharma?

How does one reconcile contradictory duties?

How does one obtain karmic perfection in a world full of

wickedness?

How important is self-control?

How much free will does a person have?

What is the individual’s place in the cosmos?

Sources (Informally Cited)

Texts

“Hindu Deities.” www.hindunet.org

“Indian Caste System.” www.csuchico.edu

The Norton Anthology of World Literature.

Images (in order of appearance)

Indus Civilization Map. www.rivervalleycivilizations.com

Indus Elephant Script. www.bbc.co.uk

Rig Vida Writing. www.swayamonline.com

The Caste System. www.beyondbooks.com

Hindu Trinity. www.shankarwolf.wordpress.com

Samsara: Reincarnation Cycle. www.jdemirdjian.com

Page from Mahabharata. www.time.com

Vishnu. www.vishnu-sahasranamam.blogspot.com

Krishna the Charioteer. www.indolink.com