The Bhagavad Gita: Timeless Lessons

The Bhagavad Gita by Jack Hawley

The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners by Jack Hawley is part of Indian’s most sacred literature Mahabharata. The Bhagavad Gita is a story about the great warrior Arjuna who is struggling to follow his dharma and he does not want to go into battle with his cousins – The Kauravas, uncles, and teachers over land. On the battle field, Arjuna seeks advice from his dear friend Krishna. Through the guidance, advices, and knowledge provided by Krishna, Arjuna is able to find his atma, and integrate the newfound knowledge and spiritual beliefs in which enable him to come to the realization that going into war is part of his dharma. Arjuna put all his worries aside and devotes everything to god. As a warrior he must fight against evildoers.

Krishna reveals his god form to Arjuna

In the Bhagavad Gita, there were some meaningful sentences and verses that made me reflect on life. Essentially, it provided timeless lessons one can take from this story. In the beginning of the story, Krishna is advising Arjuna to seek his atma and that the atma is eternal. Throughout the story, I learned that one would need to follow the path of right action of duty in order to have a a better rebirth on your next life cycle. Therefore, the lesson is that one should always do the right thing.

"It is far better to do your own dharma, even if you do it imperfectly, than to try to master the work of another." (Bresnan 161-162) This quote really speaks to me because everyone has their own path in life. Everyone's path is created only for them, and that is what makes it beautiful. When someone tries to do what others are doing, it no longer holds meaning.

Lord Krishna

The Bhagavad Gita is the story of Arjuna's uncertainty of going into battle with his family. Once in a while, we have uncertainties in life, and may even be faced with difficult situations. This story is an eye-opener that will help you find hope that good things will come your way; therefore, you should put all your worries aside. Knowing that your intentions are good, you will be faced with good karma. Whether if you believe in god or not, this story will lead you to the path of knowledge.