Brandon Schmidt
             REL. 102
             10/10/01
             Teachings of Bhagavad-Gita
             The definition of religion in our course is the "human transformation in response to perceived ultimacy." In the Bhagavad-Gita the beliefs of Samsara, which is the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth of individuals, are intertwined with dharma (duty). Moksha, which is the release or liberation of the Atman from the cycle of rebirth combined with karma yoga (the way of action), is a way to reach this state of enlightenment. These two themes in The Bhagavad-Gita when combined, explain the overall Hindu view of the sacred and ultimate.
             These beliefs of the sacred and ultimate are delivered throughout the book. For example, as Arjuna, a Pandava warrior, is contemplating whether or not to fulfill his dharma, he asks, "Krishna, how can I fight against Bhishma and Drona with arrows when they deserve my worship"? Krishna's advisees Arjuna: "Always perform with detachment any action you must do; performing action with detachment, one achieves supreme good." By keeping this detachment of from his actions, Arjuna can understand that he must believe in his dharma. By performing dharma, Krishna says "death is certain for anyone born, and birth is certain for anyone dead, since the cycle is inevitable, you have no cause to grieve." The Hindu belief of life on Earth is that each life is a part of a cycle of birth, death and rebirth until spiritual peace is found. By killing someone in battle, you are just helping his or her cycle to continue.
             Through Samsara (cycle of rebirth), Arjuna's conflict is within. By obtaining the release of the karmic or physical self, he is rejecting the impulses of the karmic self in order to recognize his Atman, or his true eternal spirit. We see this when Krishna gives
             Schmidt, 2
             advice to Arjuna: " When he renounces all desires and acts without craving, possessiveness, or individuality, he finds...