The Bhagavad Gita: Book Review

Arjuna and Krishna Chariot Painting

An Essential Path to Wisdom

The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners by Jack Hawley, is written to inspire and help one understand themselves and their surroundings spiritually. It revolves around Hinduism and it's core beliefs. The Gita is a story about two families, the Pandavas and the Kauravas, going into battle for their rightful spot onto the kingdom of Hastinapura. Prince Arjuna, a Pandavas brother, is accompanied to war with his 'old friend' Krishna, who is there to help guide him into the right path.

"I'm utterly confused as to what is my duty. I'm asking you to help me, not to just tell me to go out and fight. I beg you to tell me what I should do. I am your pupil; be my teacher, my guru. I take refuge in you and surrender to you. Please instruct me, beloved Krishna, show me the way" (Hawley 12). 

Union with Divinity

As somebody who does not worship any religion or beliefs, reading The Bhagavad Gita gave me a new profound perspective of yoga. I've taken a physical yoga class here at Cosumnes River College before, but we never learned the background of how it became or how it evolves you as a person spiritually. 

"When the mind become still and quiet, the Self reveals itself. At these depths one experiences the joy and peace of complete fulfillment" (Hawley 60).  

 I've learned the practices of meditation and relaxation, and in these moments I feel so alive, so powerful like the world is mine, as if I could achieve whatever I wish. "In this supreme state you desire nothing else whatsoever and cannot be shaken by any calamity. To be in this mental state is to know the real meaning of yoga (union with God)" (Hawley 60). I learned that yogi is not only just seen within ones self, but within everything around you, all creation. 

The Bhagavad Gita and Yoga Sutra

The practices of Yoga also relates to how we treat the environment. If one believes that we are always in touch with God around us, our perspective and attitude shifts which gives out a more positive energy! 

Book Cover
The Bhagavad Gita

Knowledge is Sacred

If you are someone who is looking for a new perspective outlook in life, I would recommend reading The Bhagavad Gita. It is a powerful story filled with poems and enlightenment, and secrets to help you become successful in your daily lives. 

"It's sole purpose it to lead humanity from the darkness of ignorance to enlightenment, from the perishable world of nature to the imperishable world of spirit" (Hawley 165).

This story teaches you that the more you learn and evolve your knowledge, the more freedom and happiness you will find around you. Treating yourself and the environment with more knowledge will leave a feeling of contempt within your body, soul, and state of mind. 

Work Cited

Hawley, Jack. The Bhagavad Gita: A Walkthrough for Westerners. New World Library, 2011.

“The Bhagavad Gita and Yoga Sutra.” Youtube, Yoga International, 15 Aug. 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=QI2Kk15Epbc&t=305s.

Valley, Painting. “Welcome to the Online Museum of Illustration Arts. Feel Free to Explore!” PaintingValley.com, Public License, 2020, paintingvalley.com/download-image#krishna-arjuna-chariot-painting-23.jpg.

Unlocking a 'Knowledge of Truth'

Over 3,000 years ago, during the Vedic Age, there were two civilizations who shared common regions, yet had different principles to their way of life. As one declined, the other emerged and sought. I will comparing be the Indus Valley Civilization to the migration of Indo-Aryan, while using quoted sources from Patrick S. Bresnan's: Awakening: An Introduction to the History of Eastern Thought, and Indus: An Unvoiced Civilization video. 

In Bresnan's book I learned a lot of the Aryan's history that were not mentioned in the Unvoiced Civilization video. The Aryan's were conquerors compared to the mellow calm Indus people. There was a story of the Aryan's that is known to be referred to as the "Aryan Conquest". They were known to be 'epic' warriors, and portrayed to be very tough and unforgiving. As I quote, "When the Aryan's had to fight for possession of new land, they proved themselves to be most formidable" (Bresnan 11). It was once said that the Aryans were migrating east towards the Ganges plain of North India, passing through the Indus Valley. Compared to the Indus people, the Indus people worried more about day to day life. They had very few weapons. As the narrator in the video said, "Weapons were very simple. The ruins of the Indus do not show even the slightest reference to war. There are no signs of fire or destruction" (Indus 35:03).

Indo-Aryan Migration into India, c. 1750 B.C.

                                          Source

In the Indus: Unvoiced Civilization video, the narrator emphasizes on different occasions that the Indus people were not violent and had almost to none materials of any war weapons. I quote, "This was a civilization, full of pleasure, without war, and with hardly any signs of the existence of a king, or any form of absolute authority" (Indus 36:25). This lead to an interesting theory that the Aryan, while they were migrating, may have brought themselves to conquer the remains of the Indus Valley Civilization. Thankfully it is said that "The theory of the Aryan Conquest took form well before the evacuations that revealed the existence of the Indus Civilization. After its discovery, it would indeed be difficult to continue to maintain that the semi-barbarian 'Aryans' were the bearers of superior culture" (Bresnan 12). This disputes the theory that the Aryans had anything to do with the disperse of the Indus Valley Civilization. 

Weapons from Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa

Source

Works Cited

Bresnan, Patrick S. Awakening: An Introduction to the History of Eastern Thought. Milton:    Taylor and Francis, 2017.

Nagasawa, Tomoni, director. Indus: An Unvoiced Civilization. FFH New Jersey, 2000.

“Map of Aryan India.” Aryan Civilization, aryancivilizationelijah.weebly.com/map-of-      aryan-india.html. 

“15. How Peaceful Was Harappan Civilization?” Edited by Dave Vasant, Harappa, Harappa Archaeological Research Project, 2020, www.harappa.com/answers/how-peaceful-was-harappan-civilization.