In Part 1 of the article, we evaluated the meaning of violence and explained how the inner approach towards the action truly determines the nature of action rather than its outer form. We also summarily looked at the circumstances within which the Pandavas decided to enter into the war and how their intent was only the fulfilment of their duty towards their countrymen. We also explained the reason for Gita’s insistence on duty under all circumstances, how it is a means of personal growth and a gradual movement towards the ultimate life-goal of freedom through self-knowledge.

In this part, we will look at the larger philosophical context of the Gita to understand the main focus and purpose of the text. To begin, we will see how the very setting of the Gita is symbolic of its true intent.

The Symbol of the Chariot

As mentioned in Part 1, the Gita is deeply related to the Upanishads. But because the Gita appears in the context of a well-known story, it is more popular than the Upanishads. Many people are familiar with the Gita but have not even heard of the Upanishads. This is why the general readers do not understand the philosophical context of the Gita.

The chariot with an aggrieved Arjuna sitting in it and the charioteer Krishna as his guide is a symbolic representation of the human individual in the life-cycle as clearly defined in the Katha Upanishad:

Know the body as the chariot and self as the lord of the chariot. Know the intellect to be the charioteer and mind, the reins. The senses are called the horses, the sense objects are the roads. When the (idea of) self is attached to the body, senses, and mind, then he is called the enjoyer (and doer of actions and results).

He who has an undiscriminating and unrestrained mind, his senses are unmanageable like the vicious horses of a charioteer. He does not attain the goal (moksha) but remains in the cycle of birth and death. But he, who has a discriminative intellect as the charioteer and controlled mind as the reins, reaches that highest goal (moksha).”

Katha Upanishad, Mantras 1.3.3 – 9

The above leaves no doubt about the symbolism behind the setting of the Gita.

Krishna, the charioteer, represents an intellect free from the holds of sensory impulses, capable of guiding the individual towards the goal – self-knowledge.

He represents an intellect which has dharma-adharma viveka i.e. the ability to choose what is to be done in a situation as opposed to what is not to be done. Guided by such an intellect only can an individual overcome one’s limited sense of individuality and its impulses which make one hanker after sense objects in the hope of fulfilment.

एवं बुद्धेः परं बुद्ध्वा संस्तभ्यात्मानमात्मना ।

जहि शत्रुं महाबाहो कामरूपं दुरासदम् ॥३-४३॥

Thus, with the intellect knowing the highest (truth) and becoming free from the hold of mind and senses, defeat desire, the indomitable enemy. – Gita, 3.43

The enemy is kama i.e. desire – for sense objects for one’s fulfilment. It has to be defeated by an intellect which adheres to dharma in all situations. The symbolism is brought out by the text itself over here.

The battle is ongoing within the human mind. The story of Mahabharata is representative of it. Pandavas were the sons of Pandu. The word ‘pandu’, like ‘panda’ means ‘prajña’ i.e. knowledge. He represents discriminatory knowledge of dharma-adhrama. Dhritarashtra, on the other hand, is blind and therefore, symbolically, in darkness of ignorance and aviveka. His hundred sons are children of aviveka, led by Duryodhana, the symbol of kama.

In this manner, one has to also understand the symbolic representation of the Gita. For this reason also, accusing Gita for endorsing violence is incorrect. The setting of the battlefield and the message to fight has a different purpose altogether.

The knowledge of Vedanta

Moreover, the immediate circumstance in the story is of secondary significance.  The main focus of the Gita is to impart the knowledge of Upanishads i.e. Vedanta. The following verse by Adi Shankaracharya brings out this fact beautifully:

सर्वोपनिषदो गावो दोग्धा गोपाल नन्दनः ।

पार्थो वत्सः सुधीर्भोक्ता दुग्धं गीतामृतं महत् ॥ ६॥

“The Upanishads are the cows, Krishna the cowherd is the milker, Arjuna is the calf, those of pure intellect are the partakers of this great immortal (knowledge), the Bhagavad Gita, which is the milk.” – Gita Mahatamya, Verse 6

From the very onset of the Gita, Krishna’s effort was to make Arjuna see reality. Arjuna was taking the situation as real in the absolute sense (parmarthika satya) and was thus aggrieved by it. It was to cure this delusion (moha) and suffering (shoka) that Krishna speaks.

The people standing across the enemy-line, as also the entire universe with all its diverse names and forms, are real only in appearance.  The fact is that they are ever-changing and therefore asat or mithya. The truth of it all is unchanging which is the only reality in the absolute sense. This is the view of reality in Vedanta and imparting it is the main purpose of the GIta.

The following verses from the beginning of the Gita pinpoint this precisely:

नासतो विद्यते भावो नाभावो विद्यते सतः ।

उभयोरपि दृष्टोऽन्तस्त्वनयोस्तत्त्वदर्शिभिः ॥२-१६॥

अविनाशि तु तद्विद्धि येन सर्वमिदं ततम् ।

विनाशमव्ययस्यास्य न कश्चित्कर्तुमर्हति ॥२-१७॥

That which is asat does not come into being. That which is sat does not cease to be. The truth of both is known to the wise. Know that to be indestructible with which this entire universe is pervaded. No one is capable of destroying it. – Gita, 2.16-17

In life, we all get subdued by some challenging situations because of our ignorance about reality. We get too deeply caught up in situations thinking them to be really real and struggle very hard to get out of them. The reality is that it is only an appearance, a play of Nature, in which the individual simply needs to play his or her role. In doing so lies release from our suffering. This is the focus of the Gita from the very beginning.

The vision of Ishvara and Bhakti

In unfolding this reality, special attention is paid to describe the cause of the universe i.e. Ishvara. About one-third of the text is dedicated to explaining the nature of Ishvara and one’s relationship with it.

In a nutshell, the relationship of an individual with Ishvara is like the relationship between a wave and the ocean. In one view of reality, ocean is the cause of the wave. However, in the absolute sense, the reality of both wave and ocean is one and the same water. Water is unaffected by the birth and death of waves, by expansion and contraction of oceans, yet it is the substantial truth of both.

मया ततमिदं सर्वं जगदव्यक्तमूर्तिना ।

मत्स्थानि सर्वभूतानि न चाहं तेष्ववस्थितः ॥९-४॥

By me ^[1] (Ishvara), the unmanifest, is this entire universe pervaded. All beings are established in me (dependent on me for existence) but I am not established in them (not dependent upon them for existence). – Gita, 9.4

That the entire universe is dependent upon Ishvara is presented dramatically in the grand vision of the Vishvaroopa in Chapter 11.  

Further, one’s relationship with Ishvara is to be appreciated in all actions. This, too, is a necessary preparation for understanding the absolute oneness with it all.

यत्करोषि यदश्नासि यज्जुहोषि ददासि यत् ।

यत्तपस्यसि कौन्तेय तत्कुरुष्व मदर्पणम् ॥९-२७॥

Whatever you do, eating, yajña, charity, tapas, etc., offer it all unto me (Ishvara). – 9.27

The Gita talks at length about this attitude of Bhakti or devotion. In talking about Bhakti, it perhaps even supersedes the Upanishads. That is why Gita is held as the foremost text on Bhakti.

The right time for Sannyasa

At the beginning of the Gita, Arjuna is of the view that it is better to take up sannyasa (life of renunciation) than win the kingdom by killing one’s own people. Krishna takes this opportunity to explain him the true meaning of sannyasa.

कर्मेन्द्रियाणि संयम्य य आस्ते मनसा स्मरन् ।

इन्द्रियार्थान्विमूढात्मा मिथ्याचारः स उच्यते ॥३-६॥

One who restrains one’s organs of action but continues to dwell upon sense objects, such a deluded person is living a false life. – Gita, 3.6

Sannyasa doesn’t simply mean physically moving away from sense objects. If one continues to pine for them then the physical giving up is only a façade. Arjuna’s sannyasa would have been so because given his natural proclivity, his mind would continue to dwell upon the battle.

Renunciation needs to take place in the mind first. Once one has achieved a certain level of growth, a certain amount of freedom from the hold of sensory impulses, likes and dislikes, then one can take up the lifestyle of a sannyasi. But to achieve this growth one needs to perform one’s duties.

After taking up sannyasa, one can meditate and examine one’s relationship with the whole more deeply. Thereafter, he can engage in self-knowledge in the guidance of a teacher. This entire process is also explained in the Gita.

Many of us face this dilemma in life at one time or another – whether or not to give up this life and go away. Some see this world as ‘materialistic’ and going away as ‘spiritual’. However, in the view of Vedanta and the Gita, going away is never the solution, nor more spiritual.  Living this life and performing all necessary duties according to dharma, with one’s heart and mind fixed in Ishvara, is the real spiritual life. This important message is also one of the most fundamental teachings of the Gita.

The Vision of Oneness

Finally, Gita’s aim is to lead one towards a vision of absolute oneness.

सर्वभूतस्थमात्मानं सर्वभूतानि चात्मनि ।

ईक्षते योगयुक्तात्मा सर्वत्र समदर्शनः ॥ ६-२९॥

All beings in oneself, oneself in all beings; the one who is enjoined with knowledge of reality sees oneness everywhere. – Gita, 6.29

But to arrive at this knowledge, one must first live a life of Karmayoga. One must first fulfil one’s duties with the aim of inner growth. Only then can one become ready for this knowledge. That is why Krishna advises Arjuna to do his duties for the welfare of all:

सक्ताः कर्मण्यविद्वांसो यथा कुर्वन्ति भारत ।

कुर्याद्विद्वांस्तथासक्तश्चिकीर्षुर्लोकसङ्ग्रहम् ॥ ३-२५॥

Just as the ignorant acts motivated by the fruits of action, the wise must act motivated for lokasangraha – holding together of people. – Gita, 3.25

The same idea is repeated many times in the Gita. The wise act for lokasangraha, for the welfare of all beings – सर्वभूतहिते रताः (12.4). The last word of the Gita is therefore quite the opposite of violence. It is oneness, harmony, and the good of all.

Om tat sat

[1] Krishna is presented as an avatara of Ishvara and therefore his first-person references are to Ishvara.