Individuality In The Bhagavad Gita

The idea of individuality surrounds us in todays world, for society constantly encourages us to express our individuality or what makes us stand out. However, in the religion of Hinduism, many written works such as the Bhagavad-Gita, treat individualism differently. The Gita, a highly controversial text, captures a dialogue between Arjuna, a warrior, and his guide and charioteer, Lord Krishna. Throughout the conversation, Arjuna struggles to accept his duty as a warrior and fight against his fellow brethren. While the text appears to encourage violence and war, one must read it as a metaphor for many importing values of Hinduism. For example, in attempts to convince Arjuna to fulfill his dharma, Krishna expresses that Arjuna must relinquish his individual desires and fulfill his duty. While the idea of relinquishing one’s individuality may seem to make one less human, the Bhagavad-Gita suggest that a loss of individuality eliminates self centeredness and the differences between us, ultimately making us more human.

In the Bhagavad-Gita,

At school we are strongly encouraged to embrace our individuality, for it allows us to stand out among our peers. For example, when applying to college or for a job we idolize our individual attributes to appear unique and special. Similarly, society constantly focuses on the differences between people such as skin color or gender, but it often skips over the similarities. Since we are so strongly encouraged to embrace our individuality, some people fear that by renouncing these individual attributes humans loose their sense of uniqueness, eventually becoming robots. However, giving up your individuality does not mean you become a robot with no personality or interests. It means you no longer see yourself as the center of everything and remove the differences between you and others. These positive effects allow us to connect to those around