Krishna's Persuasion In 'Bhagavad-Gita'

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Krishna’s Persuasion
“The art of war is of vital importance to the State. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected” (Sun Tzu, 3). Warfare has existed since man first sinned and Cain killed Able. In the Bhagavad-Gita, Arjuna is faced with a dilemma. He either has to kill family, or be killed by them. In his moment of need, Arjuna prays to Krishna, a Hindu God, to seek counsel and advice. Krishna gives advice and explains that this battle is about the greater good and must be done in order for Arjuna to achieve Dharma (sacred duty). The advice Krishna gives encompasses the entire worldview of Hinduism and affects Arjuna’s decision on what to do with his life. Krishna persuades Arjuna to follow his counsel by using the teachings of Hinduism in order for Arjuna to pursue his dharma, fight for his kingdom, and achieve moksha, proving the effectiveness of this worldview.
Arjuna is faced with a …show more content…

Samsara, the continual death and rebirth cycle, is the beginning of Krishna’s second point. “If you think of its birth and death as ever-recurring…you have no cause to grieve” (Miller, 35). There is no cause for Arjuna to worry because in killing the enemy, they will be reincarnated and he will maintain good karma. Arjuna needs to worry about his own duty and karma rather than worry about his enemy’s fate. In order to achieve this, Arjuna will have set aside his cares of the world and focus on what lies ahead. He must listen to Krishna if he will prevail in this life and ultimately in the goal of moksha. Focusing on Krishna’s point, Arjuna begins to realize that he must face his enemies and prepare himself. He has nothing to fear, the embodiment of Brahman is at his side, and nothing he does to the enemy will harm their souls. Therefore there can be no damage unless he does not fulfill his own

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