Sacrifice and Freedom in The Bhagavad-Gita and Till We Have Faces

900 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: How religion affects literature

The words sacrifice and freedom transcend barriers of culture and religion. They are manifested differently to each people, but to each they pervade traditions, daily life, and moral problems. Both become a part of who we are and who we will be, a part of the very marrow of the human experience, they shape our thoughts and emotions. The Hindu text, The Bhagavad-Gita and the mythical work Till We Have Faces by Christian author C.S. Lewis are separated by an inconceivable amount of time and place. Yet, each hungrily delves into the themes of sacrifice and freedom, and in doing so, offers an answer to some of the most difficult questions about how (and why) to live.

Each novel recounts stories of a growth in knowledge of their main characters, providing practical advice for the right way to lead life. The Bhagavad-Gita details the story of the warrior Arjuna who is plagued with the idea that he must engage in battle with his relatives. In agony, he seeks the advice of the god Krishna to help him sort through right and wrong. Through Krishna’s counsel, Arjuna reaches a new level of understanding about life. Till We Have Faces expounds upon the ancient Greek myth of Cupid and Psyche. The story follows the life of Orual, a woman who is forced to come to terms with her own corrupt nature through a series of events primarily dealing with her younger sibling, Psyche. While The Bhagavad-Gita is essentially a guide for believers, Till We Have Faces is a story for stories sake. Yet, there are many comparisons and contrasts to be made when talking about the way each novel deals with the themes of sacrifice and freedom.

Essentially, The Bhagavad-Gita can be considered a “gospel of selfless service”. As Arjuna questions wh...

... middle of paper ...

...iscover alongside the main characters, each novel drawing us into the action. The Bhagavad-Gita is effective in this way in that is asks many questions, such that each human struggles with, and then proceeds to answer them with practical and useful advice. Till We Have Faces also achieves this by taking the point of view of Orual, so that the reader can experience firsthand the error of her ways.

In The Bhagavad-Gita, Arjuna needed to learn to follow the will of god, despite his trepidation at the idea of fighting his cousins. And in Till We Have Faces, Orual learned from her younger sister’s example completely unselfish motives lead to the appeasement of the gods and, therefore, happiness in one’s own life. Each novel concludes that sacrifice consists of being willing to give your own desires over to your god and that, in doing so, true happiness will abound.

Show More
Related

  • Siddhartha

    459 Words  | 1 Pages

    In this paper, I will be explaining how Siddhartha had arrived at the Four Noble Truths. The first paragraph contains how Siddhartha’s life was full of suffering, pain, and sorrow. The second paragraph will be the cause of suffering is the desire for things that are really illusions in Siddhartha’s life. Following, in the third paragraph I will be explaining how the only way to cure suffering is to overcome desire. Finally, I will be explaining that the only way to overcome desire is to follow the Eightfold Path.

    Read More

  • Moralism In The Bhagavad Gita

    1043 Words  | 3 Pages

    From the beginning of humankind, people have constantly had to deal with inner battles. Many of these issues cease to exist as time goes on, while new ones arise to take their place. There is one issue, however, that has remained consistent throughout time – morality. For centuries, humans have fought against the outside world and themselves to keep their morals properly aligned. The issue of morality is so dominant that it is still plays a vital role in today’s society. This can be seen in wars, law systems, codes of conduct, and religious texts. An example of a religious text where this can be seen is in pages 185 - 188 of the Bhagavad Gita, where Krishna, also referred to as “The Blessed One”, guides Arjuna through his inner struggles between

    Read More

  • Analysis of Frederick Douglass, The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro

    1284 Words  | 3 Pages

    A human being is a complicated entity of a contradictory nature where creative and destructive, virtuous and vicious are interwoven. Each of us has gone through various kinds of struggle at least once in a lifetime ranging from everyday discrepancies to worldwide catastrophes. There are always different causes and reasons that trigger these struggles, however, there is common ground for them as well: people are different, even though it is a truism no one seems to able to realize this statement from beyond the bounds of one’s self and reach out to approach the Other.

    Read More

  • Loyalty In Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'The Scarlet Letter'

    439 Words  | 1 Pages

    The human condition may contain the sense of great heights, achieving great dreams and great lives, but it also contains the hellish experience that many call the limit of man. No matter the intensity of the desire or pain, cowardice and selfishness will always creep down from its dark cave, ravaging at the man before the crossroad. As a result, more often than not, man will take the path of less resistance, aware but unaware of his weak spirit. Traveling down the road, the man will soon realize that he has lost something important: his free will. He weeps, but weeps of his weakness, his lack of strength to stand up to his desires, to fight his inner demons and cowardice, to seek the light he has always desired. He dreams shortly of what could have been, the cruelty of the double-edged sword called the human condition, then falls on his knees to become his own

    Read More

  • All My Puny Sorrows By Miriam Towes

    1709 Words  | 4 Pages

    reflects upon the theme of the novel. As it highlights the fact that if people in the society

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Sacrifice In In Beloved

    1920 Words  | 4 Pages

    It iwas an act arranged in the space between self-attestation and selflessness, where Sethe has taken what is humane and protected it

    Read More

  • James Joyce's Dubliners

    1410 Words  | 3 Pages

    The emotions throughout the society are shared with the individuals throughout their confusing times, and by their shared experiences. The times spent together of the characters brought the individuals closer together through the dark negative times, and through the light positive situations of society. The confusing part of peoples lives are brought together and are shown throughout the status of society. The stories of the “Encounter,” “Eveline,” and “The Dead” come together with similar experiences of situations of light and dark. The society bring the individuals closer together by shared times.

    Read More

  • Preferentism And Self Sacrifice

    955 Words  | 2 Pages

    In moral philosophy, preferentism - or desire satisfactionism - is the idea that the fulfilment of preferences is the sole basic bearer of intrinsic goodness, and the frustration of preferences is the sole basic bearer of intrinsic badness. Simply, getting what you desire most is good, not getting that is bad. The source of value is not the pleasure gained by getting what you want; rather the fulfilment of the desire as an end in itself. This view came about as an alternative to traditional hedonism, especially after Nozick's Experience Machine showed that most people would not choose not to be most efficiently pleasured through the machine, and therefore we should look to things other than pleasure as sources of value.

    Read More

  • Theme Of Sacrifice In A Thousand Splendid Sun

    1398 Words  | 3 Pages

    It has often been said that what we value is determined only by what we sacrifice. The novel A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini, includes one specific character who makes a sacrifice that demonstrates what she truly values in life. Mariam, a major character in the book, sacrifices her life in order to save Laila and her children. This sacrifice allows the reader to view what Mariam truly cares about: the survival of Laila, her happiness, and her children. Mariam’s sacrifice highlights her willingness to do whatever it takes to save the ones she loves, allowing for a deeper understanding of Mariam and how sacrifice is a major theme in the novel.

    Read More

  • Bhagavad Gita And Confucius Analects: An Analysis

    1105 Words  | 3 Pages

    A large amount of ancient texts contain themes relating to violence, power, and war, while others, such as The Bhagavad Gita and Confucius’ Analects, focus on individual and collective development through a series of selfless acts. The two texts provide an in-depth system of duties and learning created to provide direction for the betterment of the self, as well as society as a whole. The Bhagavad Gita places a greater focus on the duties of individuals that must be fulfilled to achieve an enlightened state with the divine forces. Contradictory consequences are presented for those who choose to act in an egotistical manner and deny their duties. Confucius’ Analects, on the other hand, places its main focus on collective development and responsibility

    Read More

  • Bhagavad Gita And The Analects

    1414 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Bhagavad-Gita, a portion of the great epic the Mahabharata, is the “most typical expression of Hinduism.” It is eighteen chapters long and was composed around the first century BCE. The sage Samjaya recites the story to the blind king Dhrtarastra, the father of the Kaurava princes. While presenting ideas of wisdom, duty, and liberation in the midst of the rivalry between the Kauravas, the Bhagavad-Gita epitomizes the teachings of Krishna. Focusing specifically on the moral struggle of the Pandava prince Arjuna, the Bhagavad-Gita’s major themes include yoga, karma, dharma, and moksa. Yoga, being discipline or the strict and “attentive cultivation of mental character and meaningful action” , is crucial to the text because it is dharma yoga, acting properly according to one’s dharma, and bhakti yoga, a disciplined life of devotion that allows one to achieve moksa, or liberation, one of the four aims of li...

    Read More

  • Bhagavad Gita The Value Of Suffering

    625 Words  | 2 Pages

    The question of suffering comes up much when talking about, or practicing any religion. Many ask why people suffer, and what causes suffering? The various religions try to answer these questions in their own way. Pico Iyer’s editorial, “The Value of Suffering” addresses the questions of suffering and how it is handled. This article could be compared to the Bhagavad-Gita which also addresses and explains suffering through different stories of the interactions of humans and different Gods. One can specifically look at “The Second Teaching” in the Bhagavad-Gita, which explains the interaction between a man named Arjuna and the god Krishna. In it Arjuna is suffering because he does not want to fight in a war and with people whom he should be worshiping. Krishna says to fight because the souls of the people will forever live on, and because he needs to fulfill his Dharma. With what is known about the Bhagavad-Gita and how Iyer thinks about the subject, Iyer would agree with how the Bhagavad-Gita address suffering.

    Read More

  • Lucie's Loving Ways in Charles Dickens´A Tale of Two Cities

    683 Words  | 2 Pages

    The effects of love and sacrifice on one’s life can be shown through the character of Lucie Manette in the novel A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. The way Lucie applies warmth to her friends and family and sacrifices for them has a greater impact than anything else could possibly do. In fact, loving gestures have the power to do anything. They can brighten moods and ameliorate one’s day. Overall, Love is a powerful feeling. It can be defined in many ways, but is always an important emotion to have. Without it, humans are empty. It is a necessary part of living; with it, anything is possible.

    Read More

  • The Perverse Love And Selfless Love

    1353 Words  | 3 Pages

    When most people think of love, they imagine a beautiful concept, one of which is and should be a part of life. Some will imagine the unconditional love of God, others will picture a spouse or family members, and some may even think about materialistic things. While there are many ways in which love can be defined as, it usually has positive connotations. This is not necessarily the case in Lewis’ novel Till We Have Faces, at least through the character Orual. Love is a major theme in the novel and is portrayed in both a humanly and a divine way. The humanly love which Lewis displays is mainly shown through Orual and is demonstrated as a perverse love. The divine love is presented through Psyche and is portrayed as selfless. In Till We Have Faces, C.S. Lewis differentiates perverse love and selfless

    Read More

  • The Historical Context of The Bhagavad Gita and Its Relation to Indian Religious Doctrines

    2504 Words  | 6 Pages

    The Bhagavad Gita is perhaps the most famous, and definitely the most widely-read, ethical text of ancient India. As an episode in India's great epic, the Mahabharata, The Bhagavad Gita now ranks as one of the three principal texts that define and capture the essence of Hinduism; the other two being the Upanishads and the Brahma Sutras. Though this work contains much theology, its kernel is ethical and its teaching is set in the context of an ethical problem. The teaching of The Bhagavad Gita is summed up in the maxim "your business is with the deed and not with the result." When Arjuna, the third son of king Pandu (dynasty name: Pandavas) is about to begin a war that became inevitable once his one hundred cousins belonging to the Kaurava dynasty refused to return even a few villages to the five Pandava brothers after their return from enforced exile, he looks at his cousins, uncles and friends standing on the other side of the battlefield and wonders whether he is morally prepared and justified in killing his blood relations even though it was he, along with his brother Bhima, who had courageously prepared for this war. Arjuna is certain that he would be victorious in this war since he has Lord Krishna (one of the ten incarnations of Vishnu) on his side. He is able to visualize the scene at the end of the battle; the dead bodies of his cousins lying on the battlefield, motionless and incapable of vengeance. It is then that he looses his nerve to fight.

    Read More

More about Sacrifice and Freedom in The Bhagavad-Gita and Till We Have Faces

Open Document