Questions for Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita

Upanishads - What does it mean as far as the atman (individual higher self) is concerned, “that the slayer thinks that he slays and the slain thinks that he is slain, but neither knows the truth?”

The killer and the killed are both wrong because the atman is eternal and cannot be destroyed. The body is the only thing that is affected.

Upanishads - Ideally, are the atman and the Brahman supposed to be united, or are they supposed to stay separate?

The atman is Brahman, so they are united. Brahman is the universal soul.

Upanishads - When the apparent self or “lower” self (jivatman) and the Brahman were described like “two birds of golden plumage,” what is being suggested as a difference between them?

The jivatman is the experiencer, thus becomes forgetful while Brahman is the observer and never forgets

Upanishads - Is interdependence or separateness valued more in ancient Hinduism?

Interdependence is more valued in Hinduism. Since all beings share a single, underlying realities individuality is ignorant.

Upanishads - Why from a Hindu perspective, is it important to remember past deeds at the moment of death?

The deeds performed in a person’s life accompany the departing soul, determining how its next life will be when the soul is reincarnated.

Upanishads - What syllable represents Brahman?

OM/AUM

According to the Upanishads, is meditating on OM enough to reach Enlightenment? Or are there levels of knowledge?

There are levels of knowledge required when meditating to reach enlightenment. Little knowledge = soul is born again on earth; greater knowledge = soul will ascend to lunar heaven after death, but will eventually return to earth; full consciousness = freed from evil, ascends to God’s dwelling place, and realizes Brahman.

Upanishads - Do you imagine the following quote is more similar to or more different from Western religions? “Let the truth of Brahman be taught only to those who obey his law, who are devoted to him, and who are pure in heart. To the impure, let it never be taught.”

The quote is different from Western religions because they seek to spread divine truth to everyone while the quote suggests that Hindus only teach the truth of Brahman to those who seek it.

Upanishads - Is Brahman only considered good or is Brahman considered beyond good and evil?

Brahman is beyond good and evil. It transcends all opposites as the ultimate

Upanishads - What is the reality of or true nature of “Brahman”?

The true nature of Brahman is pure consciousness

Upanishads - Is the Self imagined as small or big? Why do you think it is conceived like this?

The self is imagined as small and big. This is because it is physically small but large in power.

Upanishads - How is creation compared to honey?

Creation is compared to honey to emphasize the interdependence of existence. Every being is honey and eats honey as each nourishes and is nourished by the other.

Upanishads - How is the Self in the body compared to salt in water?

You cannot see salt in water, but it is there. Similarly, the self is in the body but you cannot see it.

Upanishads - What are two ways a person who meditates on Brahman may be blessed?

A person may be blessed with liberation from rebirth and obtain spiritual knowledge/enlightenment

According to the Upanishads, how does meditating on Brahman affect the length of that person’s life?

Those who mediate on Brahman will not die before their time.

Upanishads - Do you imagine these three results of meditation are more similar to or more different from
Western religions?

The results of meditation are similar to those of Western religions, in that it brings blessings, as with prayer. However, the results are different than Western religions because they do not believe in rebirth or wish to be united with the divine (unlike Hinduism). Individuals of Western religions only wish to worship the God.

Upanishads - What role should the “craving for progeny and wealth” play for the sage? How does this
contrast with previous parts of the text?

Craving for progeny and wealth is only a distraction, keeping them from realizing Brahman. This is because the mind is focused on possession. This contrasts with an earlier page that states that meditation brings about blessings like progeny and wealth.

Upanishads - What does it mean that the “Brahman is all”?

The phrase “Brahman is all” means that the divine is present in everything and is not separate from the world.

Bhagavad Gita - At the beginning, Arjuna states he does not want to fight the Kauravas. What are some of
his reasons?

Arjuna does not want to fight the Kauravas because he sees them as fathers, brothers, teachers, etc. (men, not warriors). He also doesn’t want evil to follow him for killing them, and it’s against honor to kill. Killing them means ruining their family, ensuing chaos, in turn corrupting the women, which results in the introduction of disorder to society.

Bhagavad Gita - What are some of Krishna’s arguments about why Arjuna should go to war?

Krishna says that Arjuna should fight because he won’t actually be killing anyone, since the atman is immortal and death only occurs to the body. His dharma is to protect justice with the war, and he should not be attached to the results of his actions, but instead leave it to God. Also, he says that refusing to fight brings shame and dishonor.

Bhagavad Gita - What or who do you think Krishna represents in the Bhagavad Gita

Krishna represents the divine reality of God/the universal self but he appears to Arjuna as a divine teacher so he can understand him better.

Bhagavad Gita - Lord Krishna says “I have passed through many births and so have you; I know them all, but you do not, Arjuna.” (51) So, what then is a key difference between Krishna and Arjuna?

Krishna is fully aware of his incarnations and has perfect knowledge of them, while Arjuna falls victim to ignorance and forgets his past lives. Arjuna is trapped by attachment

Bhagavad Gita - Does Krishna appear transcendent or in the world or both? For example, 52, “I fashion
nature, which is mine... I create myself.”

Krishna is both in the world and transcendent. He is eternal and not limited by physical form, but also enters the world using his own divine power to take physical form.

Bhagavad Gita - Ahimsa was and is an important concept for Hindus and Jains alike. Roughly, it means
nonviolence towards all beings. Why then do you think that the Bhagavad Gita would be situated in a battlefield?

The Bhagavad Gita is set on a battlefield to represent the conflict between moral ideals and human responsibility. Overall, it is taught that spiritual wisdom must operate within the world’s conflicts and one must not run away from them.

Bhagavad Gita - Describe the perspective taken on death and the higher self in this text.

Death is described as not the end of the true self since the higher self is eternal and cannot be destroyed physically. Krishna says that grief is a result of a misunderstanding of reality because those who die aren’t lost due to the existence of the higher self. Death is just a necessary transition since rebirth is inevitable.

Bhagavad Gita - In your opinion, is the perspective on the higher self and death presented here similar to or different from that in the early Upanishads?

The concept of the higher self being eternal is similar to the Upanishads since it is featured the same way in both books. In both, individuals are liberated from rebirth through the knowledge of atman, and grief is ignorance. The Upanishads is mostly philosophical, while the Bhagavad Gita applies the philosophy

Bhagavad Gita - What do you think Krishna means by a) “action” b) “inaction c) “fruits” and d)
“attachment” when he says, “Be intent on action, not on the fruits of action; avoid
attraction to the fruits and attachment to inaction!”

Action = doing one’s dharma; inaction = avoiding responsibility; fruit = results/rewards of the actions; attachment = emotional clinging to results. Attachment keeps one in the cycle of rebirth and suffering, as it ties one to desire.

Bhagavad Gita - What is Arjuna asking for on page 97? For example, he asks, “If you think I can see it,
reveal to me your immutable self, Krishna, Lord of Discipline.”

Arjuna shifts from doubt to faith, trusting Krishna to provide confirmation through sight and to reveal the ultimate reality described to him. Arjuna wants to experience Krishna’s true divine nature.

Bhagavad Gita - What perspective is taken on individuality in The Bhagavad Gita? How would you compare this to Western philosophical or religious traditions?

In Hinduism, individuality is seen as illusory because most actions are carried out by nature and the ego just claims ownership. In contrast, Western religions usually value individuality, emphasizing the soul’s unique relationship with God. Also, in Western, the self is responsible for its actions.

Bhagavad Gita - According to the text, is it acceptable for Hindus to have a business, a family, and live an
active life in the world or should they adhere to ascetism, meaning retreat to a monastery?

It is preferred that people have an active life in the world because rejection of the ego and attachment is more important than rejecting action itself. Action is important for spiritual growth, and retreating from the world can be seen as avoidance.

Bhagavad Gita - The 20th Century Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi used the Gita as evidence for how the
world could be improved via nonviolence. Yet the man who murdered subsequently
Gandhi also cited the Gita as a major influence. How was this possible? What do you
think each saw in this ancient Hindu text?

The Bhagavad Gita can be interpreted literally or allegorically. Ghandi likely interpreted it allegorically, with the battlefield symbolizing moral struggle and the enemy representing hatred and ignorance. The Gita would then be justified as nonviolence rather than war. His assassin likely interpreted it literally and politically, where Krishna was justifying violence if it is done without attachment. The Gita does not support violence but does not fully endorse it either.