01:840:211 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Dharma, Adharma, Sattva
18 Feb 2017
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Document Summary
Confusion or misxing of the social classes (varna-samkarah) Arjuna is a ksatriya and thus has a sacred duty as a warrior to fight, but a sacred duty also to protect the institution of the family and the sacred dharma it represents. His concern is for the negative effects (fruits, phala) that might result from either course of action (karma) Gita 2: the theory of action and the self. Krishna tells arjuna not to grieve because beings do not cease to exist even though they may die and be reborn (v. 11 and following) The embodied self or soul (atman) is eternal and undying. Krishna tells arjuna he cannot neglect his warrior dharma (v. 30-33). He should therefore fight without concern for the consequences (v. 37-38) Right understanding of the nature of action is the precondition for right action (38-53) A critique of vedic ritualism and its orientation towards the fruits of action (v. 42-44)
