01:840:211 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Upanishads, Pandava, Pavas District
Religion in Asia 02/07/17
Bhakti and the Bhagavad Gita (BhG)
● The Gita - in many ways → a revolutionary text - one which marks a distinctive change of
course on the history of Hinduism
- This distinctiveness - particularly apparent in chp. 7-12, where we learn about the divinity
of Krishna (Krsna) and the centrality of the discipline of devotion (Bhakti) to attain
liberation from Samsara
- However - like most Indian religious texts - the Gita does NOT openly proclaim its
novelty and relies instead on the reworking and reinterpretation of inherited terms and
concepts
- Its teaching - is usefully approached in the context the earlier “Tradition”
<The two disciplines (yoga) of Hinduism prior to the BhG>
1. The Discipline of Action (karma): Two expressions
- A. The path of Ritual: ritual sacrifice (yajna) and exchange with the Gods (represented
by the hymns of the Rg Veda)
- B. The path of dharma: adherence to and performance of divinely ordained law or duty
(=Laws of Manu)
2. The Discipline of Knowledge/ Wisdom (jnana):
- The path of the renunciation of desire, action (karma) and law/duty in favor of asceticism
and the quest for spiritual knowledge or wisdom of the unity of the soul (Atman) and the
cosmic self or “Infinite spirit” (Brahman) = (Upanisads)
→ It would seem that these disciplines are incommensurable (not able to be judged by the same
standard). However - the BhG attempts to unite them under the novel concept of Bhakti
(“devotion to God”)
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Document Summary
The gita - in many ways a revolutionary text - one which marks a distinctive change of course on the history of hinduism. This distinctiveness - particularly apparent in chp. 7-12, where we learn about the divinity of krishna (krsna) and the centrality of the discipline of devotion (bhakti) to attain liberation from samsara. However - like most indian religious texts - the gita does not openly proclaim its novelty and relies instead on the reworking and reinterpretation of inherited terms and concepts. Its teaching - is usefully approached in the context the earlier tradition .
