Bhagavad Gita
The Bhagavad Gita is part of a longer poem, the Mahabharata, that
was written in India probably about 1000 BC (though historians disagree
about the date). The Bhagavad Gita (BA-ga-vad GEE-ta with a hard G)
sums up the main Hindu philosophy and faith of this period, the time
when the Aryans were settling Northern India and Indo-European ideas
were mixing with Indian ideas to create a strong new faith.
In the Bhagavad Gita, a great battle is about to begin. Arjuna, the
prince who is leading one side, is upset because he will have to kill
his own relatives, some of whom are fighting on the other side. The Hindu god Krishna,
who is disguised as Arjuna's charioteer, tells Arjuna not to worry about
people dying in battle, because their souls will be reborn into new
bodies. People should not think about their own little souls anyway,
Krishna says, but they should try to become part of the great Soul that
is the whole universe.
Krishna goes on to tell Arjuna that he is God. To convince Arjuna,
Krishna shows him his true form, which is this same great Soul, the
whole universe. This frightens Ajuna.
Here's a recording of a man reciting the beginning of the Bhagavad Gita:
To find out more about the Bhagavad Gita, check out these books from Amazon.com or from your local library:
Our Most Dear Friend: An Illustrated Bhagavad-gita for Children, by Jean Vishaka Griesser (2002). Beautiful picture-book introduction for kids.
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