59 pages • 1 hour read
Swami Prabhavananda, Transl. Christopher IsherwoodBhagavad Gita
Nonfiction | Scripture | Adult | Published in 1972A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Symbols & Motifs
Blindness and Sight
Blindness and sight are important symbols when discussing the search for enlightenment. The ability to see represents the ability to understand Krishna’s teachings. The more a person sees, the more likely they are to dedicate themselves to Krishna and achieve enlightenment. Arjuna and Dhritarashtra operate as opposites in this respect. One is blind, and the other is taught to see more than anyone else.
Dhritarashtra is the blind king who cannot see the world as it is. He relies on Sanjaya to tell him about events that pose an existential threat to his rule. He listens to the story about the battle and the conversation between Krishna and Arjuna, but there is no hope that Dhritarashtra can see events for himself. He is severed from understanding. He cannot truly comprehend Krishna’s lessons because he relies on Sanjaya to filter the information back to him. Where Arjuna hears about theology firsthand from a god, Dhritarashtra cannot see reality as it truly exists and must depend on other men for interpretation and explanation. Dhritarashtra’s existence is dark and hidden. He cannot hope to understand reality because his blindness prevents him from understanding the full scope of the world.
Arjuna is not blind. He begins the battle with a well-meaning but flawed worldview. He then relies on Krishna to teach him about the nature of existence and how to achieve enlightenment. This search and these lessons can be envisioned as Arjuna learning to see. He must understand how to see the world through the lens of religion to see the world as it truly exists. The most telling moment in the text occurs when Krishna gifts Arjuna the power of divine sight. With this gift, Arjuna is able to comprehend Krishna in his true godly form. The vision is enough to convince Arjuna of Krishna’s power. The gift of sight is a metaphor for the knowledge and understanding that Krishna passes on to Arjuna. The moment when he sees Krishna’s true form symbolizes the knowledge that has passed between the two characters. Arjuna’s improved vision allows him to understand the world, and his sight becomes a gift through which he can achieve enlightenment.
The Fig Tree
Aswattha is the name given to the giant fig tree that is used as a symbol in the Gita. The tree’s branches stretch toward the heavens while the roots stretch down to Earth. The tree functions as a symbol of the self, as people must cross from one world to the other to be enlightened. The tree symbolize the journey from earth to the heavens through the process of enlightenment.
The fig tree is a potent symbol because of the nature of the branches, which grow out in all directions at once. The broad-reaching branches symbolize the power and the reach of the heavens. The complicated knots of branches are mentioned by Krishna, who admits that knowing the whole tree is impossible. Its inherent complexity extends the metaphor and teaches Arjuna that attempting to understand the totality of existence is impossible for any one person. This knowledge can only be achieved through enlightenment and knowing god.
Krishna also inverts the direction of the tree. He suggests at first that the branches grow downward and the roots grow upward. In the next passage he inverts this and returns to the expected idea of the branches being at the top and the roots being at the bottom. This inversion suggests that the nature of the tree is a matter of perspective. People can become caught in the complicated knots and lose sight of how to proceed. This is why Krishna advocates for Arjuna and others to hack away at the roots with an axe. The axe is another metaphor and it symbolizes renunciation. Severing the roots reveals a dedication to enlightenment and a commitment to moving forward. The tree must be navigated to achieve enlightenment, and Krishna makes clear that the path forward should be upward toward the heavens.
The Human Form
The Bhagavad Gita deals with gods, theology, and the immortal soul. Most of the characters, however, are human, and even Krishna adopts a human shape. The human form becomes a metaphor for understanding and compassion. Krishna’s willingness to encase himself in a corporeal form reveals his desire to educate and help Arjuna even though it temporarily limits his power and his impressiveness. The human form comes to symbolize the importance of the information being shared as well as the willingness of the god to pass this information to humans.
The ease with which Krishna transforms into a human shows the extent of his power. He becomes Arjuna’s charioteer and rides with him before the battle to provide counsel. The human form is so convincing that Arjuna at times seems to forget that he is talking to a god. The reverence occasionally falls away, and Arjuna talks as if he is discussing a topic with any other person. The reverence returns intermittently, and Arjuna becomes more deferential and respectful. These shifts show that Krishna’s human form is so convincing that Arjuna occasionally forgets the true nature of his companion.
Krishna takes on a human form because he wishes to communicate with Arjuna on a personal level. The conversation they share is long and patient. Krishna covers many topics and answers all of Arjuna’s questions. Coupled with his existence in the human form, this suggests that Krishna understands the importance of the lessons themselves, not just the information. He understands the importance of the personal relationship with the divine. Enlightenment is a true understanding of Krishna, and Arjuna better understands this because Krishna appears to him in a human form. Krishna’s attitude toward his human form reveals his compassion for Arjuna and humanity as a whole.
Krishna does not always remain in his human form. He appears to Arjuna in a variety of guises. He gifts Arjuna the power of divine sight, and this allows the unenlightened human to comprehend the god’s true form. The switch from human to godly form is enough to wholly convince Arjuna of Krishna’s power. The narrative can barely address the idea of Krishna’s true form, as it switches back to Sanjaya, who provides a secondhand report of what Arjuna saw. The powerful godly form has to be contained within a narrative box to be communicable to the audience. Krishna’s human form can be understand by the reader and by the narrative, but his godly form is so powerful and all-consuming that neither the text nor Arjuna can fully comprehend it. Krishna’s human form is a symbol of the understandable, relatable nature of religion, which masks a far more powerful form. Likewise, religious worship and rituals are comprehensible, accessible practices that mask a more powerful force.
