The Bhagavad-Gita - A Book of Hindu Scriptures in the Form of a Dialogue Between Prince Arjuna and the God Krishna

Sep 28, 2026

The Bhagavad-Gita presents orthodox Hindu scripture as a dramatized statement of metaphysics and ethics, written as a dialogue between Prince Arjuna and the God Krishna. The introductory note traces its likely composition in the fifth century B.C., later revisions, and the way it gathers theology, ritual, metaphysics, and ethics into one system. It frames the narrative background as the struggle over succession after King Dhritarashtra’s choice, leading to a decisive battle on the Field of Law.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryReligion & Spirituality

FormatPDF

Pages72

Reading Time3 h 1 min

AccessFree to download

Introductory Note

Origins and composition

Core theme of true Reality

Background narrative and battlefield

Dialogue as ethical exposition

Allegory of spiritual crisis

Gita # A BO0K OFHINDU SCRIPTURES A PETER PAUPER PRESS BOOK C 400 # THEBHAGAVAD-GITA A BOOK OF HINDU SCRIPTURESIN THE FORM OF A DIALOGUEBETWEEN PRINCE ARJUNAAND THE GOD KRISHNA THE PETER PAUPER PRESS MoUNT VERNON·NEW YORK cOPYRIGHT◎1952,1959BY THEPETERPAUPERPRESS # AN 【NTRODUCTORY NOTE THE BHAGAVAD-GITA is a part of orthodoxHindu scripture;it is also a dramatized state-ment of metaphysics and ethics with strongappeal to the Western world,and in Westerneyes it is the most important of all Hindu philo-sophical and religious books. The poem was first written probably in thefifth century B.C.;it was presumably reworkedmany times before reaching its final form in thesecond century B.c.During its rewritings,itbecame a vehicle to carry many separate car-goes of theology,ritual,metaphysics and ethicsfrom ancient India—here brought together intoone system of belief and practice.Being a syn-thesis,the book has its paradoxes.But aboveany paradox it has a single fixed theme:thenature of true Reality or Being—and how manmay live in his temporal world and still ap-proach this Eternal Reality. The background of the book (it is not to befound in the text itself)is the struggle for thesuccession of the blind king Dhritarashtra.Theking has withheld his crown from his oldest sonDuryodhana,who is the embodiment of evil,and given it to a younger son who is the em-bodiment of virtue.But the evil prince has stolen the succession,and all the warriors of the af-fected tribes have aligned themselves on oneside or the other for the battle which will makea final decision between them.This battle is totake place on the plain called the Field of Law,or Righteousness. The book may be taken literally as a dialoguebetween the prince Arjuna(on the side of thevirtuous succession)andhis charioteer the four-armed God Krishna —actually a temporaryembodiment of eternal Absolute Being.In sucha reading,the incipient battle between the twoarmies,the last-minute doubts of the warrior-prince as to his right conduct on the battlefield,and the dialogue form of Arjuna's questionsand Krishna's answers are all merely devices todramatize an elaborate ethicaland metaphysicalexposition. But the book may be taken also as a greatallegory of man's spiritual crisis—and its reso-lution.The chariot,with Arjuna as the bowmanand Krishna as charioteer,is Man.The horsesare his senses and passions;the bowman is hisactive role in life;and the charioteer—thesteerer and controller—is his eternal soul一a part of the Universal Soul.This chariot ofman is about to enter the battlefield on whichonly man,among all living beings,is compelledto fight:the Field of Righteousness,or Law.

FAQs

What is the Bhagavad-Gita described as in the introductory note?

It is described as part of orthodox Hindu scripture and as a dramatized statement of metaphysics and ethics presented through a dialogue.

What central theme does the note say the book has?

It highlights a single fixed theme: the nature of true Reality or Being, and how a person can live in the temporal world while approaching this Eternal Reality.

How does the note explain the story’s background and setting?

It describes a conflict over succession involving Dhritarashtra, Duryodhana, and a final battle on the Field of Law or Righteousness.

Sep 28, 2026

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