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9. Bhagavad Gita assignment Part 2
In the Bhagavad Gita, what do the following symbolize?
Arjuna:
*
The ultimate state of cosmic consciousness.
A flawless, divine being sent to judge humanity.
An earthling, representing you and me.
The physical body completely devoid of a soul.
A historical warrior who conquered ancient India.
Krishna:
*
The Oversoul, the higher being, or the super self within us.
The ego-self that constantly judges others.
The demonic thought patterns trying to ruin the earthling.
A blind king seeking power and control.
The physical senses (the horses) running wild.
In the Bhagavad Gita, what do the Pandavas (the five brothers) symbolize?
*
The five physical senses that constantly distract us.
The five chakras or five states of good consciousness that earthlings possess.
The five ancient textbooks of Sankhya philosophy.
The five demonic armies of the blind king.
The five rules of the priesthood that must never be broken.
In the Bhagavad Gita, what do the Blind King and his hundred sons symbolize?
*
The perfect balance of spirit and matter.
A group of enlightened masters spreading wisdom.
The mind giving birth to a "blind mind," representing the proliferation of ignorance.
The historical invaders who pushed out the native people of India.
The five states of positive consciousness turning into matter.
In the text, what does the Battle (the battle of Kurukshetra) fundamentally symbolize?
*
A literal, historical war over land between the Aryans and the dark-skinned people of Northern India.
An internal, psychological battle between positive (devanic) and negative (demonic) thinking patterns within the mind.
A fight between the farmers and the city merchants over food resources.
A religious debate between Sankhya yoga masters and the modern priesthood.
The physical struggle to survive the end of the world.
How do these symbols relate to us individually?
*
They represent our own internal struggle to quiet the ego-self, overcome negative thinking, and yoke our earthly life to the cosmic life (the Oversoul).
They prove that our daily actions do not matter because matter is cyclical and meaningless.
They show that we are powerless against the proliferation of ignorance and must simply accept our fate.
They teach us that we must rely completely on a priesthood to interpret our lives for us, as our own minds are incapable of understanding life's mysteries.
They encourage us to engage in physical marathons and extreme physical punishments to burn off our karma.
