Symbolism in the Bhagavad Gita

Running head: SYMBOLISM IN THE BHAGAVAD GITA
Symbolism in the Bhagavad Gita
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1SYMBOLISM IN THE BHAGAVAD GITA
The Bhagavad Gita, also known as The Song of the Lord, articulates the fundamental
truth of life, as expressed in the Vedanta. It elaborates on the concept of the “self” and the
“I”, of awareness and that of God and all his creations; it also emphasizes on the philosophy
of “tat tvam asi”, which teaches that man is infinite. The Bhagavad Gita is an episode of the
Hindu epic, Maha-Bharata, and is in the form of a conversation between Krishna and Arjuna;
it takes place in a war chariot and depicts Arjuna’s dilemma (Arnold 2017). However, it is
often wrongfully assumed that the Bhagavad Gita is one dimensional in terms of meaning; on
the contrary, the interpretations can be multifaceted. Each chapter of the Gita comprises
certain allegories, all of which point towards the perennial predicament plaguing man in his
day to day struggle for existence. The following paper studies five significant chapters of the
Bhagavad Gita and provides an analysis of the symbolism present in each.
In the first chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Arjunaviṣāda-yoga, the background for the
epic is set in the Kurukshetra battlefield. This is an introductory chapter, and does not delve
too deep into the philosophy. Yet, it certainly provides some insight into the main characters
and their personalities. The readers are introduced to Dhritarashtra, the blind king and father
of Kuravas, who is fixated on his perspective and refuses to acknowledge other points of
view. In a way, it can be said that he represents spiritual blindness which prevails even today.
Arjuna is also introduced in the first chapter, where he tries to assess the preparations for war
by both armies, following the orders of Krishna. However, the stark reality is staggering as
Arjuna faces conflicting emotions on encountering relatives in the battlefield and eventually
breaks down. A reference is made to the chariot in the first chapter, where it is believed to
symbolize the human body. Basically, the wheels of the chariot signify the wheel of life and
karma. The spokes of the wheel indirectly symbolize the various contradictions and
diversities that shape human existence.

2SYMBOLISM IN THE BHAGAVAD GITA
In the second chapter, Sāṅkhya-yoga, a transformation is seen coming over Arjuna.
The grief stricken man in the first chapter is replaced by a calm and composed warrior, who
has found a solution to his problems. Arjuna, in this chapter arrives at the conclusion that war
is futile, and withdrawing from it would restore his peace of mind. He understands that
attachment is a weakness, which forms the foundation of his grief, and that only a guru can
help him out of his misery. The guru - śiṣya relationship can be used to signify the dualities
observed in creation in the universe. For instance, Arjuna can be said to stand for individual
self, while Krishna points towards a supreme self. Arjuna, the student, represents ignorance,
delusion, egoism and worldliness, while Krishna symbolizes the indestructible and immortal
soul of man. In other words, Krishna has been used by Sage Vyasa to depict man’s eternal
self.
The thirteenth chapter of the Gita, Kṣetrakṣetrajñavibhāga-yoga, is extremely
important, for it highlights the importance of embracing one’s true self. It is divided into six
sections, namely kṣetram, jñānam, kṣetrajña, puruṣa, jñeyam and prakṛti. This chapter
segregates man into body and spirit, where the body is described as a field, or kshetra. One’s
intellect or mind forms the internal matter that makes up the body, while requires the spirit to
exist. A field is used to symbolize the body – a battleground, where all the events of one’s life
occur. The physical essence of man is prone to decay, meaning one will have to suffer the
consequences of his actions. The infinite soul, on the other hand, consists of feelings and
perceptions and is completely immune to the impending threats posed by the material world.
The fifteenth chapter, Puruṣottama-yoga, is allegorical in nature. From an entirely
philosophical stance, Krishna uses the analogy of a banyan tree to perversion of the spiritual
world with the material. The roots of the banyan tree represent the spiritual essence of the
universe, which goes largely ignored. The canopying banyan tree, on the contrary,
symbolizes material world which has completely taken over the life of man. Comparing it to