Action And Orientance In Lord Krishna's The Bhagavad Gita

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Within The Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna instructs Arjuna about how he should act in battle after Arjuna convinces himself that fighting would be morally wrong. Krishna explains how one has a divine duty that is to be used as a guide for how one should act. In order to understand what one’s divine duty is, an individual must be disciplined and understand the motivations behind their actions, renouncing actions taken for the fruits that follow. At the same time, Krishna discusses discipline in understanding. At times within the text Krishna states that both of these aspects, discipline in action and discipline of understanding, are the most important virtues an individual can have. An example of this occurs within the selected passage. While the contradiction posed within the passage could cause confusion for a reader, a close reading of the passage demonstrates how Krishna uses the contradiction to link the concepts of discipline in action and discipline in understanding and how it is necessary for an individual to possess discipline in understanding in order to possess discipline in action and truly fulfill their duty. Within verses forty-seven and forty-eight Krishna demonstrates the importance of action, and how it is essential for one to carry out their duty. To begin, in the second teaching Krishna states “Be intent on action,” (2.47) This line is spoken in a manner that resembles a command, immediately implying that Krishna wants an individual to act. In the next verse