Bhagavad Gita

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. Compare and contrast the differences between polytheistic and monotheistic faiths. In which regions of the world are these different belief systems practiced? What are some of the major world religions that fall into either category? Do their core doctrines hold any similarities? If so, what are they?

Teaching Suggestion: This question orients students with the religious structure of the Bhagavad Vita. As a core text in Hinduism, the Bhagavad Gita touches upon the importance of The Search for Enlightenment and The Binary Nature of Existence within the context of the story’s setting of Battle and War. “Hinduism” is the name attributed to the faiths of the South Asian subcontinent; in particular, this belief system includes a multitude of gods and goddesses that western scholarship denotes as a single polytheistic (“many gods”) religion. Despite Hinduism’s polytheistic orientation, the Bhagavad Gita centers on the god Krishna, who asserts his unity and omnipotence as the Universe and the Self. The following links provide more information regarding the definitions of theism, as well as global distribution of religious faiths.

• This glossary entry from PBS.org provides a succinct definition of theism, with sub-explanations of monotheism and polytheism.
• This 2004 academic article by Jan Assman shares an in-depth analysis of monotheism and polytheism.
• This article from visualcapitalist.com gives a visual snapshot of the world’s major religions.

2. Hinduism is the primary belief system in India. What are some of the core beliefs of Hinduism? How has India’s colonial history affected the development of this religion?

Teaching Suggestion: This Short Answer question invites students to consider Hinduism in relation to India’s history. Hinduism is one of the oldest recorded faiths in the world, dating back to the Indus Valley Civilization, with over 1 billion followers globally. Students should make the link between the subcontinent’s polytheistic faith as an important source of cultural continuity, one which was at odds with British imperialism during the British occupation of India from the 18th to the 20th century. In fact, the British used religion as one of the reasons to split the Indian Subcontinent into a Hindu nation (India) and a Muslim nation (Pakistan) in 1947. This decision has led to enduring territorial tension between the two states in the 20th and 21st centuries.

• This article from History.com shares an overview of the history of Hinduism.
• This entry from Oxford Bibliographies offers a brief introduction to British colonialism and imperialism and Hinduism in India.

Short Activity

The Bhagavad Gita is one of the primary stories of the Hindu scripture Mahābhārata. Working in small groups, research and select one ancient scripture from either the monotheistic or polytheistic belief systems to share in a presentation with the class. Be sure to include information about the religion, the purpose of the scripture, a brief overview of the text, and relevant visuals/media (if any). Finally, consider how this particular scripture exhibits the themes of Battle and War, The Search for Enlightenment, and The Binary Nature of Existence.

Teaching Suggestion: This Short Activity invites students to utilize their research and oral presentation skills in the context of group work. Students may have the option to select another Hindu scripture, or choose from texts central to Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, while considering common themes amongst these texts.

• The World History Encyclopedia provides background information on the Hindu scripture Mahābhārata.
• The Asia Society provides a compilation of “Excerpts from Religious Texts” on a variety of cross-cutting themes.

Differentiation Suggestion: For an extended oral presentation exercise, the following component may be added to the above prompt: Select an excerpt from your chosen scripture to read out loud to the class. Be sure to identify and analyze any presence of the themes Battle and War, The Search for Enlightenment, and The Binary Nature of Existence.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the text.

Many philosophers argue that there is a binary nature of the world. Do you believe in The Binary Nature of Existence? Or is this an oversimplification in understanding life? Explain.

Teaching Suggestion: This Personal Connection Prompt invites students to consider the theme of The Binary Nature of Existence within their own understanding. You may wish to provide a brief overview of the text’s approach to this concept. The Bhagavad Gita explores the central struggle of warrior Arjuna as he faces the dilemma of fighting in a battle against his family members. Arjuna poses the questions of right and wrong, along with deeper philosophical questions related to good and evil in nature. Krishna uses this opportunity to explain some of the core philosophies of Hinduism, including practicing yoga, fulfilling one’s dharma, and achieving enlightenment and breaking the samsara. Invite students to consider “binaries” in their own lives and those of the people around them, such as the coexistence of pain and joy, to connection to the prompt. This prompt directly relates to the Discussion/Analysis Prompt.