Gita - Chapter 1 & 2
I have been wondering what to write about for sometime, I have already put forth everything my mind has to offer till now. Rest of it is mere fragments with no real weight.
Since I have run out of ideas of what to talk about, I thought I will revisit Gita and re-interpret it in my own words. As mentioned in the past, I don't believe in gods, but I do find Gita to be a philosophical treasure trove.
I am rewriting the story in my own terms, as I understand it, as it makes sense to me. I will be rephrasing the words as I see fit, remove god from the picture, will be removing the concept of Atman, as these seems outdated and doesnt seem to be based on what I see as real.
Gita
Chapter 1 and 2:
[re-imagined]
The sun rose over Kurukshetra—the dreaded battlefield where kin would slay kin. Uncles, nephews, cousins, teachers, and students stood ready to spill each other’s blood for the throne of Hastinapura.
On one side stood the Pandavas—fewer in number, but led by men of unwavering resolve and profound wisdom. Opposing them, the Kauravas—vast in strength, ruthless in ambition.
The Pandavas, sons of King Pandu, were the rightful heirs to Hastinapura. But when Pandu died prematurely, his elder brother, Dhritarashtra, father of the Kauravas, assumed the throne. The kingdom, under his rule, faltered—his blind love for his sons overshadowing justice.
When the Pandavas came of age, the kingdom was divided. Dhritarashtra retained Hastinapura for his sons, and granted the Pandavas a barren forest—Khandavaprastha. Through labor and vision, they transformed it into Indraprastha, a shining jewel of civilization.
But the Kauravas, envious of the Pandavas’ rising power, conspired to take Indraprastha. They lured Yudhishthira, the eldest Pandava, into a rigged game of dice. Bound by honor, he accepted defeat. As agreed, the Pandavas were exiled for thirteen years, during which the Kauravas would rule their kingdom.
When the Pandavas returned to reclaim what was rightfully theirs, the Kauravas broke the agreement. They refused to return Indraprastha.
Betrayal met patience. Greed met unyielding resolve.
Seeking peace, the Pandavas asked not for a kingdom—but for just five villages. The Kauravas denied even that.
And so, war became inevitable.
The armies of both sides gathered on the fields of Kurukshetra. Millions stood ready to kill or be killed. War elephants stamped in fury. The ground trembled beneath the weight of so many beings in the same place.
Among the countless chariots stood one that was brighter than the rest. It was drawn by white horses, carrying Arjuna, a Pandava brother. He was considered the best archer of his time. Beside him was his charioteer—Krishna.
But Krishna was no ordinary person. He was their kinsman, a king by his own right, the architect who had helped the pandavas to build Indraprastha, and above all, a soul revered by both the Pandavas and the Kauravas for his strength and wisdom.
When both sides sought his aid, Krishna couldn't choose whom to help. And so to be neutral, he gave them a choice: his mighty army to one, and himself—unarmed—to the other.
The Kauravas chose his vast never defeated army.
The Pandavas chose the single man - Krishna.
The Pandavas didn't regret their choice, for they knew that wisdom was greater than strength.
Now, Krishna stand with Arjuna, facing a sea of foes, as the fate of a kingdoms hangs in the balance.
[1.13–1.20]
As tension reached its peak, the silence was shattered. War cries, drums, and conches rang out across the battleground — The final signal that the battle was moments away.
[1.21–1.23]
“Krishna,” Arjuna said, “take me as close as possible to the enemy. I need to see the people I need to fight.”
[1.24, 1.25]
Krishna nodded. He said nothing. He simply took the reins and drove the chariot forward.
He brought the chariot to a halt in the middle of the battle field, in full view of the commanders and kings of both sides. Then, with quiet clarity, he said, “Arjuna, look. These are the people you must fight.”
[1.26–1.47, condensed]
As Arjuna looked at the enemy forces and reflected on what he needed to do, something in him broke. For the first time since the war had become inevitable, he realized what he was asked to do.
The men standing infront of him weren’t just enemies—they were family: teachers who had trained him, uncles who had blessed him, cousins who had grown up beside him.
He felt weak thinking about the deaths he needed to cause. His weapon slipped from his hand.
He turned to Krishna and said, “I can’t do this. My mind is screaming at me. My body is failing. I see no victory - I only the death. Death of everything I’ve ever loved.”
“What’s the point of this war, if the kingdom has to be built on the corpses of those who made me who I am? This war will destroy our family, our traditions, our future and my legacy.”
He paused, then added, almost in a whisper, “I can't fight them. I will let them kill me. I won’t raise my weapon against my own blood.”
Arjuna lowered his head, dropped his bow. It appeared that he was defeated even before the battle had even begun.
[reimagined]
[2.2–2.3]
“I see your pain, Arjuna, but the despair blinds you from the truth. This hopelessness and fear doesn't suit a honorable warrior like you.”
[2.4–2.6]
Arjuna shook his head. He didn't understand how Krishna couldnt understand his predicament. He said defensively, “How can I fight people like Bheeshma—my uncle, who’s always cared for me? Or Drona, who taught me everything I know?
How can I fight the people I am supposed to respect?
Even if we win, what kind of victory would that be? One built on the deaths of those who raised me? How is that any different from loosing?
Honestly, I don’t know which is worse. I don’t even know what I want anymore.”
[reimagined]
[2.7–2.9]
He lowered his eyes and his voice. “Krishna… I don’t know what my dharma is anymore.
Tell me what to do. I’ll listen.
I don't need to rule Hastinapur. The cost of doing what is right feels too high. I feel empty and want everyone to live peacefully.”
Arjuna fell silent. He had nothing left to say. Nothing left to give. His legs finally gave away and he sat down in his chariot, filled with sorrow.
He was ready to die at the hands of his loved ones. He felt death was his only salvation.
[Reimagined]
Krishna wanted to help Arjuna with his predicament. He looked at Arjuna and replied, "Listen to me Arjuna, if you are willing to listen to reason.
[2.11-2.12,2.14-2.18,2.28]
you're grieving over things that don’t deserve grief.
The wise don’t mourn the living or the dead, for we are all part of the same Brahman - An energy which is both nothingness and everything.
It is the first energy which was formed from nothingness before anything else ever existed.
It is both everything and nothing. Even our bodies is just a different form of this same energy. And so you were never truly born nor will you ever die. You just transform from one state to an another and so does everything else you think is real.
What you see, hear, and feel are fleeting impressions, You react to those illusions with emotions such as happiness or sadness. But all of it are like a passing cloud-They appear and disappear.
Men need not react to these temporary illusions. A man who is not affected by it will find peace.
The illusion are like a wave in the ocean, each wave thinking it is unique, but you know it is all the same.
Similarly, once an illusion is killed, the body dissolves into the elements.
But know that the elements are also an illusion of the Brahman.
Everything you see around you was unmanifested before it's existence, manifested at existence and unmanifested back to it's original form at destruction."
[re-imagined]
[2.27]
However, Even if you don't believe that everything is energy, still it is unwise to be in despair thinking of death.
You know that destruction is inevitable for anything that exists.
Ignoring this impermanence with the delusion of permanence is not wise.
Why do you morn for someone's death when their death has always been inevitable.
[2.31,2.33,2.34,2.37]
Besides, considering your dharma as a warrior, there is no better dharma than fighting for what is right.
And if you refuse to fight and abandon your duty and reputation, it will be an Adharma.
It will result in people calling you a coward.
For a respectable person like you, Isn't infamy worse than death?
On the other hand, If you fight, you might die on the battlefield or you might be victorious. But even after victory, you will die elsewhere at a different time.
Does it really matter where or when you die when it is inevitable?
So don't despair over the death of your loved ones as their deaths has always been inevitable.
So stand and prepare to fight."
[re-imagined]
Hearing this Arjuna felt confused, he knew Krishna's philosophy had some substance. But he knew it was all just that philosophical theories. "How can you be so sure this battle is righteous? How can you be certain that it is the right thing to do?"
[2.39,2.40]
Krishna smiled as if looking at a child. Arjuna was like a child who simply didn't want to understand the truth in his words. He thought for a moment before saying, "If you understand what you need to do intellectually, with a clear understanding, with a pointed aim, you could never do wrong.
However, If your mind is irresolute, without a pointed aim, you will end up glorifying the illusions, performing ritualistic ceremonies in the name of better illusions which was never meant to last to begin with. And therefore a wavering mind cannot walk a straight path. It stumbles between right and wrong.
[2.47, 2.48,2.49,2.62]
Bear in mind that you have the right to perform your dharma. But you need to do it without expecting the results you want. The results are not in your control and so is not wise to be attached to particular outcomes.
Do your duty without any attachments to desires. Do not attach yourself to success or failures and you will always be right.
In contrast, those whose karmas are attached to success or failure of their actions, is sure to find misery even if they succeed, they wouldn't be right, since achieving desires would only lead to greater desires which they may or may not achieve.
If you contemplate on the illusions, you develop attachments to them. Attachments leads to desire and desire leads to disappointments.
Discard this reward-seeking habits that doesnt bring pride to your work.
The actions performed to fulfill your dharma with a pointed intellect will never be wrong.
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