Bhagavad-Gita: First Teaching

In teaching I was reminded of some parts of The Iliad, when they described the ships, where they came from, and who were the leaders and their titles when they came to fight against the trojans. Here, the names of the warriors are stated, their place in their families and a quality that made them stand out:

In fact, most of the descriptions of war are very similar to The Iliad's. What most interested me where the painful descriptions of what it would mean to proceed with the war. Arjuna said this like he meant it, and maybe if Agamemnon or Achilles would have seen this, and seen that it made so much sense, things in The Iliad would have turned out very differently. Who knows, maybe Achilles wouldn't have killed Hector and Paris wouldn't have hit Achilles's heel. But then, most of The Iliad was Achilles's anger and wrath, and nothing could stop this, not even death. The war seems to be among family members and friends.

"Krishna, I see my kinsmen

gathered here, wanting war.

My limbs sink,

my mouth is parched,

my body trembles,

the hair bristles on my flesh.

The magic bow slips from my hand, my skin burns,

I cannot stand still,

my mind reels.

I see omens of chaos,

Krishna; I see no good

in killing my kinsmen in battle.

Krishna, I seek no victory,

or kingship or pleasures.

What use to us are kingship.

delights, or life itself?

We sought kingship, delights,

and pleasures for the sake of those

assembled to abandon their lives

and fortunes in battle."

(page 27)