Important to Author

There is one theme in this reading that appears be important to the author of this text, and that is one’s caste and duty. In the story Arjuna explains to Krishna that he does not want to fight in this battle and that it is wrong to do so. Arjuna goes on to say that fighting someone and killing them leads to social disorder and corruption, and Arjuna does not want to fight. Krishna then explains that it is Arjuna’s duty to fight. This sense of duty comes from the caste system and fulfilling one’s role in that system. If Arjuna was not to wage this battle, then people would slander his name for not following his duty. If Arjuna does a good job in his present life of fulfilling his duties, for his caste, then his next life is projected to be good. In Hinduism it is essential that everyone executes their duty in order for their next life to be a good one or for them to move up in the caste system. Obviously, as you move up the caste system, the better your life is, and assuming that one would want their life to be better, duty would become that much more important. By completing your duty one is able to be spiritually disciplined.