Sacrifices and Glory of Arjuna and Roland Essay

violence in Bhagavad Gita and the Song of Roland

In contrast to current conceptions of violence as problematic, in ancient societies violence was an accepted part of daily life and acting violently was even seen as a heroic attribute. In the Bhagavad Gita, the struggles of the central protagonist Arjuna with Krishna are portrayed as a dialogue between Man and God. Arjuna despairs at his fate at having to kill his relatives during a time of war. It is the man Arjuna who is reticent about the violence while Krishna urges him on to do his dharma or purpose in life. "This is precisely Arjuna's dilemma: to conform to his inherent duty as a warrior and fight and by doing so slaughter his enemies that are also his kinsman, or to lay down his arms and disrupt the natural and social order" (xiv). The text of the Bhagavad Gita clearly supports the idea that Arjuna should go forth and fight: Krishna tells Arjuna to act without attachment to the fruits of his decision, thus experiencing the spiritual benefits of renunciation without shirking his duty (xiv).

This concept clearly illustrates that the social framework of Indian society did not renounce violence as a precondition for spirituality but rather recognized reacting violently as a necessary part of the living conditions of the era. Violence is not celebrated as glorious but to shirk one's duty was not commendable either. Arjuna's dilemma also reflects the Hindu caste system whereby certain individuals were given purer class status and assumed to have a duty to perform religious practices that others did not (the Brahmans) while those of the warrior class were not expected to mimic the customs or assume the obligations of the Brahmans any more than the members of the trades would be expected to fight like a warrior.What is permanent about the self cannot kill or be killed and thus detaching from the action means that one is not subjected to the negative consequences of the action. Instead of thinking "I am a violent person" or "I am a great warrior because I kill," Arjuna must simply perform the actions he must perform in a cool and dispassionate manner.

The Song of Roland similarly depicts a hierarchical society structured upon mutual obligations, in this instance between lords and vassals in feudal Europe. Roland owes a feudal obligation to Charlemagne and Charlemagne owes an obligation to God. Roland is portrayed as a great warrior, even though he eventually commits a fatal sin of pride by refusing to blow the Oliphant and ask for help from the rest of the Frankish army when ambushed. This results in the smaller Frankish forces being overcome by the godless Saracens. Yet despite this, Roland upon his death (after he does indeed finally blow the Oliphant) is taken straight away to heaven. His folly of pride does not cancel out his greatness as a warrior.

Emotionally, Roland undergoes even fewer conflicts than Arjuna. Arjuna recognizes that the opposing forces he is fighting are human beings, as they….....