Bhagavad Gita

“Krishna the changeless, / halt my chariot.” 

Arjuna’s relationship with Krishna is complicated. Arjuna’s opening line of dialogue is an order issued to a god, but Arjuna’s awareness of Krishna’s divinity is fleeting. Krishna allows Arjuna to forget his true nature during the battle because the truth of being so close to a god might destroy him. Arjuna addresses Krishna as “the changeless,” but his changing perception of Krishna’s true identity is a recurring motif throughout the narrative.

“Your words are wise, Arjuna, but your sorrow is for nothing.” 

The dialogues between Arjuna and Krishna establish the structure of the text. The back-and-forth discussion of the morality of violence is a key example of the moral introspection that occupies most of the narrative. Arjuna feels immense pain and sorrow at the prospect of killing friends and family members on the battlefield, but Krishna provides a different perspective. Death on the battlefield allows for the natural process of reincarnation to occur, so there is no real need to mourn. The dialogue explores the morality of war and hopes to find the truth through the exchange of ideas.