Bhagavad Gita Comparison Essay

Comparison of the Bhagavad-Gita, the Daodejing, and the Book of Genesis

In a comparison of the mercy shown to characters within these religious/philosophical texts, mercy is viewed as a virtue for the man of antiquity. In the Bhagavad-Gita, Arjuna, upon seeing his relatives and friends coming against him in war, has pity on them and throws down his bow and quiver of arrows (pp. 1285-86, ll. 26-29). This is done despite his duty, as a soldier, to fight against them (p. 1285, l. 22). Arjuna wanted “to undertake a warrior’s delight in fighting (p. 1285, l. 22)!” But instead “felt for them a great compassion,” (p. 1286, l. 28).
Comparatively, as seen in the Book of Genesis (Hebrew Bible), Esau, when seeing his brother Jacob, “ran to meet him, and embraced him,” (Gen. 33:4). Later, upon seeing the wives and children of his brother Jacob, Esau exclaims, “[w]ho are these with you (Gen. 33:5)?” Esau has pity on Jacob and his family (Gen. 33:1-5) even though he had vowed to take revenge against his brother. Esau, when he spoke these words, “the days of mourning for my father are at hand; then I will kill my brother Jacob (Gen. 27:41)

45:1-8). Joseph had every right to exact the same penalty -- slavery or even death (Gen. 42:15 & 20) -- to his brothers as they had brought upon him. When they came to Egypt to relieve themselves from the famine they were experiencing in Israel, Joseph said to them, “You are spies (Gen. 42:9)!” Joseph again called them spies and said they would not leave Egypt, “unless your youngest brother comes here (Gen. 42:15). The brothers, knowing that their father, Jacob, was not willing to send the youngest boy with them this first time were very afraid (Gen. 42:4). Before they could leave, Joseph, Pharaoh’s second in command, had them leave behind a brother, Simeon, who they witnessed being bound and taken away (Gen.