Gita Most of us think of the "self," the individual person, as fully self-contained and autonomous. How does the author of the Gita delineate "the self"? That is, when this author says "I" or "you," what does he apparently mean?

Usually the word "I" denotes me, myself, the person who is making the statement and "you" is another entity with whom I am having a direct discourse. However, the Gita makes no distinction between the individual self and another human being. A perfect example of this is in Arjun's dilemma. In this passage, Arjun witnesses armed forces all going off into battle to protect him. But, of course, the soldiers are not only going to battle to protect Arjun, but all people who are like him. When the narrator states: "I do not wish to kill teachers, uncles, sons, grandfathers, maternal uncles, fathers-in-law, grandsons, brothers-in-law, and other relatives who are about to kill us," he is referring to the fact that many of his countrymen are commanded if not encouraged to join their camps and commit violence. For some beings, the only chance of survival may be related to the misery of others. To this end,...

Everyone who is involved with a nation currently involved in armed forces, has to ask him or herself whether the reasons for taking up this occupation are justified by law when they are no longer up against the majority opinion.
2. We tend to see our life as a perpetual quest for authentic experience -- we want to be "fully present" in the here and now, and we are driven to gratify (now or in some projected future) our various devices. How would the author of the Bhagavad respond to such an outlook -- what is the proper way to conceptualize "experience"? Should we think of our life path as a linear journey to some goal?

In the Bhagavad, the author is trying to relate to the reader that the body is not a concrete entity, but rather a vessel for the spirit which is eternal. Every action that is performed will affect the body in the present moment, but will affect the spirit forever. Therefore, a person should not focus on their immediate desires (Gita 4). What the body wants at the moment can often be counterproductive to what…