Nicholas Dease: Outside Reading Blog 1

Reflection on the Bhagavad Gita, Existentialism, and Religion

Recently, I've been reading the Bhagavad Gita and I've noticed that there is a significant similarly to Wings of Desire in that the ancient text relates existentialism to the spiritual in a way that encourages the individual to reflect upon the meaning of their own existence. On the surface, the story revolves around an unsolvable ethical dilemma—the main character Arjuna is forced to make war with his friends and family. However, this backdrop sets the stage for a spiritual brand of existentialism which has a marked resemblance to Buddhist philosophy. The dilemma is clearly existential as Arjuna is swept up in a crisis of meaning at the thought of slaughtering his friends and family. He states,“What use is a kingdom to us […] What is the use of pleasures or purpose in living?” (p30) However, before engaging in battle, Arjuna's charioteer, the divine in disguise, offers him advice. Ultimately, he tells him to not despair over warring against his relations as they are but a part of the much larger machinations of the universe. Specifically, he states that the soul casts off the body and chooses another in an unending cycle. Furthermore, he encourages Arjuna to act without attachment or desire as all things are transient and do not lead to happiness or wisdom.

I found these sentiments to bear a striking resemblance to the position of the angels in Wings of Desire as they too lend a hand to humans in existential despair. While their role is certainly less active, they still reach out and provide emotional support for those with high spiritual awareness who can sense their presence. In the case of Arjuna, his angel (Krishna) physically reveals himself and ultimately the secret Yoga of all Yogas in order to inspire Arjuna to return to the world with new found confidence. In Wings of Desire, their influence is less so, but their devotion to those in need reflects a similar dynamic. Ultimately, this inspires me to wonder what it is about existentialism that lends itself to these religious tales? Interestingly, Soren Kierkegaard, often referred to as the father of Existentialism, was profoundly religious. He is often credited with the concept of the “Leap of Faith,” wherein religion only has value when it is inherently doubtful. Counter to the usual understanding, Faith is only worth anything when one is making a conscious belief in something that they know has no “objective certainty.” While both Arjuna and the humans in Wings of Desire are certainly not adhering to this leap, it is interesting that this connection between Existentialism and Religion is stronger than it might outwardly appear.