Holy War: Violence and the Bhagavad Gita

Holy War: Violence and the Bhagavad Gita is a series of eleven informative essays that explores the war depicted in the age-old Indian epic, the Mahabharata, of which the Bhagavad Gita is one small section. On the Kurukshetra battlefield, the supreme Lord Krishna enlightens his disciple and friend Arjuna about the mysteries of life. Krishna's instructions also involve the sensitive subject of violence and religion, for he encourages Arjuna to fight in a war that will take the lives of millions.

The contributors to this volume use the ancient Indian text as a foil for discussion. In this exploration, our authors look at Gandhi and nonviolence; the Islamic jihad in relation to the ancient battle at Kurushetra; and the questions of ethics and morals -- showing how they can be used or abused in an attempt to justify religious violence.

Editor Steven J. Rosen is the author of twenty books on East-Indian spirituality.