Krishna's teachings on social duty and devotion in the Bhagavad-Gita

Midterm Paper Question In Chapter 2, Krishna strongly advocates the importance of fulfilling one's own social duty as the path to liberation. However, in Chapters 11 and 12, after revealing his cosmic form, Krishna instructs Arjuna that devotion to the form is the way to salvation. Write a five-page paper (typed, double-spaced, Times New Roman) that analyzes and reconciles these apparent shifts in Krishna's teachings. Support your argument through careful analysis of the text. Please note that outside sources may not be used. Your paper should reflect your own ideas and interpretations. The paper must go beyond summary or personal reflection and should be analytical, thoughtful, and creative in its engagement with the text. Due: No later than Thursday, June 18, 11:59PM [Bibliography] Miller, Barbara Stoler, trans., The Bhagavad-Gita: Krishna’s Counsel in Time of War. New York: Bantam Classics, 1986. Late policy: 1/3 letter grade deduction per day late. N.B.: Papers submitted after 12:00 a.m. on Friday, June 19 will lose 1/3 letter grade; papers submitted after 12:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 20, will lose 2/3 letter grade; papers submitted after 12:00 a.m. on Sunday, June 21, will lose a full letter grade. Any papers submitted after 12:00 a.m. on Monday, June 22 will not be graded, and a zero grade will be given. Suggestions and Guidelines: * The format of this paper does not give you a lot of space to waste. Your papers should be specific to the question, and the discussions and arguments you make should be clearly written and well-focused. I strongly recommend that you avoid elevated-sounding, broad introductory paragraphs and/or conclusions that go beyond the question; those papers will be considered to be very weak ones. * Make sure you have a coherent plan for your paper. Work through the sources again with your question in mind; develop a clear outline; reevaluate your paper in light of that plan at the end. * Good papers will show evidence of your having consulted sources to verify your discussions and arguments, including citations from the readings, where appropriate. All essays must be properly referenced, with footnotes. Note that if the quotation that you are using is more than 4 lines long, you must use a block quotation. Also note that a parenthetical reference goes after the last quotation mark and a period goes after the closing parenthesis mark. * Proofread carefully to correct all mechanical problems (spelling, punctuation, grammar). It is IMPOSSIBLE for a Final Paper to receive an A grade if it has significant writing problems, including with the format. I am very serious about this. * Your papers that note interesting problems or make cogent observations will do better than ones that merely attempt to cover the topic chosen. Any reader will be more engaged by an essay in which the author demonstrates genuine interest in the topic. I am no exception. * Do not write just a summary and / or reflection of what you learned in the class. You need to discuss your topic with a clear and thoughtful analysis, verifying your discussions and arguments by showing evidence. * Make sure to read the other attachment, “How to write a good research paper.” Academic Integrity: There is a zero-tolerance policy toward plagiarism or any other form of academic dishonesty in this course. This means that anyone found taking credit for work that is not his or her own, or cheating in any other way, will receive a failing grade for the entire course. In short, the minimum penalty for academic dishonesty in my course is failure for the semester. Note that ignorance of the policy is not considered a mitigating circumstance. Also read very carefully the supplemental handout on this issue, as well as the syllabus. Attachment(s)