A. Eusebius, the historian and bishop of Caesarea, tells a history in The Life of the Blessed Emperor Constantine around 337-339 CE (MMW 5). The Bhagavad Gita indirectly refers to the sage Vayasa as the author of The Bhagavad Gita from the larger selection of the Mahabharata (The Bhagavad Gita. Introduction.5).
2. Question:
A. Based on a comparison of “The Bhagavad Gita” by Veda Vayasa and “The Life of the Blessed Emperor Constantine” by Eusebius of Caesarea, what do these texts reveal about the problems of the Hindu and Christian societies and how the authors address them during times of conflict?
3. Thesis
A. Although one may assume that Eusebius and Vayasa use their platform to solely reinforce the emperors with flowerily …show more content…
Paragraph #7 (rebutal)
A. One may argue that the authors’ solution from the texts is to help elevate Arjuna and Constantine’s status to help them maintain power. However, after further examination the authors are pushing to a new moral order to maintain the rightful heir to the throne.
B. Evidence
i. Eusebius implies that Constantine “changed, too, the holy night vigil into a brightness like that of day” after he converted to Christianity. ii. Once Arjuna realizes that “anything inanimate or alive with motion is born from the union of the field and its knower,” he acknowledges the lord and turns to the moral order of the Hindu beliefs to solve his problems (The Bhagavad Gita, ch.13. 26).
C. Analysis
i. The authors imply that both Arjuna and Constantine realize the power of their respective lords and turn to the moral order of their respective religions in order to maintain their right to rule their empires.
D. Connection to thesis
i. The authors are not trying to use propaganda to maintain their desired emperors, but rather teaching the morals that help maintain the power of the emperor. They are emphasizing moral traits to help the emperors make the proper decisions to fight for their power, instead of simply elevating their