Thin Red Line

In comparing the themes of the Bhagavad Gita to the movie "Thin Red Line", one can look into the over arching theme of what Krishna aka Vishnu is attempting to teach Arjuna, the young prince, after he expresses his own inner turmoil due to his duty as a prince to his country as he enters war after years having been wrongly banished from his own home. As he rides down the middle of the battle grounds before the war begins to look into the eyes of those he would soon be attempting to concur, he finds himself looking into the eyes of old friends, and those of young sons and old fathers causing a rupture in his character. I would compare this inner turmoil that the young prince Arjuna experienced to those of the feelings of Private Witt and how he struggled with what expectations his "duty" to his country held him to going against the wills of his own person.

Another theme I would compare between the movie "The Thin Red Line" and the Bhagavad-Gita would be the notion of being so connected to another person that one is unable to tell the difference between the two in a singular moment. As quoted by private Bell in his reflection of being at home in the arms of his beloved wife:

"We... We together. One being. Flow together like water. Till I can't tell you from me. I drink you. Now... Now." 

 This particular quote is one that can be compared to the yogic ideals of the Bhagavad-Gita in searching inwards to unlock that inner-divinity which is believed to be present in all other beings that ultimately connects every living being to each other through the eternal light. Therefore, the presents of nature within the movie becomes evermore pertinent to it's holy overarching tones. 

 "-That one,
absorbed in yoga,"
is said to be a yogi
for whom earth, stones,
and gold are the same." (BG. 93.) 

 With this quote in mind, one can venture into the scenic symbolism found within the movie as horrid battles rage across a beautiful landscape that is rich with plant life and indigenous people living in unity. One scene particular that stuck out to me personally was a scene that portrayed the platoon of soldiers pinched to a hillside as gunshots mowed down countless souls all while one soldier lay on his belly in the grass watching the sun emerge from the blue skies and enveloping the lush green rolling hills that stretched on in the distance. I compare this scene to the ideas of the Bhagavad-Gita due to the natural world not being influenced in anyway by the horrific mortal actions of humans, simply existing in the moment and being witness to the happenings that play out, creating a symbolic expression for the divinity within this movie through the natural world. 

I personally really connected with this movie due to the natural world playing such a huge background character throughout the movie. I also marveled at the inner monologue of private Witt and the beautiful transition that occured within him as he found the peace that came to people once death was received, therefore changing his prior perceptions of death and ultimately gaining him what he had voiced longing for in the beginning: to greet death as his mother had, with poise and gratefulness for the life that had been lived.

-My question to you would be, what were your thoughts on the Bhagavad-Gita? Were there any quotes that really resonated with you? Why?

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