The Bhagavad-Gita presents the Hindu idea of "relinquishing attachment" that is, acting by duty without desire for or fear of a specific outcome. How might the concept of nonattachment help a person overcome a conflict between duty and desire?

The assigning of human characteristics to animals or inanimate objects is called anthropomorphism. In the frame story, what human traits do Spot, Swift, and Slow exhibit? In the tale itself, what human characteristics are attributed to the mice and the elephant king? Explain how both the frame story and the tale itself would have been different if the characters had been people instead of human-like animals.

In the Mahabharata, the hero Yudhistira, Arjuna's brother, says that the highest duty is to refrain from injuring others. In the Bhagavad-Gita, however, Krishna tells Arjuna that it is his sacred duty to fight. How do stanzas $18-21$ help to resolve this paradox or apparent contradiction?

Answer the following questions to test your understanding of the underlined Vocabulary words.
Is $\underline{pestilence}$ more serious than an illness?

Elephants and mice differ great y in size. What do you think this contrast adds to the force of the fable's underlying moral, or message?

In stanzas $47-48$, what outlook toward failure and success does Krishna recommend? On what should Arjuna be "intent," and on what should he not be intent?

What lesson about friendship can be learned from this fable?

• immutable
• mundane
• manifest
• lucid
• impartial
  On a separate sheet of paper, use each Vocabulary word listed above in an original sentence based on the characters and events in "Philosophy and Spiritual Discipline."

In stanza $67$, what does Krishna say happens to a man who gives in to his senses? In stanza $71$, what does he say happens when a man gives up all desires?

Suspense is the uncertainty or anxiety you feel about what will happen next in a story. How does the author of the epic create suspense in this episode? Refer to the chronological timeline of events that you made.

Choose an example of repetition in each poem. What emotion is expressed by the repeated phrase?

The following sentences contain pronouns that do not agree with their antecedents. Rewrite each sentence to correct the error.
Anyone seeing Ravana after his death would change their mind about the demon king.

To whom is Song 103 addressed? What are the speaker's complaints about "the people of this land"?

What role do the gods play in this excerpt from the Ramayana?