Krishna and Arjuna, between the two sides of the battle.
In the Bhagavad Gita, India's famous, epic poem, Lord Krishna and loyal, well-intentioned warrior Arjuna discuss the meaning of life and how to act to make life as easy and smooth as possible. Krishna first appears to the broken-hearted Arjuna who is slumped and crying on the battlefield between the army’s of the Pandavas watching as his friends and neighbors on both sides shed blood. He asks God how this can be, how this killing can be right, and Krishna responds in a stern and loving manner. Krishna tells him, “Only the man who is unmoved by sensations, the wise man indifferent to pleasure, to pain, is fit for becoming deathless.” As they talk on the battlefield, Krishna pours his wisdom onto Arjuna like a sweet nectar. In beautiful, simple stanzas he tells him the power of non-attachment and the strength of Self it creates. He tell Arjuna that we must act and fulfill our various duties while alive and then we must detach ourselves from their results if we want to maintain equanimity of mind. We must act for action's sake and go about our lives as an offering to God, rather as a means to benefit ourselves. If we are able to practice this, to harness this sense of detachment from the fruit's of our actions, only then are we able to experience serenity of mind within our lifetime.