ACKERMANAt a glance
History, context & interpretation
The text and its story
700 verses on duty (dharma), selfless action, devotion and the eternal self. Krishna reveals his cosmic form to Arjuna.
Traditional attribution
Krishna's words to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, recorded by Vyasa.
Historical scholarship
A section of the Mahabharata's sixth book, composed by unknown authors.
Context and curiosity
J. Robert Oppenheimer quoted it after the first atomic test: 'Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.'
Chronology and transmission
This text belongs to Hinduism & Vedic India (India). The catalogue gives its approximate dating as c. 2nd century BCE – 2nd century CE and original language or script as Sanskrit. The dated manuscript witnesses and traditional claims may not refer to the same historical event.
Sources and further reading
Historical descriptions are educational summaries. Religious traditions, scholarly interpretations and unverified claims are distinguished where possible; imagery may be illustrative rather than an artifact photograph.
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