PAPER ID: IJIM/Vol. 9 (IV) August 2024/34-37/6
AUTHOR: Dr. Seema Gupta
TITLE: Spiritual parallels: T.S. Eliot’s “The Waste Land and The Bhagwad Gita”
ABSTRACT: The present paper proposes to examine the parallel themes in T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land and the Bhagavad Gita. Eliot’s poem, written after World War I, shows a world full of despair and confusion, symbolising the breakdown of moral values and the search for spiritual regeneration. The use of allusions and references suggest ways to find redemption. Similarly, the Bhagavad Gita tells the story of Arjuna’s moral and spiritual crisis on the battlefield, where Lord Krishna guides him towards understanding his duty and finding enlightenment. Both works use water as a symbol of regeneration and draw from various religious traditions to find universal truths. Despite their different backgrounds, both texts explore the human quest for meaning and spiritual understanding in times of chaos, highlighting the potential for rebirth and inner peace. This comparison shows the significance of these works in understanding existential and spiritual struggles.
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