The Bhagavad Gita is a is a Hindu scripture from the 2nd century BCE. The warrior-prince Arjuna seeks council from Krishna, an avatar of the god Vishnu.

Arjuna is about to fight in the Kurukshetra War, a dynastic struggle between two groups of cousins, the Pandavas and the Kauravas. He is worried that in the war, he might have to fight his family members, friends, and teachers. He is also concerned about the ethics of war and the horrors he might inflict.

In response, Krishna states that earthly attachments, such as familial love, fear of death, hate and pity towards the enemy are all illusions that must be overcome to achieve a state of pure consciousness. Krishna outlines a distinction between the individual self ("Atman") and the Supreme Self ("Brahman") -- a spiritual Oneness in all existence. Krishna advises Arjuna to deatach himself from his individual emotions and complete his holy duty (sva-dharma) as a warrior: to fight. That is the warrior's way to achieve synthesis with the Brahman.