Religious Exploration Book Club (Hinduiusm)

## Hinduism (June 28, 2026)

Event is free with $5-$10 suggested donation to Rhizome DC for letting us use the space! There is no people limit, but meetup only allows for 10 attendees. Please put in your calendar if you are interested.

Readings
* Chandogya Upanishad, The Story of Shvetaketu
* Bhagavad Gita (translation by Eknath Easwaran),Chapters 2, 3, 6

Contextual Texts

*****Here you can read an overview of the setting and context of the Bhagavad Gita (link)

Chapters 2, 3, and 6 set up some of the core tenets of Hinduism that continue to be built upon throughout the Bhagavad Gita. They also allow us to explore ideas that we will see consistently come up across different religions. Chapter 2 talks about the immortality of our souls. Chapter 3 outlines selfless action, telling us that we should perform duty without attachment to the results, surrender our fruits to the Divine, and avoid inaction. Chapter 6 gives us more technical motivation on the advantages of meditation, controlling the mind,and self realization. Through these texts we should be able to think about the nature of ourselves and actions, and discuss why we do the things we do, and the concept of a “soul”. We can also discuss experiences with mediation, controlling the mind (controlling emotions), and if anyone feels self realized.

With “The Story of Shvetaketu” we follow a young man who is taught by his father that knowledge is more than just what we learn intellectually, rather it is about gaining understanding of the essence of existence. Here we get to explore fun philosophical concepts about what learning and knowledge truly is.
Ultimately, these texts challenge us to think about our agency by finding a sense of self-worth that exists independently of external notions of success or validation.