The first author of the Gita wrote approximately 126 verses around 600 BCE, in the late Upanishadic period before Buddhism's rise. This author addressed an educated audience of seekers wrestling with fundamental questions: How can we act in the world without being bound by karma? What is the relationship between action and liberation?
The late Upanishadic period presented a crisis for thoughtful Hindus. The Upanishads taught that ultimate reality (Brahman) was unchanging and that the goal of life was moksha, liberation from the cycle of rebirth. But how could one achieve this while living in the world, performing actions, accumulating karma?
The Upanishads seemed to suggest that liberation required complete renunciation of action (sannyasa). But this was impractical for most people, especially the warrior class (kshatriyas) whose duty (dharma) required action in the world. How could a warrior achieve liberation while fulfilling his social obligations?
Author One’s answer was revolutionary: it’s not action itself that binds us, but attachment to the fruits of action. One can act in the world, even violently, without accumulating karma if one acts without desire for results.
“You have the right to action alone, never to its fruits. Do not let the fruits of action be your motive, nor let yourself be attached to inaction.” (2.47)
This verse, attributed to Author One, encapsulates karma yoga: act from duty, not desire; perform your dharma without attachment to outcomes.
Desai identifies several features that distinguish Author One’s contributions:
Author One draws heavily on Sankhya philosophy, which distinguishes between:
In this framework, all action belongs to Prakriti (nature), not Purusha (the Self). The Self is always free; only our identification with the body-mind creates the illusion of bondage. By recognizing this distinction, one can act in the world while remaining inwardly free.
This teaching served an important social function: it allowed the warrior class to fulfill their violent duties without feeling spiritually compromised. A kshatriya could fight and kill, as long as he did so from duty rather than anger, without attachment to victory or defeat.
Critics like Ambedkar would later argue this was a convenient philosophy for maintaining social hierarchy: each caste could be told to perform its prescribed duties without questioning the system.
Author One’s verses show no awareness of Buddhist challenge to Brahmanical religion. There is no mention of Buddhist concepts like:
This absence suggests these verses were composed before Buddhism became a significant force, supporting the ~600 BCE dating.
Author One’s verses may represent something like the “original Gita,” a philosophical discourse on karma and action later expanded by subsequent authors. This original core addressed a specific problem (action vs. liberation) for a specific audience (the kshatriya elite) at a specific time (late Upanishadic period).