Amanda Capper - Reflection on Bhagavad Gita Quote and Oral Mythologies

 As I was researching quotes and sources to use in my thesis paper, I came across this one line from the Bhagavad Gita in I believe chapter 7: "Thus, at all times think of Me only, and fight. With mind and Reason set on Me, without doubt, thou shalt come to Me. He who thinketh upon the Ancient, the Omniscient, the All-Ruler, minuter than the minute, the supporter of all, of form and unimaginable, refulgent as the sum beyond the darkness, in the time of forthgoing...he goes to the spirit, supreme, divine." 

I really liked this verse because of its mystery. It reminded me of other literary religious texts that tell its practitioners to think on the positive, divine, and good things of this world. One comes to mind from the Bible. I cannot remember the chapter or verse, but I believe it is when Jesus tells His disciples to think on "things above, everything that is righteous, beautiful, heavenly, pure," etc. etc. This made me wonder: Are there similarities in oral traditions across the globe that tell its societies similar things? For example, I know that sometimes there are almost identical phrases and passages in religious texts that seem to imply that one gained inspiration from another. Is this true for oral mythologies and traditions? 

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