Krishna Reloaded. Bhagavad Gita Ver 2.0!
Recently, I saw a television program in which a famous self-styled saffron-clad Swami giving a talk on Mahabharata War and Bhagavad Gita. This is what he said:
“Just before the war, seeing his grandfathers, fathers, sons, grandsons and all other relatives in Kurukshetra war field, Arjun became faint-hearted. He told Lord Krishna he would not fight. Krishna then explained why is it Arjuna’s duty to fight and how he must fight to restore the Dharma (righteousness). Kill all those non-righteous people even if they are relatives, said Krishna….For that, you have to fight with a detached mindset and control emotions and five senses, which are represented as the five horses in Krishna’s chariot….”
Swami continues: “This is a Dharma Yudha and only Dharma will win….Through Karma Yoga, Krishna urges Arjuna to fight like a brave warrior. Arjuna’s Karma is to fight. If you win the war, you will get Shreyas, Krishna said. The Gita ends with Krishna telling Arjuna he must choose the path of good or evil, as he has to fight the Kauravas for his kingdom.”
I was really shocked to listen to this. Why should this guy mis-interpret Mahabharata? Is it the new version of Mahabharata or Gita?
I don’t remember reading anywhere that Krishna urged Arjuna to go to war!!! My bad? So I went through few verses again (I am quoting those verses in this article) to cross-check.
To start with, the chariot of Arjuna didn’t have five horses. It was given by the God of fire Agni when he burnt the Khaandavavanam as an offering to Agni. Chithraratha, king of Gandharvas, gave him four horses. There are NO five horses. Lord Krishna was a charioteer of four horses. I don’t know from where did the Swami get the fifth horse.
Arjuna didn’t faint seeing his grandfathers, fathers, sons, grandsons. (Note that Veda Vyas, who wrote this epic, used plural not singular or dual). First of all, there were no grandfathers (except Bhishma Pitamaha) in the war field… And Arjuna’s father – Indra or Pandu, whoever – was not there. (If you mean to say his fathers-in-law that were mentioned separately). Yes, his sons were there, but he didn’t have a grandson when he came to the battlefield.
Is it that Vyasa went wrong here? Even if the entire world goes wrong, Vyasa can’t. It is said ‘Vyasochishtam jagatsarvam’. (Vyasa pervades everything in the Universe) you cannot equate even Gods with Vyasa’s skill.
So the TV Swami is wrong, not Vyasa. Arjuna might have seen himself as a grandfather or grandson and felt empathy for them, not fear. He is not a coward to feel chicken-hearted.
Arjuna has already had a war almost single-handedly with all of them and won it. When Arjuna was in exile as Brihannala in the kingdom of the Matsya (King Virat), he single-handedly defeated the Kaurava army led by Bhishma and having esteemed warriors such as Drona, Kripacharya, Karna, Duryodhana, and his 99 brothers plus the huge army of soldiers…. From my book: “The Secret of Krishna’s Birth: Deciphering The Krishna Code”
For further reading: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B091YP2GWS
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Nice,
In ISCKON gita… this is stated that krishna urged Arjun for war and kill all the adharmees and Arjun was faint hearted, resulting him to forget his kshatriya dharma. Honestly I dont know whom to trust anymore. Every sect is doin their own thing, making god their property.
Hare krishna
Sir, still some doubts remain:
1) Was gita not told by krishna to arjun bcoz he was lamenting on seeing his relatives on battlefield, If not then why did krishna told gita to arjun?
2)If krishna was not telling arjun to wage war against his relatives then what did krishna meant by telling gita to arjun, what was the real expectation from arjun?{I agree that krishna doesn’t support violence(Anger etc.), but what was the expectation?}
Please help me out!!
Hi Prashant – these are questions which would strike to any common man.
1. There are 3 Geethas : 1. Bhaghavadgeetha, 2. Uddhava Geetha & 3. Anugeetha
All the 3 are told by Krishna himself. Bhaghavadgeetha & Anugeetha was told to Arjuna and Uddhava Geetha is told to Uddhava.
2. The Mahabharata war is Good against the Bad. Krishna was explaining to Arjuna to do his duty as he is a Kshatriya (Warrior). For Arjuna is just in instrument in the warfield. Krishna himself is the creator & the destroyer. This is what was shown through Vishwarupa Darshana. He explained that the soul is immortal. Don’t cry for the body which is not yours.
Also the jest of Mahabharata to a common man is – In every human being there will be Good (Pandavas) & evil (Kauravas), but we have give our mind to Krishna (Charioteer) who will lead to the correct path of Dharma.
Please read the article carefully before commenting that it is a war between good and evil. Mahabharata is written on a much broader context just as Gita. Kauravas were not the evil and neither were the pandus good. It is the war of dharma vs adharma and that being said, there was adharma in pandava camp as well. Krishna is asking to fight the evil within ourselves and perform our duties.
Uday Ji
Thank you for such a nice article.
Please continue to explain common people like this.
Great explanation sir! Removed my doubts too.