The Pancajanya’s roar thundered across the bright and blue sky, sending opposing signals to either side. It was reassuring and, even providing a sense of peace to the Pandavas whereas it was quite the opposite for the other – the Kauravas.
Despite this reassuring battle cry from Sri Krsna, Arjuna’s mind wandered to the other side. He who had slain his enemies with the ease of his thumb and forefinger, was now perturbed. Arjuna asked Sri Krsna to drive up their chariot to the middle ground in order to have a better view of his enemies and their formations. Sri Krsna swiftly steers their powerful yet light chariot in between the two opposing armies which had covered the whole of Kurukshetra just as the mighty sun is covered during an eclipse.
Seeing the enemy’s army consisiting of brothers, uncles, fathers-in-law, grand uncles and teachers – Arjuna’s mind was struck with anxiety. It would not be entirely charitable to Arjuna to attribute this anxiety to a fear of defeat. But burdened as he was, with the tremendous responsibility of boosting the army’s morale and leading the Pandavas from the front, it would not be wholly incorrect to assume that Arjuna was beginning to succumb to the moral responsibility of the war and its consequences.
One by one, Arjuna’s thoughts were building a cloud of a Tamasic flavor. He shuddered to think of the possibility of slaying his own relatives for a piece of the kingdom. The perfect Kshatriya that he was, he very well knew that it was his duty to fight. However, the emotional strain and moral consequences of fighting his own kinsmen made him fantasize about Sanyasa Dharma. After all, it was nobler to live as a soul who lives free from hurt – both ways. He let his thoughts assume a vocal tone and lamented about his situation to Sri Krsna.
“Why do I have to fight this unjust war? Unjust I call it – because it does not lead to any good for either side. There is no balance in this! One wrong done by the enemy cannot be made right through another wrong by us. I can see nothing but devastation of noble souls belonging to either side because of this war. And what do we achieve by this bloodshed Govinda? If I am to sit on a simhasana over the skulls and bones of my brothers and uncles, how would I be considered a sane person let alone a just one. Cant you see this folly Oh Madhusudhana?! Please do something and avert this disaster”
Men commit sin through ignorance, and it is knowledge alone which frees man from sin. This being the truth how can I kill my brothers with my own hands. If they acted through ignorance, why should I follow the same path? The very thought of battle suffocates me Oh Janardhana. My throat is parched, and my shoulders weak. I have difficulty maintaining my breath and my eyes are hazy. Please save me from this terrible ordeal. How do I escape this woeful situation? saying so Arjuna faltered in his footsteps trembling from the knees and letting his Gandiva slip out of his hands. Sri Krisna jumps onto the chariot careful enough to hide a faltering Arjuna from the view of the enemy, lest the enemy gain a moral victory from the sorry state of Arjuna.
Shaking him with both hands, as if to wake him up from a sorrowful dream. Sri Krsna speaks thus.
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