Arjuna on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra - Overcoming Illusion
The Bhagavad-gītā was not spoken in the peaceful solitude of a Himalayan ashram; it was delivered amidst the deafening roar of conchshells and the tension of an impending world war. Śrīla Prabhupāda frequently analyzes the psychological and spiritual crisis experienced by Arjuna on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. By understanding how Arjuna overcame his profound material illusion through the direct instructions of Lord Kṛṣṇa, modern humanity can learn how to navigate its own perplexities and execute perfect devotional service.
The Onset of Material Illusion
As the two massive armies faced each other, Arjuna requested Kṛṣṇa to drive his chariot between the phalanxes. Seeing his beloved relatives, teachers, and friends arrayed for slaughter, Arjuna was suddenly paralyzed by grief. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that Lord Kṛṣṇa deliberately placed His pure devotee into this state of ignorance so that the profound questions regarding life, duty, and the soul could be asked and answered for the benefit of all humanity.
- Arjuna was put into ignorance on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra just to question Lord Krsna about the problems of life so that the Lord could explain them and man could act accordingly and perfect the mission of human life.
- On the battlefield Arjuna could see all kinds of relatives. He could see brothers like Duryodhana, sons like Laksmana, friends like Asvatthama, well-wishers like Krtavarma, etc.
- Arjuna, just after seeing his kinsmen, friends and relatives on the battlefield, was at once overwhelmed by compassion for them who had so decided to fight amongst themselves.
- Sanjaya said: Arjuna, having thus spoken on the battlefield, cast aside his bow and arrows and sat down on the chariot, his mind overwhelmed with grief.
The Rejection of False Compassion
Driven by his bodily attachments, Arjuna argued that a victory bought with the blood of his family would bring only lamentation. He proposed abandoning the fight. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that Kṛṣṇa did not accept this magnanimity. The Lord sternly chastised Arjuna, explaining that abandoning one's prescribed duty for the sake of bodily affection is a non-Aryan mentality that leads only to infamy and degradation.
- Arjuna thought that his victory in the battle (of Kuruksetra) would only be a cause of lamentation for him.
- Arjuna might argue that he would give up the battle on the grounds of his magnanimous attitude for the most respectable Bhisma and his relatives, but Krsna considered that sort of magnanimity not approved by authority.
- Anarya-justam, "not at all befitting a man who knows the progressive values of life." Aryan. Aryan means who are progressive. So this dejection of Arjuna in the battlefield is described as befitting a non-Aryan.
- Lord Krsna says to Arjuna: you should not flee for fear of your life; better to die in the battle. That will save you from the ill fame of misusing My friendship and from losing your prestige in society.
Acting as the Lord's Instrument
The true purpose of the war was designed long before the armies clashed. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that Lord Kṛṣṇa had already arranged for the annihilation of the demoniac forces. He simply wanted Arjuna to overcome his illusion, fight without attachment to the results, and become the immediate cause (nimitta-mātram) of the victory, thereby taking the glorious credit.
- The Battle of Kuruksetra was designed by the Lord (Krsna) Himself, but just to give credit to His devotee Arjuna - nimitta-matram bhava savyasacin.
- Arjuna was entrusted with the work of fighting on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, and before he was so entrusted, the Lord had already arranged for his victory.
- The Lord tells Arjuna, O Arjuna, merely be an instrument in the fight. Lord Krsna had the competence to win the Battle of Kuruksetra, but nonetheless He induced His devotee Arjuna to fight and become the cause of victory.
- Arjuna agreed to satisfy the senses of the Lord, and thus he fought the Battle of Kuruksetra, as the Lord desired. The Vedas instruct us to get out of the existence of darkness and go forward on the path of light - tamasi ma jyotir gama.
The Spiritualization of the Battlefield
Because the Supreme Personality of Godhead was personally present on the battlefield acting as Arjuna's chariot driver, the violent environment was completely spiritualized. Śrīla Prabhupāda reveals an extraordinary truth: the opposing warriors who were killed by Arjuna's arrows achieved liberation because they died while gazing upon the beautiful, lotus-like face of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
- The word dharma-ksetra (a place where religious rituals are performed) is significant because, on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, the Supreme Personality of Godhead was present on the side of Arjuna.
- Certainly others who were fighters on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra were purified by the onslaught of Arjuna's arrows, and while seeing the lotuslike face of Krsna, so pleasing to the eyes, they achieved the abode of the Lord.
- It is said that all the living entities who died on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra attained their original constitutional position (svarupa) because they had the chance to see Krsna face to face riding in the chariot of Arjuna.
- On the Battlefield of Kuruksetra, superficially two things were going on - the demons were being killed, and the devotee, Arjuna, was being protected. However, the results were the same for everyone.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the presence of Arjuna on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra provides the ultimate lesson on how to navigate the inevitable conflicts of material existence. Śrīla Prabhupāda masterfully illustrates that the dejection and false compassion Arjuna felt were not signs of spiritual advancement, but were products of material illusion (māyā) and bodily attachment. By surrendering to the instructions of Lord Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna transformed his crisis into a mission of divine service. The battlefield, usually a place of darkness and death, was converted into a dharma-kṣetra—a field of righteousness—where even the fallen achieved spiritual liberation by the mercy of the Lord’s personal presence. Ultimately, the Bhagavad-gītā teaches that we should not run away from our difficult duties out of a misguided sense of saintliness. Instead, we must follow in the footsteps of Arjuna by becoming willing instruments of the Lord's will. By acting for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa’s senses rather than our own, we can cross over the darkness of material nescience and attain the supreme platform of light and eternal devotion.
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