Episode 2

Arjuna tried to kill Yudhishtira[1]

This is the story of the legendary Kurukshetra warrior, Arjuna trying to kill his own elder brother Dharma Raja (Yudhishtara). The story has lot of moral things to learn and assimilate. You can read and comment.

Do you know the story of Yudhishtira being cursed badly by his own brother Arjuna? Yes it happens in adversities for every one of us also. When we are stared with problems on all fronts and there appears no visible solution, we lose our patience and behave irrationally. Yudhishtira could not escape the situation.

In the thick of Kurukshetra battle many mighty warriors and leaders suffered defeats. Many warriors died and many lost their kith and kin. Great warriors like Bhishma and Drona fell to the ground. Finding it difficult to face Pandavas, Duryodhana asked Karna to take the leadership (Head of the Army) and asked him to defeat Pandavas.  On the very first day when Karna took over the leadership, he could able to inflict defeat on all Pandavas except Arjuna. Of course, he did not kill them to keep up his promise with his mother Kunti. Dharmaraja felt humiliated for his defeat in the hands of Karna and came back from the battle field. Seeing the angry Karna, even Arjuna could not dare to attack him on that day. He requested Krishna to turn back the chariot and Krishna obliged. Arjuna proceeded to console his brother Yudhishtira.

On seeing Arjuna coming to him, Dharmaraja felt that his brother Arjuna must have annihilated Karna. He began praising Arjuna for avenging his own defeat. At this stage Arjuna told Dharmaraja that he did not attempt to fight Karna on that day fearing defeat as Karna was ferocious and very angry. He had come there only to console him. He promised that he would annihilate Karna on the following day without fail.

At this stage, Dharmaraja lost his cool and he began cursing Arjuna. “I have agreed to wage this war with lot of hopes on you. What is the use of having mighty Gandiva (Arjuna’s bow given by Agnideva) when you cannot stand before Karna?. It is high time you should give your bow to Sri Krishna for destroying the enemies. It is shameful to come back from the battlefield. What is the use of possessing a big bow (Gandiva), divine chariot (given by Lord Agni) and the huge flag (kapi dhwaja)?”, roared Dharmaraja. Arjuna got wild at the comments of his brother and in the heated arguments, drew out his sword for killing Dharmaraja. Promptly Krishna intervened and pacified Arjuna.

Now the big dilemmas started. Arjuna had a vow that he would kill anybody who denigrates his Gandiva. Since Dharmaraja made fun of Gandiva, he has to kill Dharmaraja. If he fails to kill his brother he is deviating from the path of Truth. He has to stand by his vow. But he cannot afford to kill his brother and killing his own brother is sinful act. Brother is to be considered as father.

Krishna counseled Arjuna thus:

1. “You have not understood the concept of dharma properly. Dharma is not to kill anybody. You can follow untruth but you should not inflict violence on anybody.[2]
2. If you are caught by thieves, it is not wrong if you tell untruth and come out of their clutches.[3]
3. ‘Sometimes untruth becomes truth and truth becomes untruth. In that situation it is better to follow untruth’.[4]
4. When this is dharma, do you feel that your brother merits to be killed just because he had made fun of your bow? Your brother has not scolded you with the intention to scold you. Since he is defeated in the hands of Karna, he is humiliated and his anger is the culmination of his humiliation”.

On hearing Krishna, Arjuna came to terms. But still he wanted a solution to save his own face. Krishna suggested,

1. “If you want to kill a person, scold him profusely. Scolding a person is as good as killing the person”. Then Arjuna began scolding Dharmaraja. He blamed him squarely responsible for the entire battle. It was his weakness of playing dice that brought misery to Pandavas. He was not competent to make Draupathi a slave by betting her in the game of dice…. and so many other abuses. Dharmaraja was humiliated to the core in the presence of everybody.  Now Arjun’s vow was kept since he scolded his brother which act is as good as killing him.

Having scolded his brother, Arjuna felt very bad. Just to keep his vow, he had scolded him. Since he had cursed his own brother, he felt that he should not live on earth. He drew his sword and tried to kill himself. All the Pandavas including Dharmaraja intervened and saved Arjuna. But Arjuna was so adamant that he would die for scolding Dharmaraja.

2. For solving this dilemma, Krishna again gave a suggestion. “Praise yourself. That is as good as killing yourself”, said Krishna. Now Arjuna began eulogizing his own self. "I am the person who vanquished all Kauravas after Uttara Gograhana. I am the person who did Khandava Dahana. I am the person who pleased Lord Shiva and gained Pasupatha. Who else can equal me in warfare?" etc. Then Krishna told, "Yes, now you killed yourself". Thus both dilemmas are solved.

Questions

1. What are the management lessons from the story?
2. We come across self-boasting people all around. What does Maha Bharatha says about self-boasting people?
3. What, according to Maha Bharatha, is the effect of scolding others?
4. Can we afford to stand on the principle of Truth when we are threatened by difficulties like impending death or robbery?
5. Is it good to lose your cool when you are stared by problems all around? What are the implications if we lose our temperament?
6. Can you justify the action of Arjuna in trying to kill his brother? Is it strategically right to kill Dharmaraja in the thick of the battlefield?

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[1] The story is taken from Karna Parva of Maha Bharatha written by sage Vyaasa.

[2] प्राणिनामवधस्तात सर्वज्यायान्मतो मम ।

अनृतं वा वदेद्वाचं न हिंस्यात्कथं च न ॥ (कर्णपर्व-69:23)

[3] Yah stenaih saha sambandhaanmucyathe sapathairapi

Sreyastraanrutam vaktum thath satyamavicharitham

Na cha thebhyo dhanam deyam sakye sati kathamchana (Karna Parva 69.63,64)

[4] bhavetsatyamavaktavyam vaktavyamanrutam bhaveth

Yatraanrutham bhavetsatyam satyam chapyanrutam bhaveth (Karna Parva 69.32)

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