Category:Arjuna's Duty
Theme Analysis
The central philosophical crisis of the Bhagavad-gītā revolves around Arjuna's duty on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra. Overwhelmed by material affection and false compassion for his relatives, Arjuna wanted to abandon his natural occupational duty as a kṣatriya. He argued that fighting would yield sinful reactions and destroy his family, leading him to conclude that he would rather live by begging than engage in a bloody war. However, Lord Kṛṣṇa completely rejected this stance, chastising Arjuna for acting like an anārya (non-Aryan). Kṛṣṇa pointed out that Arjuna's desire to become nonviolent was actually rooted in the bodily concept of life and a subtle desire for his own sense gratification and peace of mind.
To rectify Arjuna's illusion, Lord Kṛṣṇa strictly instructed him not to imitate the duties of other classes. A kṣatriya is meant to fight for justice; artificially adopting the nonviolent lifestyle of a brāhmaṇa or a sannyāsī is the philosophy of fools and leads to spiritual ruin. Arjuna was advised that avoiding his prescribed duty would not save him from sin, but would rather destroy his fame and pave a royal road to hell. The inevitable nature of birth and death means that lamentation over the temporary body is useless; therefore, the unavoidable discharge of duty must continue.
The ultimate solution provided in the Bhagavad-gītā is the science of yoga. Kṛṣṇa instructed Arjuna to perform his duty equipoised, completely abandoning all attachment to success or failure. This evenness of mind transforms ordinary work into spiritual action. Ultimately, the perfection of Arjuna's duty was realized when he surrendered his own desires and agreed to fight exclusively for the satisfaction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By acting as Kṛṣṇa's instrument, Arjuna's professional military duty became pure devotional service, elevating him to the perfect stage of liberation.
- False Compassion: Arjuna's initial reluctance to perform his duty was based on material bodily affection and a desire to avoid personal discomfort.
- Occupational Integrity: Lord Kṛṣṇa warned Arjuna against artificially imitating the nonviolent duties of a brāhmaṇa or a sannyāsī, urging him to act as a proper kṣatriya.
- The Science of Yoga: True spiritual advancement is achieved by performing one's prescribed duty with total detachment from the results.
- The Supreme Perfection: The absolute perfection of any occupational duty is achieved when it is executed solely for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Arjuna's Duty - The Perfection of Occupational Service.
Pages in category "Arjuna's Duty"
The following 35 pages are in this category, out of 35 total.
A
- According to Sridhara Svami, Arjuna was obliged to catch this son of a brahmana like an animal as a part of his duty (dharma). This suggestion by Sridhara Svami is also confirmed in the later statement of Sri Krsna
- All the liberated souls in ancient times acted with this understanding and so attained liberation. Therefore, as the ancients, you should perform your duty in this divine consciousness. BG 4.15 - 1972
- Any attachment, positive or negative, is cause for bondage. Inaction is sinful. Therefore, fighting as a matter of duty was the only auspicious path of salvation for Arjuna. BG 1972 purports
- Arjuna agreed, although at first he was not willing to fight. Duties are required for ordinary persons. They should not jump up and try to imitate Krsna and indulge in rasa-lila and thus bring about their ruin
- Arjuna as a ksatriya should not abandon his duty out of fear that his grandfather and teacher - Bhisma and Drona - will die in the battle. BG 1972 purports
- Arjuna did not know whether he should fight and risk unnecessary violence, although fighting is the duty of the ksatriyas, or whether he should refrain and live by begging. BG 1972 purports
- Arjuna had no desire to participate in political affairs or the fighting at Kuruksetra, but when ordered to do so by the Supreme Lord, Krsna, he executed those duties very nicely
- Arjuna wanted to satisfy his senses by refraining from fighting with his relatives, but Krsna spoke to him to convince him to execute his duty for the satisfaction of the Supreme
- Arjuna was a householder and a military general, and therefore it was better for him to remain as such and perform his religious duties as prescribed for the householder ksatriya. BG 1972 purports
- Arjuna was a military man, and born of the nature of the ksatriya. Therefore his natural duty was to fight. But, due to false ego, he was fearing that by killing his teacher, grandfather and friends, there would be sinful reactions. BG 1972 purports
- Arjuna was hesitating to fight, "How can I kill my nephew, my brother, my grandfather," and so on, so on. So Krsna was instructing him that, - It is your duty. As a ksatriya, when there is battle, you should fight. You should not deviate from your duty
- Arjuna's prescribed duty was to fight, and the perfection of his fighting was tested by the satisfaction of Krsna. Krsna wanted him to fight, and when he fought for the satisfaction of the Lord, that was the perfection of his professional devotional duty
- Arjuna, the ksatriya, was refusing to fight despite being directly ordered by the Supreme Lord. He was thus chastised by the Lord as belonging to a non-Aryan family. Anyone who is advanced in the devotional service of the Lord certainly knows his duty
- Arjuna, you are being carried away by your material affection, and you are hesitating to execute your duty. This is not good. - Anarya-justam - This is befitting for the anarya, non-Aryan
- Arjuna, you should always think of Me (Krsna), and at the same time you should continue your prescribed duty & fight. With your mind & activities always fixed on Me & everything engaged in Me, you will attain to Me without any doubt. BG 1972 Introduction
B
- Be steadfast in yoga, O Arjuna. Perform your duty and abandon all attachment to success or failure. Such evenness of mind is called yoga. BG 2.48 - 1972
- Being a pure devotee he (Arjuna) agreed to fight on God's instruction because he came to his senses & realized that satisfaction of God at the cost of his own satisfaction was his prime duty. He became akama. That is the perfect stage of a living being
H
- He (Arjuna) said that although he could get a kingdom by fighting with his relatives, he did not want to fight with them. But when he was ordered by Krsna and convinced by the teachings of Bhagavad-gita that his duty was to satisfy Krsna, then he fought
- He (Arjuna) wanted to become nonviolent in the discharge of his specific duty. For a ksatriya to be in the battlefield and to become nonviolent is the philosophy of fools. BG 1972 purports
- He (Arjuna) was a fighter. His duty as a ksatriya, his duty is to fight. But he fought for Krsna. Similarly, everyone can perform his duty. That is also enjoined in the SB
- He (Arjuna) was saintly by character, and therefore he wanted to deal with them (the aggresors) in saintliness. This kind of saintliness, however, is not for a ksatriya. BG 1972 purports
I
- If he (Arjuna) abandoned the battle (of Kuruksetra), he would not only neglect his specific duty as a ksatriya, but he would lose all his fame and good name and thus prepare his royal road to hell. BG 1972 purports
- In Arjuna's discharge of duties as a ksatriya, he is advised to persevere, even if it is difficult to fight with his family members or similarly beloved persons. BG 1972 purports
O
- One may then ask this question: What was the purpose for which Arjuna fought on the battlefield of Kuruksetra? The answer is plain and simple. The fight that is fought in pursuance of military duty touches the body only
- One who has taken his birth is sure to die, and after death one is sure to take birth again. Therefore, in the unavoidable discharge of your (Arjuna) duty, you should not lament
T
- The first-class example of this type of man (who does not act for sense gratification, since he is situated in his occupational duties) is Arjuna. Arjuna was a ksatriya, and his occupational duty was to fight
- The Personality of Godhead, Sri Krsna, advises Marshal Arjuna in the following words: O Arjuna, you must always do your duty. To do something is far better than to do nothing. You cannot even secure your everyday sustenance without doing any work
- Throughout Bhagavad-gita, Krsna was encouraging Arjuna to fight, for he was a warrior, and fighting was his duty