Category:Arjuna's Teachers

Theme Analysis

The Battlefield of Kurukṣetra presented Arjuna with an unprecedented moral dilemma, primarily because his opposing aggressors were not ordinary men, but his own worshipful grandfathers and martial teachers. Arjuna was specifically trained in the military arts by Droṇācārya, a great brāhmaṇa who had awarded him the highest benedictions. Seeing Droṇācārya, Kṛpācārya, and Bhīṣmadeva arrayed against him, Arjuna was overwhelmed with false compassion. From a mundane, moralistic perspective, his desire to forgive these superiors and live by begging rather than kill them appeared highly noble and saintly.

However, this reluctance was actually rooted in the bodily concept of life and material calculation. Arjuna was evaluating his situation based on what would bring him personal happiness, incorrectly assuming that the destruction of his teachers' physical bodies would taint his enjoyment of the kingdom. To resolve this agonizing crisis, Arjuna made the most important decision of his life: he stopped arguing with Kṛṣṇa as a friend and formally accepted the Supreme Personality of Godhead as his spiritual teacher. Once Kṛṣṇa assumed the role of the master, He did not offer sentimental sympathy. Instead, as the supreme teacher of the world, Kṛṣṇa strictly chastised His disciple for speaking foolishly while pretending to be learned.

By instructing Arjuna in the transcendental science of the Bhagavad-gītā, Lord Kṛṣṇa completely shattered the illusion of death. He taught Arjuna that because the soul is eternal, there was no cause to lament the bodily change of his grandfather or his teacher. By following the absolute direction of the Supreme Lord rather than his own material sentiments, Arjuna was freed from the sinful reactions and false proprietorship of action. Ultimately, he learned how to properly respect his superiors—even showing mercy to Droṇācārya's unworthy son, Aśvatthāmā, when appropriate—while never deviating from his absolute duty to the Supreme Master.

• The Martial Masters: Arjuna faced the agonizing prospect of fighting against his own revered military teachers, such as Droṇācārya and Kṛpācārya.
• Material Calculation: His desire to spare his teachers was based on the bodily concept of life and the fear that their deaths would ruin his personal happiness.
• Accepting Kṛṣṇa: To overcome his illusion, Arjuna formally accepted Lord Kṛṣṇa as his ultimate spiritual teacher, changing their dynamic from friends to master and disciple.
• Freedom from Reaction: By acting under the strict instruction of the Supreme Teacher, Arjuna was freed from the sinful reactions of killing his earthly masters.

• Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Arjuna's Teachers - Surrendering to the Supreme Master.