Arjuna is the great hero of the Indian epic
Mahabharata and of the philosophical-religious dialogue
Bhagavad Gita.
His name means “brilliant,” “silver,” and other similar terms linked to brightness. He is the most popular champion in Hindu literature, a demigod (son of Indra, the storm god), and the third of the famous Pandavas, the five noble brothers who are the protagonists of the
Mahabharata.
Arjuna represents the best aspects of humanity:
- Courage, strength, and humility
- Intelligence and wisdom
- Commitment to truth and justice
- The fulfillment of dharma through karma (duty and righteous action).
At the same time, he has flaws: he is stubborn, adheres to a personal code of honor that does not always consider the needs of others or the common good, and is overly proud of his behavior and reputation.
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In the
Bhagavad Gita, which originally formed part of the
Mahabharata, Arjuna takes center stage in the role of the seeker-student, while the god Krishna acts as the teacher-guide. At first,
Arjuna refuses to take part in the war of Kurukshetra until he is persuaded by Krishna, who explains to him his duty to himself and to others, as well as the ultimate meaning and order of existence.
In this work,
Arjuna represents all those who are confronted with difficult circumstances and choices in life, wondering what they should do and why they must suffer. He also stands as a model of behavior in that he sets aside his pride and reputation to honestly express his fears and doubts, and then to accept the help and guidance of others. These qualities contributed to making him the best-known character in Indian and Hindu literary tradition and, once his works were translated into other languages, in world literature and mythology.
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The Battle of Kurukshetra and the Gita
The Pandavas had now fulfilled the conditions of their defeat at the dice game and demanded that their kingdom be returned. Duryodhana refused, declaring he would give them nothing. Krishna intervened and asked only for five cities, one for each brother, but this request was also rejected. War was inevitable, and both Arjuna and Duryodhana sought Krishna’s help. Krishna declared that he would not fight for either side but would assist them; each side could choose either Krishna himself or Krishna’s army. Duryodhana chose the army, while Arjuna chose Krishna alone, saying that he needed nothing else.
The two armies faced each other at Kurukshetra, with Krishna serving as Arjuna’s charioteer. Before the battle, Arjuna asked Krishna to take him to a place between the two armies so that he could look upon them. He saw all the people on the opposing side—people like Drona whom he had known all his life—and he refused to fight them. This dramatic scene from the
Mahabharata becomes the setting for the dialogue of the
Bhagavad Gita, in which Krishna explains to the hero the importance of performing his duty (
dharma) in accordance with righteous action (
karma), dictated by the natural order of the universe.
Krishna told Arjuna he must fight because the choices made by all involved had led everyone to this moment, and now all must act in accordance with those choices. By refusing to fight, Arjuna rejected the purpose of his life and, moreover, denied the truth of existence by claiming that people would die when, in fact, death does not exist; the body may cease to function, but the soul is immortal.
In discussing immortality, Krishna revealed himself to be Brahman, the source of all existence and existence itself. Krishna’s revelation astonished Arjuna, but like any mortal, he could not remain in that state of pure reality and had to return to the world of illusion and doubt, which he had come to accept as truth. Nevertheless, through Krishna’s efforts, Arjuna came to understand that the reality he had responded to throughout his life was not the true reality but only shadows and illusions. He had always tried to respond honorably to what he perceived as “true,” but he recognized that his perception of truth and the ultimate Truth were very different.
Once Arjuna was convinced by Krishna’s arguments, the terrible battle began, in which most of the participants were killed. After 18 days of fighting, the Kauravas were defeated and destroyed, along with nearly the entire Pandava army. Yudhishthira and his brothers regained the kingdom and ruled for 36 years until they decided to abdicate and leave the world for a life of peaceful reflection on the Divine in the Himalayan mountains. They died one after another until only Yudhishthira and his faithful dog remained. They too then entered heaven and were reunited with all those they had thought lost.
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Like any other great epic hero—such as Odysseus in Greek literature or Rustum in the mythology of ancient Persia—it is Arjuna’s humanity that defines him as much as his superhuman heroic aspects.
Arjuna’s doubts, grief, and despair on the battlefield of Kurukshetra reflect what everyone has experienced at different times in their lives. If Arjuna has remained so popular, it is because he reflects both what his audience is and what they wish to be. This paradigm is the same with all heroic figures, who inspire an audience not only by what they do better than others but also by what they fight against, or even by what they fail at—just like everyone else.
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