Reading Notes: PDE Mahabharata Part C

Krishna and His Army

Best Buds Arjuna and Krishna

I'm not really sure if this is just a sweet story of friendship or a paradoxical choice in which Krishna is the better and right choice despite being the seemingly stupid choice. I think a retelling could make both of those themes really clear

Plot Summary:

• Duryodhana and Arjuna both go to Dwaraka to secure Krishna as an alliance 
• Both men arrive on the same day to find Krishna sleeping. 
• Duryodhana sits at the head of the bed, while Arjuna stands at the foot
• Krishna sees Arjuna first upon awakening but Duryodhana asks for help first
• Krishna decides he should help both. H
• Arjuna, as the youngest, got to choose between the help of Krishna himself who would not fight and ten croes of soldiers.
• Arjuna chose Krishna whom he loved, without hesitation
• Duryodhana was happy because he wanted the army
• Krishna's brother Baladeva refused to fight on either side,
• Dutyodhana left
• Krishna asked Arjuna why he had selected himself
• Arjuna says he can fight his own enemies, but he wanted for fame and for Krishna to drive his car in battle
• Krishna agrees to act as Arjuna's charioteer
• The two returned to Yudhishthira happily because victory is where Krishna is.

Bibliography

The Story of the Great War by Annie Besant (1899).