CHAPTER 2

 Title: The Parable of Arjuna’s Despair: A Conversation with Lord Krishna

Sanjaya said: Lord Madhusudan spoke these words to Arjuna, who was full of compassion and tears, with eyes brimming.॥1॥

Even the most knowledgeable person, a great scientist, or a very successful business figure falters in life. You may suddenly find yourself in a grave problem, whether in family, academics, or business. Why is it that even a person with great knowledge is sometimes unable to understand what they must do, while others seem to comprehend their broken state?

Arjuna, who was unparalleled in the art of war, had defeated many great warriors in the past. His archery skills were acknowledged by all. He had faced many difficult experiences in life and had gained a great deal of recognition through his knowledge. Yet, he faltered in the face of a situation where much was at stake. His hesitation was so apparent that even Sanjaya recognized Arjuna’s deep distress, sadness, and indecision. His pitiable condition was evident to everyone—just as when we sit with our heads down, lost, confused, and unsure of our next steps.

Arjuna found himself in this state during the battle when he saw both his opponents and allies—people he could not categorize as either enemies or friends. His view of them blurred the distinction between dharma (righteousness) and adharma (unrighteousness). His problem was not a lack of martial skill, for he was a master in battle, but rather a failure to discern right from wrong, good from evil. His inherent goodness had been overshadowed by his attachments and delusions, just as we allow our own vices to cloud our judgment. When this happens, our efforts become futile.

Whenever we begin a task and lose sight of the distinction between right and wrong—between dharma and adharma, virtue and immorality—because we are swayed by external influences, we become distracted, sad, and powerless, unable to make decisions. Whether at home, school, society, or the workplace, if our behavior is dictated by external circumstances rather than our own judgment, we start acting like a mentally disturbed person.

Imagine if a surgeon, about to operate on a patient’s abdomen, becomes obsessed with the abdomen itself, forgetting the purpose of the surgery. In this obsession, the surgeon would cause more harm than good, focused not on the patient’s recovery but on irrelevant distractions. Similarly, a disturbed mind, regardless of the individual, behaves irrationally, unable to function properly despite having everything in place.

In such a state, who can be a guide, a guru? It is only someone who is free from negative thoughts. Lord Krishna, praised as Madhusudan and Somadhusudan, is the one who can destroy the inner pain and confusion. Madhusudan represents the power within to eliminate wrong thoughts. However, not everyone can bear such mental anguish.

Thus, regardless of our age or background, we must not allow external circumstances to influence us so deeply that we lose our self-control and our ability to discern between right and wrong.