Arjuna sat quietly in a corner of the Pandava camp, reflecting on the aftermath of the 16-day war. The greatest warriors like Pitamaha Bhishma and Guru Drona had already fallen, and tomorrow, he would face his greatest rival, Karna. A familiar voice called from behind, “Partha.”
Arjuna did not turn. He did not need to. He knew it was Krishna, his friend, philosopher, and savior. Normally, Krishna’s calm and soothing voice could ease Arjuna’s troubled mind, but today, it did not. Arjuna stayed silent, lost in thought. Krishna slowly approached and asked him gently, “Is something troubling the greatest archer on earth?”
Arjuna managed a faint smile but nodded in despair. “Partha, is it about tomorrow’s battle with Radheya?” Krishna inquired with a warm smile. This time, Arjuna responded, not with an answer but with a question.
Arjuna: “You admire Karna a lot, don’t you?”
Krishna: “This is neither the place nor the time for jealousy, my friend! Radheya, Angaraj Karna, is indeed a great warrior and deserves all the admiration.”
Arjuna: “That’s true. He is a great warrior. And perhaps he is my toughest rival yet.”
Krishna: “Are you afraid?”
He chuckled while asking this question. But Arjuna ignored the tone and answered gently.
Arjuna: “No. But, tell me honestly, Krishna—do you think he’s a better warrior than I am?”
Krishna smiled calmly and sat on a nearby rock, preparing to answer in his philosophical manner.
Krishna: “It depends Partha. It depends on how you define a warrior.”
Arjuna’s confusion deepened. Sensing this Krishna continued.
Krishna: “If you define a warrior as someone skilled with weapons, then yes, the answer is debatable. But if you go by my definition, we’ll have a different answer.”
Arjuna: “And what’s your definition of a warrior?”
Krishna: “Partha, a true warrior is not the one who defeats his enemies. A real warrior need to conquer his inner demons. Anger, pride, jealousy and resentment; these are the real demons. Radheya is a great warrior on the battlefield, but he’s weak when it comes to controlling the demons within him.”
Arjuna: “What demons plague him?”
Krishna: “Negativity, Partha. (He paused for a while) He could have been an even greater warrior if he had conquered his inner negativity. His life is filled with tragedy, but he isn’t the only one to face such hardships. Everyone experiences life’s unfairness, but only you can decide how to respond. Your actions define you, your strength, and your humanity. Radheya allowed his life’s struggles to create negativity in his mind. His actions in the Kurusabha were the direct result of that negativity. If only he could have controlled it, he would have been considered the greatest warrior on earth.”
Arjuna folded his hands humbly and asked a simple yet profound question:
Arjuna: “Am I truly worthy of being called the greatest warrior? I too have my own negativity within.”
Krishna smiled at his friend’s question.
Krishna: “Doubt is a sign of humility Partha. But don’t burden yourself with such doubts, my friend, not tonight! If you feel negativity within you, let it go now. Tomorrow is the most important day of this battle. You must establish dharma on this earth, and you can only do that by defeating Radheya. Without his defeat, you cannot win this war. Tomorrow, the world will witness a battle between two of the greatest archers, each fighting for their beliefs. But only the one who follows righteousness, in heart and mind, will win. You will win, Partha.”
Krishna’s words clear Arjuna’s mind. He is now ready to face his greatest rival.
( Read the second part, Who is the greatest; Arjuna or Karna-2 )