The Kurukshetra War Begins
Our tale begins as the sun dawns on the eighteenth day of the epic struggle known as the Mahabharata. The battlefield, Kurukshetra, where warriors from all over the known world arrayed against each other, was as quiet as the calm before a storm.
Among these innumerable warriors stood Arjuna, unparalleled archer and hero of the Pandava princes. His mind was a tempest of emotion as he surveyed the enemy host, filled with beloved relations, revered teachers, and respected elders. His hands trembled, his heart pounded, and his mind swayed like a ship on stormy seas. His duty as a warrior demanded he fights, but his humanity recoiled in horror at the thought of slaying his own kin.
Beside him stood his charioteer, the ever-calm and omniscient Krishna. Watching Arjuna's struggle, Krishna finally broke the silence, “Arjuna, why this unmanly grief? It does not befit a warrior. Shake off this cowardice and get ready for the battle!”
Arjuna looked at Krishna, tears filling his eyes, “Krishna, how can I fight against Bheeshma and Drona, who deserve only my respect and adoration, not my arrows! I cannot bear to kill them in war for the sake of a kingdom!”
Understanding the moral struggle in Arjuna's heart, Krishna smiled serenely and began to share his divine wisdom. The Bhagavad Gita, as this conversation was later known, became the ultimate spiritual guide for humankind. Krishna advised Arjuna that his duty was to uphold Dharma; the moral order that sustains the Universe. As a Kshatriya, his caste duty was to fight, especially against forces disrupting Dharma's equilibrium.
Krishna revealed his universal form to Arjuna, proving that he was a manifestation of the Divine. Krishna explained that no one truly dies; the soul merely changes bodies, just as we change clothes. These men, too, would be reborn in new bodies once slain. For Arjuna, his path lay in selfless service and upholding righteousness.
Krishna’s words were profound and compelling, leaving Arjuna in awe. Slowly, touched by Krishna's overwhelming cosmic view, Arjuna's doubts began to dissipate. He understood that he shouldn't mourn the physical death of his relatives but rather fight for a just cause.
With renewed strength and strong resolve, Arjuna picked up his bow and arrow. Krishna, as his charioteer, guided their chariot to the forefront of the battle. A conch shell was blown, and the echo rippled across the battlefield, heralding the beginning of the Kurukshetra war.
What ensued was an 18-day war that changed the course of history, and whose lessons and tales continue to echo across time. However, no one forgets the moment where mortals tangled with the divine, when duty clashed with kinship, and the battlefield morphed into a philosophical dialogue - the moment the Kurukshetra war began.