When faced with the gravity and brutality of war, soldiers sometimes choke, being overwhelmed by the chilling fear of deadly injury or even death. They may freeze. Or they may flee. Or they may wiggle their way out of fighting through various rationalizations. 

If we read about Arjuna’s refusal to fight in the Gita’s first chapter, we may presume that he too lost his nerve. However, Arjuna was no ordinary soldier — he was a seasoned warrior, a champion archer, a celebrated general in the Pandava army. He wasn’t one to be overwhelmed by fear. 

Might the unfavorable odds of the Kurukshetra war have overwhelmed him? Unlikely. He had fought many wars where the odds had been far worse. In his very first major war fought at Khandava, he had single-handedly held back all the gods. In another major war that he had fought during his extra-terrestrial travels, he had single-handedly defeated a gigantic army of ruthless demons or anti-gods named Nivatakavachas — these creatures of the dark had been so strong as to resist the gods with all their combined might. Given that Arjuna had single-handedly won against gods as well as anti-gods, both of whom are far more powerful than humans, why would he find an army of humans overwhelming? Moreover, just recently at Virata, he had single-handedly defeated the entire Kaurava army. 

Thus, Arjuna’s emotionally overwrought state was not due to cowardice. This was also evident in his words (01.27-45) — not once did he even mention anything about his death, leave alone express morbid fear of it. He hesitated to fight because he couldn’t see any good coming from the war (01.30). 

One-sentence summary:

Arjuna refused to fight not because he was afraid of his death but because he was no longer sure whether fighting was the right thing to do. 

Think it over:

  • How was Arjuna different from an ordinary soldier who might choke amid danger?
  • Might Arjuna have been overwhelmed by the unfavorable odds? Explain. 
  • What do Arjuna’s words reveal about his refusal to fight? 

***

01.30: I am now unable to stand here any longer. I am forgetting myself, and my mind is reeling. I see only causes of misfortune, O Krishna, killer of the Keshi demon. 

Was Arjuna’s refusal to fight due to fear of his death?

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