Why did Vidura in the Mahabharata not join the Pandavas?
Why did Vidura in the Mahabharata not join the Pandavas when he was driven away by Duryodhana? That's because in the Mahabharata, the close relative [...]
Duryodhana-what made him evil?
Duryodhana continued with his atrocities even after they failed. Sometimes, when we try to do something bad and it doesn't work, we realize, "This is [...]
Why does Krishna love Arjuna especially among the Pandavas?
One reason that is clear from the Mahabharata itself is that Arjuna was born with a special focus on devotion; his father Pandu sought a [...]
Arjuna’s strong comeback to Krishna’s rebuke
When Krishna rebukes Arjuna for giving in to weakness (02.02-03), Arjuna’s response is not at all weak. He lets it be known that he is [...]
Why Duryodhana’s illusion remained whereas Arjuna’s was removed
The Bhagavad-gita’s first chapter contains the words of primarily two characters: Duryodhana (01.03-11) and Arjuna (01.21-23; 01.28-45). Why does the Gita include Duryodhana’s speech, when [...]
Why we may misunderstand Krishna’s Gita message — and how the Mahabharata can help
At first glance, the Bhagavad-gita might seem like a philosophical justification for war; Krishna speaks when Arjuna refuses to fight (02.09). Because our modern psyche [...]
Do the epics glamorize violence?
Do the epics glamorize violence? - Many thoughtful people, especially including parents, are concerned about the glamorization of violence in today's media. When they read [...]
Why couldn’t the Pandavas resolve their conflict peacefully?
Why couldn’t the Pandavas resolve their conflict peacefully? - Much modern thought, especially liberal thought, holds that all conflicts are caused by misunderstandings and can [...]