As the two armies stood poised for battle on the field of Kurukshetra, Arjuna, his heart heavy with sorrow and confusion, turned to Krishna, the destroyer of enemies, and spoke with trembling voice. “O Madhusudana,” he said, “how can I possibly fight with arrows against Bhishma and Drona, who are worthy of my deepest reverence? Is it right to raise my weapons against such noble elders and teachers?” He continued, “It would be far better for me to live in this world by begging for alms than to slay these great-souled teachers. Even though they may be driven by desire for wealth, if I kill them, the pleasures I gain would be tainted with their blood and guilt.” Arjuna’s mind was torn. “We do not even know what is truly better for us: whether we should conquer them or they should conquer us. The sons of Dhritarashtra, for whose sake we are prepared to fight, stand before us. Yet, after killing them, how could we wish to live?” He bowed his head in despair. “My very nature is overcome by the weakness of pity, and my mind is utterly confused about what is right and what is wrong. I turn to you, Krishna, for guidance. I am your disciple, surrendered to you—please instruct me clearly what is best for me.” His sorrow deepened. “Even if I were to gain a prosperous and unrivaled kingdom on earth, or even sovereignty over the gods, I do not see what could remove this grief that dries up my senses.” Sañjaya, who was narrating these events to King Dhritarashtra, described how, having spoken thus to Krishna, Arjuna, the mighty Gudakesha, declared, “I will not fight,” and then fell silent, overcome by inner turmoil. Seeing Arjuna overwhelmed and despondent between the two armies, Krishna, the Lord of the senses, addressed him with a gentle smile. The Blessed Lord spoke: “You grieve for those who should not be grieved for, and yet you speak words that sound wise. But the truly wise do not mourn for the living or the dead. “Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor these kings; nor will any of us cease to be in times to come. Just as the embodied soul passes through childhood, youth, and old age in this body, so too does it pass on to another body after death. The wise are not deluded by this change. “O son of Kunti, the contact of the senses with their objects brings cold and heat, pleasure and pain. These experiences are fleeting, coming and going; endure them bravely, O Bharata. That person whom these do not disturb—who remains steady amidst pleasure and pain—is fit for immortality. “Understand this, Arjuna: the unreal has no existence, and the real never ceases to be. Those who have seen the truth know the distinction between the two. That which pervades all beings is indestructible; no one can destroy this imperishable reality. “These bodies are perishable, but the soul within is eternal, indestructible, and immeasurable. Therefore, O Bharata, arise and fight! The one who thinks the soul kills or is killed does not truly understand. The soul neither kills nor is killed. “It is never born, nor does it ever die. Having once existed, it does not cease to be. It is unborn, eternal, everlasting, and ancient; it is not slain when the body is slain. O Partha, one who knows the soul to be indestructible, eternal, unborn, and unchanging—how can such a person kill or cause anyone to be killed? “Just as a person discards old, worn-out garments and puts on new ones, so does the soul cast off worn-out bodies and enter new ones. Weapons cannot cut it, fire cannot burn it, water cannot wet it, nor can wind dry it. The soul is unbreakable, unburnable, unwettable, and undryable; it is eternal, all-pervading, stable, immovable, and ancient. It is said to be unmanifest, inconceivable, and unchanging; knowing this, you should not grieve. “But even if you think the soul is constantly born and constantly dies, still, mighty-armed one, you should not grieve. For death is certain for the born, and birth is certain for the dead. Therefore, you should not lament over what is inevitable. “All beings are unmanifest in their beginning, manifest in their middle, and unmanifest again at their end, O Bharata. So why grieve over this? Some see the soul as a wonder, some speak of it as a wonder, some hear of it as a wonder, yet even after hearing, no one truly understands it. “The soul that dwells in all bodies is always indestructible, O Bharata; therefore, you should not grieve for any creature. “Moreover, considering your own duty as a warrior, you should not waver. For a warrior, there is nothing better than a righteous battle. Happy are the warriors, O Partha, who are presented with such an opportunity, a battle that comes of itself, opening the gates of heaven. “But if you do not engage in this righteous battle, abandoning your duty and honor, you will incur sin. People will speak of your unending infamy, and for one who has been honored, dishonor is worse than death. The great chariot-warriors will think you have withdrawn from battle out of fear; having held you in high esteem, they will now look upon you with disgrace. Your enemies will speak many harsh and demeaning words, casting doubt on your strength. What could be more painful than that? “If you are killed in battle, you will attain heaven; if you are victorious, you will enjoy the earth. Therefore, arise, O son of Kunti, with determination to fight. Regard pleasure and pain, gain and loss, victory and defeat with an equal mind, and then prepare for battle. In doing so, you will not incur sin. “So far, I have explained this to you from the standpoint of knowledge. Now hear it from the perspective of discipline in action. With this understanding, O Partha, you will free yourself from the bondage of action. “In this path, no effort is ever lost, and there is no harm. Even a little practice of this discipline protects one from great fear. In this pursuit, O joy of the Kurus, the intellect is steady and single-pointed, but the minds of the irresolute are many-branched and endlessly distracted. “Unwise people, attached to the flowery words of the Vedas, declare there is nothing beyond them. Their minds are fixed on desires and the pursuit of heaven, promising rebirth as the fruit of action, delighting in elaborate rituals, and seeking enjoyment and power.” Thus, Krishna spoke to Arjuna, leading him from confusion toward clarity, from sorrow toward steadfastness, on the sacred field of Kurukshetra.