Introduction
https://crackpot.substack.com/t/gita
After thirteen years in exile, Pandu’s sons have returned. Having served their sentence, Pandu’s sons ask for the return of their kingdom from Duryodhana, who has ruled in their absence. Duryodhana’s reply, that he will not spare the Pandavas enough land into which to drive a pin, means war is inevitable.
Yudhishthira and Duryodhana have sought the counsel of Lord Krishna in a final effort to broker peace.
INT. THE NOBLE LORD KRISHNA’S SABHA (COURT.)
KRISHNA SITS ON AN ORNATE THRONE OF CARVED WOOD IN A STONE CHAMBER HALL. LORD KRISHNA WEARS THE SKIN OF A LION AND A HEADDRESS MADE OF A SINGLE PEACOCK FEATHER. ON ONE SIDE, THE PANDAVA PRINCES ARJUNA, BHIMA, SAHADEVA, NAKULA AND YUDHISTHIRA SIT CROSS LEGGED. YUDHISTHIRA WEARS THE ROBES OF A SAGE, THOUGH HE IS A WARRIOR KING. THE PANDAVAS WEAR THE CEREMONIAL ARMOR OF A KSHATRIYA, OR WARRIOR. TO KRISHNA’S OTHER SIDE IS DURYODHANA SURROUNDED BY A POSSE OF BROTHERS INCLUDING DUHSHASANA, DUHSAHA, VINDA, ANUVINDA, VIKARNA, DURMUKHA, DUSHKARNA, CHITRASENA AND DURMARSHANA SIT CROSS-LEGGED. SHAKUNI STANDS BEHIND DURYODHANA WEARING THE ROBES OF A ROYAL ADVISOR. SHAKUNI STANDS HOLDING A PICTURE-PERFECT POSE OF HUMILITY, WITH HEAD BOWED AND HANDS CLASPED IN FRONT.
KRISHNA: The Pandavas served their time. Yet you, Duryodhana refuse to honor their agreement. What do you want from me?
DURYODHANA: My duty is to the kingdom. You say I refuse honor, as though I am a dishonorable cheat. Yet it was that degenerate yon who gambled away a kingdom on dice. What compromise is there to make between a rock and a hard place? How does the duty of handing the throne over to a gambling addict fall to me?
YUDHISTHIRA: They were your dice! It was your game!
SHAKUNI: The Gods have their say in man’s affairs through such as dice and chance.
KRISHNA: What do you say to that, Bhimasena?
BHIMA: I swore to break a leg. My word is my vow.
KRISHNA: Wow. Ok. Arjuna? What about you?
ARJUNA: (scoffing) I am a kshatriya. Gods’ dice mean nothing to me.
YUDHISTHIRA: Duryodhana, please listen and consider carefully what I say. We did not spend our term in a prison, beaten down and taken to whipping, nor within the plush walls of a palace, feasting on fine food, smoking opium and enjoying the pleasures of a harem. My brothers have learned only how to fight and defend our honor from murderous dacoits in lawless places. If it comes to a fight, they will consume your armies like a flame burns cotton. Now were you to honor the original agreement, all who follow you would fall into line and praise your name. Were I to accept your refusal, neither Bhima nor Arjuna would listen to me. Nor the twins.
DURYODHANA: All who have dealt with me know me as a man of peace. My rule has led to prosperity. I do not want war. Nor will I be bullied into bring the kingdom to catastrophe. My duty is to the kingdom alone. She cannot be entrusted to fools reckless enough to gamble her away on games of dice and chance.
SHAKUNI: Oh Krishna, you are an honest man. Should war come, in whose house where will your loyalty lie?
KRISHNA: My duty is to extend the kingdom of God, not man. Krishna ayuddha! - I will not fight.
SHAKUNI: So, you and Balarama both retreat from this fight.
KRISHNA: I did not say that. I said I am impartial. One side may have my army. The other side may have me. Arjuna, which part do you choose?
ARJUNA RISES AND APPROACHES KRISHNA. ARJUNA KNEELS BEFORE KRISHNA, TOUCHING HIS SANDALED FEET.
ARJUNA: I choose you, Krishna, and only you. Counsel me. Advise me. Take the reins.
KRISHNA: Duryodhana, do you accept your share of this split?
DURYODHANA RISES AND BENDS AT THE WAIST. THE OTHERS RISE AS WELL, PREPARING TO DEPART.
DURYODHANA: Yes, of course I accept. With your Narayana warriors beside we ride with God on our side.
THE COUNCIL BREAKS
EXT. THE BATTLEFIELD OF KURUKSHETRA.
THE ARMIES OF THE PANDAVAS AND KAURAVAS SQUARE OFF ON THE PLAINS OF KURUKSHETRE FIELD.
ALL THE GREAT AND POWERFUL CHARIOTEER FIGHTERS HAVE GATHERED TO MAKE A STAND.
THE PANDAVA ARMY IS LED BY BHIMA AND ARJUNA. ARJUNA SITS IN A CHARIOT DRAWN BY FOUR WHITE HORSES. LORD KRISHNA IS HIS CHARIOTEER, HE STEERS THE CHARIOT EXPERTLY AT THE FRONT OF THE FORMATION. A FLAG BEARING THE IMAGE OF HANUMAN IS ATOP THE CHARIOT. ALSO PRESENT ARE THE GREAT FIGHTERS YUYUDHANA, VIRATA AND DRUPADA. OTHER GREAT FIGHTERS LEAD THEIR WARRIORS; DHRISTAKETU, CHEKITANA, KASIRAJA, PURUJIT, KUNTIBHOJA, AND SAIBYA. THERE ARE THE MIGHTY YUDHAMANYU, THE VERY POWERFUL UTTAMAUJA, THE SON OF SUBHADRA AND THE SONS OF DRAUPADI. THE RANKS OF THE ARMY SWELL WITH LESS REGARDED FIGHTERS, AS WELL AS MEN TRAINED IN THE ARTS OF SMITHING OR FARMING THAT HAVE BEEN DRIVEN TO REBELLION BY DURYODHANA’S IMPERIOUS RULE. THE HULKING FIGURE OF BHIMA STANDS CONFIDENTLY POISED IN HIS CHARIOT, HIS BOW AS THICK AS A MAN’S ARM, CAPABLE OF DRIVING AN ARROW THROUGH STONE.
THOUGH NONE ARE THE EQUAL OF ARJUNA AND BHIMASENA, AND THE BEST WARRIORS OF THE KAURAVAS HAVE AGED WELL OUT OF THEIR PRIMES, IT IS CLEAR THE KAURAVA ARMY IS OVERWHELMINGLY LARGER AND HAS MORE HEROES SWELLING THEIR RANKS. THEY ARE CENTERED BY THOSE WARRIORS BEARING LORD KRISHNA’S EMBLEM ON THE FLAGS OF THEIR CHARIOTS. THEY ARE LED BY THE GREAT HEROES. BHISHMA, KRIPA, ASHVATTHAMA, VIKARNA AND THE SON OF SOMADATTA CALLED BHURISHRAVA, ALL UNDEFEATED IN BATTLE. MANY OTHER HEROES ARE PREPARED TO LAY DOWN THEIR LIVES, EQUIPPED WITH BOWS, LANCES, BOLAS AND MACES. ALL ARE EXPERIENCED IN MILITARY SCIENCE. THEIR STRENGTH SEEMS IMMEASURABLE COMPARED TO THE PANDAVA ARMY.
BHISHMA, THE ESTEEMED KAURAVA GENERAL, RIDES WITH A PHALANX OF GREAT WARRIORS. HE RAISES UP AND BLOWS A CONCH SHELL LOUDLY. IT SOUNDS LIKE THE ROAR OF A LION. DURYODHANA, NEXT TO BHISHMA ARMED WITH HIS LEGENDARY LANCE, SMILES. HIS FOREHEAD IS STAINED RED WITH VERMILLION. SUDDENLY A WALL OF SOUND FROM CONCH SHELLS, DRUMS, BUGLES, TRUMPETS AND HORNS SHAKES THE GROUND OF THE BATTLEFIELD LIKE AN EARTHQUAKE.
IN RESPONSE, ARJUNA AND KRISHNA BLOW THEIR CONCH SHELLS. BHIMA JOINS THEM NEXT, BLOWING WITH TERRIFIC FORCE FROM HIS HERCULEAN FRAME. YUDHISTHIRA, ANANTAVIJA, NAKULA, SUHADEVA JOINED THE CHORUS. THEN SHIKHANDI, DHRISHTADYUMNA, VIRATA, THE UNCONQUERABLE SATYAKI, DRUPADA, AND THE REST JOINED THEM. THE KAURAVAS ARE TAKEN ABACK BY THE UPROARIOUS SOUND VIBRATING THE SKY AND EARTH.
ARJUNA DRAWS HIS BOW TO FIRE A FIRST SHOT, THEN PAUSES, LOWERS THE BOW AND HAS A WORD WITH HIS CHARIOTEER, LORD KRISHNA.
ARJUNA: I want to see my enemy eye to eye before they die. Raise a peace standard and draw the chariot between the two armies.
LORD KRISHNA DRIVES THE CHARIOT INTO NO MAN’S LAND.
ARJUNA: My mouth fills with sand. My stomach begs. Gandiva falls from my hand. My skin burns. My legs and feet can’t stand.
(muttering) Why do men fight? Misery and ruin. No good can come from killing kin.
ARJUNA CASTS ASIDE HIS BOW, AND SLUMPS INTO THE CHARIOT. HE IS STRICKEN WITH GRIEF. LORD KRISHNA SLOWS THE CHARIOT TO A STOP, THEN TURNS TO FACE ARJUNA.
KRISHNA: (scoffing) Why do men fight? Arjuna! You are the greatest kshatriya. Have you lost your mind? You know better. What on earth has come over you?
ARJUNA REMAINS UNSWAYED, SUNKEN IN HIS SEAT, OVERCOME BY DESPAIR. LORD KRISHNA TREMBLES IN EXCITEMENT.
KRISHNA: What is it? Let them witness weakness.
ARJUNA: (pointing) See there - Bhishma’s and Drona’s chariots. These are my gurus. I love them. They taught me all I know. How can I let one arrow go?
KRISHNA IS NOW ANIMATED. HE LEANS INTO THE CHARIOT AND SEIZES ARJUNA BY HIS BREASTPLATE, PULLING HIM UP FORCEFULLY IN HIS SEAT.
KRISHNA: What sort of warrior are you? One that spews words and chastisement like a diplomat?
ARJUNA: It would be better to be a beggar on the road than a guru killer. I can’t fight with blood of the lamb on my hand.
KRISHNA: For God’s sakes, rise and fight, Arjuna! Ours is not to reason why, but do or die!
ARJUNA: I shall not fight because it does not matter! Their deaths are my death. I chose you for your counsel. Which death is best?
KRISHNA: You are too smart. You are too kind. Your empathy causes you to mourn. Your spirit has forgotten that the Lord does not lament the living or the dead. Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings, nor in the future shall any of us cease to be. Souls persist before and after a body’s death. Souls shed bodies like a snake sheds skins, like dancing women exchange garments.
ARJUNA: True. But I am still not moved to put arrows into the sheds of guru and kin, Govinda.
KRISHNA: You revere these gurus for what they teach, yet you learned nothing from them. The eternal soul is not slain when the body is slain.
ARJUNA: I love them. How can anyone who knows the soul is eternal kill anyone?
KRISHNA: The soul cannot be pierced nor cut by sword. Soul cannot be burned by fire, drowned by water, or withered by the wind. Knowing this you should not grieve for the body. On the other hand, if you are an atheist who believes the soul will be born and die as a symptom of life, then you still have no more reason to lament their deaths than you would lament a pillar of salt washed away by the rain. These revered teachers of war should have taught you that much, at least. Did neither Drona, nor Bhishma, teach you that to a kshatriya, to die fighting opens the door to heaven?
ARJUNA: If I fight them, I will live in hell this life and the next.
KRISHNA: Think it through, sage Arjuna. You think the fight will end here after you drop your bow in the dirt and walk away all will be well? Hell will follow you through this life and the next in any case. Your reputation as a fighter will be ruined. The other warriors will mock and humiliate you. The great generals you revere will consider you of no consequence. All will assume you are a coward. You will live in infamy and dishonor. Enemies will scorn and challenge you wherever you lay your head. You will kill or be killed here on this sacred field. You chose this fight. many have staked their lives following you here on that choice. Now find your determination and fight!
ARJUNA STIRS IN THE CHARIOT. HE REMAINS STRICKEN, UNABLE TO RISE.
KRISHNA: A warrior does not fight for vanity glory nor victory. The rational mind ruins the ability to fight. When you walked the kshatriya’s path, you gave up the poet’s love of words, the dreamer’s vision of heaven and glory, the rich man’s love of wealth and fortune, the working man’s anxiety for gain and safety. Your craft is to fight free of consequence. Where is your sense of duty? Has your fighter’s freedom from attachment been enslaved by material delusion? You were not by birth nor upbringing to wear a priest philosophers robes, absorbed by floral literature.
ARJUNA: I don’t know. Maybe I should have been.
KRISHNA: True. Philosophers and priests never have to do what you do. They live free from the delusion of senses and the loss of intelligence that follows from lust and anger. A person thus liberated is attuned to the consciousness of God. Their intelligence is steady. Undisturbed by the incessant flow of desires within the physical body, one achieves peace of mind and is able to perform his duties without attachment to outcome.
ARJUNA: Sounds good to me. Krishna, why do you want me to take part in this ghastly warfare? I am confused.
KRISHNA: There are two classes of person. Those who are self-realized by philosophy and those actualized by performing their duty in service. In either case, you cannot attain freedom by refusing your work or renouncing your beliefs. One cannot refrain from doing, not for a moment, that is the nature of life. To try to do otherwise marks you as a pretender.
ARJUNA: I see it clearly now. I was meant to be a priest. Now, before it is too late, I can atone for my sins and get my life back on track. I can change. You see it, right?
KRISHNA: No! Failure to perform one’s own duty is better than perfectly assuming another life, Arjuna.
ARJUNA: So do I have no choice? Am I really compelled to murder and destroy?
KRISHNA: (scoffs) Choice! What choice? You have been trained to believe that to be a warrior requires the soul’s detachment from the pleasures of body and mind that others dwell in - and to accept a fate of death come what may.
ARJUNA: (scoffs) Soul! It’s the arrows from my bow that tear bodily holes.
KRISHNA: Remember our creed?
KRISHNA AND ARJUNA TOGETHER: To uplift the virtuous and to annihilate miscreants, to reestablish natural laws, we fight in every age.
KRISHNA: The outcome of battle is not your concern. Arjuna, stand and fight!
ARJUNA: You are speaking out both sides of your mouth, Krishna. From one, you ask me to care not about results. From the other to fight my best to the end. Which of the two should I listen?
KRISHNA: What I have told you is to do your duty. To fight with neither love nor hate in your heart. Love has infected you today. To let that stop you from your duty, or carrying through with it in your heart, either way will ruin you just the same.
A GROUP OF DHRITARASHTRA’S SONS LED BY DUHSHASANA, APPROACH ARJUNA’S CHARIOT, WITH THE WHITE FLAG OF PARLAY RAISED. ASHVATTHAMA AND KRIPA RIDE WITH THEM.
DUHSHASANA: You are wise to parlay.
KRISHNA: (whispering to Arjuna) The mystic’s effort is unattached to the outcome, Arjuna. One who lights no fires and performs no duty is false. Be it priest or sage or merchant or warrior, this is true. If you do not discharge your duties on this day, and choose to walk another path, the flame will follow and destroy you just the same.
DUHSHASANA: There is still time to save your skin! Surrender now and you will be allowed to go unharmed.
ARJUNA: O Krishna, my mind swirls like the wind at their approach.
KRISHNA (whispering): Arjuna, sit up and do not let the enemy see you in this state. Recall our training. Hold your body, neck and head in a straight line and stare steadily at the top of your nose. Focus on your breath as it passes through your nostrils.
ARJUNA STRUGGLES TO REGAIN HIS COMPOSURE AS THE KAURAVA PARTY APPROACHES.
ARJUNA: O Krishna, am I lost? I am filled with doubt.
KRISHNA: Redemption is at hand. Restoration of one’s senses and fighting spirit will follow. A kshatriya is more attuned to the soul than the ascetic, empiricist or worker. In this moment, be a warrior. Clear your doubt. Find your faith.
AS ARJUNA MEDITATES HE SWIFTLY FALLS INTO A VISIONARY TRANCE. ARJUNA SEES A POWERFUL SERIES OF FLASHING VISIONS.
FIRST A GREAT FISH WITH GOLDEN SCALES THRASHES THROUGH A CHURNING SEA. THEN A GIANT TORTOISE EMERGES. NEXT A BOAR WITH FIERCE TUSKS TEARS APART A PACK OF HYENAS. HE SEES A MANY ARMED MAN-LION. IN ONE ARM HE CARRIES A CONCH SHELL. ANOTHER CARRIES A WHEEL. ANOTHER HOLDS A LOTUS. AND ANOTHER CARIES A MAJESTIC SCEPTER. THEN HE SEES A DWARF IN BATTLE ARMOR, THE DWARF GROWS INTO A GIANT. HE NEXT SEES A FIERCE WARRIOR FIGHTING A MANY HEADED DEMON. IN ONE HAND HE WIELDS A SWORD, THE OTHER A TORCH. HE LOPS OFF ONE HEAD AND BURNS THE STUMP TO KEEP ANOTHER FROM GROWING IN ITS PLACE. THE NEXT VISION DEPICTS TWO LOVERS FROLICING UNDER A NEEM TREE. THEN HE SEES A MAN SITTING IN LOTUS POSITION MEDITATING PEACEFULLY. A SUNRISE ILLUMINATES THE SKY IN BRILLIANT HUES OF PURPLE AND GOLD COLOR. AT LAST HE SEES A UNIVERSAL FORM WITH UNLIMITED MOUTHS, UNLIMITED EYES. THE FORM IS DECORATED WITH ORNAMENTS AND DIVINE WEAPONS. HE WEARS CELESTIAL GARLANDS AND GARMENTS, MANY DIVINE SCENTS SMEARED OVER HIS BODY. THE INFINITE MOUTHS SPEAK IN UNISON,
“I am becoming the lord of all devouring death, annihilator of worlds.”
DUHSHASANA: Friendly advice for you Arjuna! You may be THE great warrior, but your army is hopelessly outnumbered. Not even the almighty can save you. You don’t stand a chance!
KRISHNA: What do you see, Arjuna?
ARJUNA: My dear Lord Krishna, I see assembled all the demigods and living entities. I see a God sitting on a lotus flower and all the divine serpents.
I see in Your body many arms, bellies, mouths and eyes, expanding everywhere, without limit. I see in You no end, no middle and no beginning.
Your form is glaring, spreading on all sides, like blazing fire - the immeasurable radiance of the sun. Yet I see this glowing form everywhere, adorned with crowns, clubs and discs.
You are the alpha and the omega. Your glory is unlimited. You have numberless arms, and the sun and moon are Your eyes. I see You with blazing fire coming forth from Your mouth, burning this entire universe to ashes.
Although You are one, You spread throughout the sky and the planets and all space between. O great one, seeing Your wondrous and terrible form, all the planets wobble in their axes.
All the angels and demons are surrendered before you and entering unto You.
I see radiant colors touching the skies. I see gaping mouths, glowing mouths.
O Lord of lords, O refuge of the worlds, I am bewildered. In all directions I see blazing deathlike faces and awful teeth. I see a great form without beginning, middle or end.
I see all ninety-nine sons of Dhritarashtra, and all their allies, and Bhishma, Drona, Karna, and many of our soldiers, rushing into these fearful mouths. I see their heads smashed between the gnashing teeth. I see rivers of blood flowing from all these great warriors into the blazing mouths. Scorching fires consume them.
I see all people rushing full speed into Your mouths, as moths dash to destruction in a blazing fire.
Oh Lord, I see You devouring all people from all sides with Your flaming mouths. Covering all the universe with Your effulgence, You are manifest with terrible, scorching rays.
KRISHNA: Now tell us, Arjuna, what do you hear?
ARJUNA: I hear a voice like rolling thunder say,
“Time I am, the destroyer of worlds, and I have come here to destroy all people. With few exceptions, all the soldiers here on both sides will be slain.”
ASHVATTHAMA: Enough of your macho mighty-armed mystic mind games! Quit stalling.
CHITRASENA: Son of Kunti, what will it be? Surrender or death!?
ARJUNA’S EYES FLUTTER OPEN AS HE AWAKENS FROM TRANCE. HIS BODY IS STRAIGHT AND FIRM.
KRISHNA: Get up! Drona, Bhishma, Jayadratha, Karna and all the other great warriors are already dead. Simply fight and you will vanquish them. You are but an instrument.
ARJUNA: O Krishna, you are right. I am no priest. I am no sage. I see and shoot straight. My mind is composed. I am a warrior. My duty now is the fight.
ARJUNA RISES FROM HIS MEDITATIVE POSE AND TAKES POSITION WITHIN THE CHARIOT.
ARJUNA: My dear Ashvatthama, we are kshatriyas. I came not to parlay. Just want to survey who to slay. Now I am good for today.
EXT. ARJUNA’S SPINNING CHARIOT WHEEL ROLLS OVER A HEATED BATTLEGROUND. THE SOUNDS OF CLASHING WEAPONS AND SCREAMING MEN IN BATTLE ARE HEARD. BODIES AND WEAPONS FALL IN AND OUT OF FRAME. THE BACKGROUND SLOWLY FADES TO BLACK, LEAVING JUST THE SPINNING WHEEL AS IT STEADIES IN THE FRAME. THE WHEEL THEN FADES, LEAVING A BLACK SCREEN. THE SOUNDS OF BATTLE FADE WITH IT.
WHITE TEXT APPEARS.
Arjuna’s visions proved prophetic. The war had but few survivors.
Arjuna was spared from killing his gurus, Drona and Bhishma.
It was Yudhisthira who broke Drona with his word and Bhima who drove his son Ashvatthama into exile.
Adapted from Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s Gita As It Is.