[Advaita-l] Why Arjuna?

[Ajit Krishnan]

A few reasons that may help explain why Krishna taught Arjuna:

a) It was Arjuna alone who stood at the foot of Krishna's bed seeking his
help in the impending war. Arjuna chose Krishna.

b) It was Arjuna's karma phala. The question "Why Arjuna?" is the same as
the question "Why Me?" that many of us ask ourselves daily.

c) The senses (indriya-s) belong to Indra. Arjuna, representing the body
born of the senses makes a natural choice.

d) Indra represents the eastern direction (rising sky) as well as the right
eye (ruled by Surya). His son Arjuna is very much like that rising sun:
moving in accordance to dharma and lighting up the sky; yet ever forced into
the cycle of rising and setting [of the body] because of it. 

e) Abhimanyu (abhiman = desire, pride) is the offspring of Arjuna. At the
age of 16, possessed of the 16 kala-s, knowing the shodaSha-kala-puruSha, he
was able to enter 'at will' into the [kAla]-chakra-vyUha that is this world.
Yet the nature of this desire was such that it was entirely vanquished from
within this vyUha. This just goes to show yet again that Arjuna's desire was
at that stage where it was ready for the teaching. 

f) As per Swami Yogananda, Arjuna represents the "devotee's consciousness".
In advaita parlance, perhaps he represents the pure antahkarana.

g) I am not a sage like Vyasa. Neither am I a Bhishma-like warrior;
Vidura-like statesman or Narada-like bhakta. Perhaps the choice of Arjuna is
meant to show 'every-man' that the teaching is suitable for him. [ Although
this is also responsible in part for the myriad interpretations available
today ]


	ajit

-----Original Message-----
From: advaita-l-bounces at lists.advaita-vedanta.org
[mailto:advaita-l-bounces at lists.advaita-vedanta.org] On Behalf Of Jaldhar H.
Vyas
Sent: Monday, April 25, 2005 7:51 AM
To: Advaita-L
Subject: [Advaita-l] Why Arjuna?

Heres a question I would like to know listmembers thoughts about.  Don't
worry if you can't quote shastras about it, I'm more interested in your
own feelings.

The era of the Mahabharata contained great sages like Vyasa, great
warriors like Bhishma, wise statesmen like Vidura, and bhaktas of the
calibre of Narada.  Yet the truths of the Gita were revealed by Krishna
Bhagavan to Arjuna.  Why him of all people?

-- 
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>