This is Lesson 01 for standard V. This is a part of syllabus for GCL (Gita Champions League).

1. STANDARD
V
CHAPTER 01
ARJUNA’S CONFUSION
Should I fight or should I run away
Arjuna asks Krishna – please show me the way
Lesson-01
SCENARIO
Go 5000 years back. The famous Mahabharat war, or the
war of Greater India is about to begin. That time,
practicallywhole earth was called India. Thus the king of
India would be the king of whole world. So this is not an
ordinary war. The future of whole earth is dependent on
it. Two parties Pandavas and Kauravas have assembled on
Kurukshetra with immense armies.
Kauravas are the hundredevil sons of Maharaja
Dhrtrastra. They cheated the innocent Pandavas in a
gambling match and took away their kingdom. Pandavas
are the five sons of Maharaja Pandu, the brotherof
Maharaja Dhrtrastra. They are the rightful owners of the

2. kingdom and want their kingdom back. Krishna, the
Supreme God, wants to relieve mother earth of the evil
miscreants like Kauravas and thus wants Pandavas to
fight with Kauravas. Now both Pandavas and Kauravas
are face to face. The great battle is about to begin.
Dhritarashtra, who is blind from birth, is sitting in his
palace and is inquiring from his minister Sanjaya as to
what is going on at the battlefield. Sanjaya by the
blessings of his guru Vyasadeva is able to see the whole
scene of Mahabharatawar, sitting in the place. Thus he
narrates everything that he is able to see with his
empowered vision.
Krishna, although being God, becomes a charioteerfor
His devotee Arjuna (one of the Pandava brothers)who is
fighting the war. If Krishna wants He can destroy whole
Kaurava army within moments because He is the
Supreme Lord. But He wants to give credit to His dear
devotee, Arjuna.
IS MY GOD BETTER THAN YOUR GOD?
All the scriptures (like Gita, Bible or Koran) declare that
there is only one God. Some peoplecall Him Krishna,
some call Rama, some call Him the Almighty, some call
Allah, some call Jehovah, some call Om, but ultimately
He is the same person. The most important criteria of God

3. is that the God must be all-attractive, which in Sanskrit
means “Krishna”. Thus Krishna is the most appropriate
name for God although He has millions of othernames.
There is no “Your God” or “My God”. There is only one
God, one master and we are all His servants. He appears
in different forms to different people just like an actor
may wear different dresses and play different roles in
different movies.
The master and the dog
Two peopleare discussing about God. Both are from
different religions. Anotherperson interruptssaying,
“You two are from different religions, how come you are
discussing and relishing the topics of God with each
other?”They reply: A dog can recognize his master even
if he changes his dress. If we can’t do even that then we
are worse than dogs.
MORAL: All the religionsare talkingabout the same
God, Some call Him Krishna, some call Him Rama, yet
some call Him Allah or the AlmightyLord
THEN WHAT ABOUT LORD GANESH, LORD SHIVA, LORD
BRAHMA, GODDESS DURGA & SO MANY OTHERS WHO
ARE WORSHIPPED AS GOD? ARE THEY ‘NOT’ GOD?

4. Just as a countryhas one president and all other ministers
are under him, similarly Krishna is Supreme God and all
others like Shiva, Brahma, Ganesh, Kali are ‘demigods
who are working under Krishna as His employees or
ministers. They manage different departmentsof the
cosmos underdirection of Krishna. They are all
representatives of Krishna and thus are respectable.
DOES KRISHNA OR GOD PERFORM ACTIVITIES?
Yes. But Krishna does it for His own pleasures and for the
pleasure of His devotees. His actions are not like ours.
Krishna does not have to memorize tables and appear for
board’s exam because He is all knowing. But still when
He appears on earth He takes education. This is called
pastime - activity for pure pleasureand fun. Krishna does
not have to work from 9 to 6 to enjoy His life. Thus there
is difference between our work and His pastimes. This
kurukshetra war and His speaking of Bhagavad gita is
also one of His pastimes especially to guide all of us on
right path. We are discussing His pastimes to get purified
because Krishna is all-pureand by touch of all pure we
will also be pure.

5. WHY IS KRISHNA DRIVING ARJUNA’S CHARIOT? WHAT
KIND OF GOD IS HE WHO DRIVES SOMEBODY’S
CHARIOT?
Krishna, the God, takes pleasurein serving His devotees
like Arjuna. That is His sweet relationship with His
devotees. Is it not natural?Read ahead.
Gladstoneplays horsefor his child
There was a British Prime minister named Gladstone. One
of the parliament members comes to his house to meet
him. Gladstone’ssecretory says, “You can’t meet him, he
is busy now.” And he keeps him waiting for long time.
Later when the member enters his living room, he sees
that Gladstoneis playing with his small child by taking
him on his back. Although Gladstonewas prime minister
of the entire country, at home he was playing as a horse
for his child.
MORAL: So thisis love. Originof all love is in Krishna.
Although He is God, He can take any role for pleasing
and caringHis devotees.