Why Didn't Krishna Teach The Bhagwad Geeta to Duryodhana?

In this swiftly advancing rhythm of the 21st century, rarely does one care to touch philosophy - wonder about their existence, purpose, meaning and so on. It is obviously because of our rapid-fast lifestyle, that we overlook its fundamental base. But whenever a sudden blow comes, and something beyond our narrow idea of life happens with us, we suddenly recognise that life was never a free flow of perfectly-aligned events. Right then, do we take solace in philosophy, ask questions, and seek answers to the problems that our earlier generations have already faced, and look out for some brave souls who thought-their-way-out of it somehow.

Every now and then, I come through a tonne of memes about how philosophy is of no practical use and earns no bread. But here's a great quote I stumbled upon, about the actual necessity of philosophy :-

Philosophy teaches us and unsettles us by confronting us with what we already know; there's an irony: the difficulty consisted in this course is that it teaches what you already know; it works by taking what we know from familiar and unquestioned settings and making it strange. that's how the examples work. Philosophy estranges us, not by providing us with new information, but by inviting and provoking a new way of seeing. The risk is once the familiar turns strange it is never quiet the same again. Self-knowledge is like a lost innocence, however unsettling, you find it; it can never be unthought or unknown.

            ~Michael J. Sandel

Yes, philosophy is a food for thinkers. It is a sort of gymnastics to have mental peace and fitness. Viktor Frankl says, "Those who have a why to live, can bear almost any how." 

"Against all odds, against all handicaps, against the chamber of horrors we call history, man has continued to dream and to depict its opposite. That is what we have to do. We do not escape into philosophy, psychology, and art—we go there to restore our shattered selves into whole ones.

         ~Anaïs Nin

I think this quote summed up my point. We do not escape into philosophy, but go there to restore our shattered selves. We take refugee of certain books, and reflect upon age-old ideas of thinkers when we come to existential crisis. We learn from the past's thousands of masters of life, champions of life, to help resolve our human condition.

One of the greatest scripture about the same, of which millions and millions of Hindu as well as non-Hindu seekers resort to, sprang forth about some couple thousand years ago, from the legendary battle of Mahabharata. Needless to set up the background and context about the battle, our focus is on the discourse which Shri Krishna, the friend, the guru, of Arjuna, gave to him; the righteous, but apparently confused prince. On one side were the Pandavas who wanted to claim their fair share of the land and on the other side were Kauravas, who were reluctant to compromise even a bit. Duryodhana, the eldest of them, is considered to be the chief aggrevator of the war. 

But there's a really interesting question which we may ask, and wonder that "Why Did Krishna Expounded Geeta - The Essence of Upanishads to Arjuna and NOT Duryodhana - who needed it the most?  Well, we might argue that if Shri Krishna would've taught and reformed Duryodhana then he could've stopped the Mahabharata battle. Imagine, this simple step could have prevented mass bloodshed, and infact we would have a completely different happy-ending to the conflict between the two groups. 

Here's a catch. Krishna actually DID try to teach Duryodhana. And this lesser-known part of the Mahabharata is today our central theme. The conversation which Duryodhana and Shri Krishna had, is so so relevant for us in our lives. How come? Lets see.

The sloka which we are just about to dwell upon is not from Bhagwad Geeta. It is found in Pandava Geeta as well as Panchadashi of Vidyaranya Swami.

So it goes, that Krishna did went to Duryodhana to tell him whatever he's doing is Adharma (Not righteous) and that he should follow the path of Dharma. Duryodhana's reply perfectly sums up the human condition!

दुर्योधन उवाच ।
जानामि धर्मं न च मे प्रवृत्ति-
र्जानामि पापं न च मे निवृत्तिः ।
केनापि देवेन हृदि स्थितेन यथा नियुक्तोऽस्मि तथा करोमि ॥ ५७॥

"Duryodhana says,

I know what is Dharma (right), yet I cannot get myself to follow it. I know what is Adharma (wrong), yet I cannot refrain from it (It is not my fault). It is as if some unknown force dwells in my heart and impels me to do, what I do."

Understand the depth of this sentence. It beautifully presents the struggle within all of us - our internal struggle between passions, impulses and that which is rightful and ethical.

If you are really honest about it, then you too can actually relate to this reply of Duryodhana. Sometimes we know what we're doing is of no good, and maybe is harmful. Still we can't give it up. As an example, wasting my time in trifling things is the most horrible Adharma for me, so to speak. I hate doing it. Still, when I'm wasting my time, I just can't stop doing it. 

Coming back, Duryodhana very bluntly says that whatever you're teaching is right, I understand it, but can't follow it.

When we look at what Arjuna's reply was, right away we get to know why Arjuna was Arjuna and Duryodhana, Duryodhana. Arjuna's reply was more or less same, but Arjuna's approach made all the difference.

Arjuna says, "Krishna, your path is really difficult. I can't stop myself from giving up to my passions which drives me to ignorance. How can I stop it? - These last words are the crucial difference between the two characters.

Duryodhana was all hands up. "This is what I am. I can't do anything about it. I'm simply not interested in changing."

Arjuna said, "This is what I am. How can I be better?" This only made Arjuna the recipient of the teachings of Geeta.

This little decision - firm resolution to change and improve makes all the difference in our lives.

Education can help us. Religion can help us. People can help us. Philosophy, Psycology can help us - only and only when we are open to help ourselves, admit our shortcomings and are steadfast to improve.

Thanks,

Daksh Parekh.