In a Pandavas' council prior to Kurukshetra war, Krishna corrects Arjuna by saying that (even) he cannot change Duryodhana's evil mind

Last updated on 2nd June 2022

In Upaplavya, a city in Matsya kingdom of King Virata, just before Kurukshetra/Mahabharata war, Yudhishtira holds a council where the peace mission of Krishna to Hastinapura (Kaurava capital) is discussed.

I found an exchange between Arjuna and Krishna in this council to be very interesting. Please see pic of main part of that exchange given below from page 425 of Kamala Subramaniam's Mahabharata.

[On PC desktop, to open pic in larger resolution (if available), right-click on pic followed by open link (NOT image) in new tab/window. In new tab/window you may have to click on pic to zoom in.]

Key parts of what Arjuna tells Krishna: "You can make people do what you want them to do." ... "If you think that the war should be averted you can certainly make them all think so, even Duryodhana."

Key parts of Krishna's response: "Arjuna, you are not quite right. I know that fate is more powerful than all the work of man." ... "You are wrong in thinking that I can do anything with them. They are not like clay in my hands. How can you expect good from that crowd? Duryodhana has deliberately chosen the path of evil that leads to damnation. They cannot be made to see reason."

Ravi: I found it fascinating that Krishna corrects Arjuna in this regard. Even though Krishna was/is a powerful Avatar, he told Arjuna that he did not have the power to change Duryodhana's mind (as per this version of Mahabharata). He could only try to "coax them [Ravi: Duryodhana and his brothers/supporters] to be good".

I think that reveals an interesting aspect about the lives of Avatars and other divine persons who live in human society and bring about change for the good in it. They show the right and good path (Dharmic path) to people but it is up to people to follow their advice. Many persons who have good fortune to receive advice/teachings of the Avatars/divine persons, benefit by following at least some of that advice/teachings, and that leads to society in general becoming better. But there are some who are so bad/evil by nature, that even when the Avatars/divine persons give them advice that shows the right and good path for them to follow, the bad/evil persons disregard it, and fall into "damnation" and destruction.

Just having been in the presence of an Avatar/divine being and having heard his/her advice/teachings, is no guarantee at all, of an inherently bad/evil person changing his/her ways and following the good advice/teachings.

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Given below is my comment (slightly edited) on my associated Facebook post:  https://www.facebook.com/ravi.s.iyer.7/posts/3365580186991868 :

Thanks ---- sir for your valuable view. I agree that it will be best if the related original Mahabharata Sanskrit verses and literal translation of them are read up and referenced in the post. But, as of now, I am not in a position to spare time for that.

If somebody could spare the time for it and share the input here, that would be a great contribution to improving the post.

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[I thank author Kamala Subramaniam and the publisher of above Mahabharata book, and have presumed that they will not have any objections to me sharing a pic of part of a page from the book and few quotes from that page on this post which is freely viewable by all, and does not have any financial profit motive whatsoever.]