All World
Gayatri Pariwar

The Great War between Pandavas and Kauravas was to begin. Shakuni advised Duryodhan to ask for help from Krishna. So he went to Dwaraka to meet him in his palace but found him asleep. There was a chair at Krishna's head side; so he sat arrogantly on that and waited for Krishna to wake up.

On the other side Arjun too, having pondered, decided to go to Lord Krishna and asked him for help. He also arrived in Dwaraka, went to the Lord's abode and found him asleep. He stood near his lotus feet, with folded hands and head bowed in reverence - waiting for Him to wake up.

When the Lord woke up, Arjun, being at his feet, was the first person he naturally saw. As he turned to get up, Lord's eyes fell upon Duryodhan. The purpose of their visit was known to him. However, he asked them what he could do for them. Both answered that they had come to request for his assistance in the ensuing war. The Lord said that they had placed him in a difficult predicament by asking for the same thing, but he could not deny either of them. So he offered them two options - one, he himself would be on one side, alone, without arms and armies; and to the other side he would offer all his armed forces. He told that Arjun had the first right to choose between his two offers. Why? Because, first, since he saw Arjun first that is why he should be the first to choose; secondly Arjun was younger to Duryodhan; that also places him on the first place to choose for.

Arjun promptly prayed to Krishna and asked himself to be on the side of the Pandavas. Duryodhan heaved a sigh of relief and took Shree Krishna's all the forces.

The Lord agreed to their requests. The result of their choices is well-known – Pandavas won the war. It is the prudence and humility of Arjuna that won the war and it is the arrogance of Duryodhan that caused him the defeat.