IT is said in the Mahabharata that some of the Yadavas, who were followers of Kritavarma, decided to fight on the side of the Kauravas while the others, who followed Satyaki, chose to side with the Pandavas. However, none was sure as to which side Sri Krishna would support and who his followers would support. Both Duryodhana and Arjuna went to Dwarka to seek Sri Krishna’s assistance. Duryodhana was sure that Sri Krishna would help him because his daughter, Lakshmani, was married to Sri Krishna’s son Samba. Arjuna, on the other hand, was no less sure to get Sri Krishna’s help because he had married Sri Krishna’s sister, Subhadra.
Duryodhana was the first to enter Sri Krishna’s court and was told that Sri Krishna was taking a nap. He went and sat down at the head of Sri Krishna’s bed. Arjuna reached late and went and sat at Sri Krishna’s feet. When Sri Krishna woke up, his eyes fell on Arjuna sitting at his feet and so he asked, “Arjuna, how have you come? Can I be of any help?” At this, before Arjuna could voice his request, Duryodhana intervened to say, “Sri Krishna I came first, so I have the right to voice my request first.”
But Sri Krishna was not the one to be browbeaten and replied calmly, “You may have come first but I saw Arjuna first of all, so he has the right to voice his request first.”
Turning to Arjuna, Sri Krishna asked, “What do you want? Do you want my army or do you want me to come to your assistance without arms?”
Arjuna replied, “Sri Krishna, whether you come with arms or without them, I want you to be my charioteer.”
Duryodhana was happy to hear this reply and told Sri Krishna, “I want your army to fight from my side.” He was sure that with such a powerful army of Sri Krishna fighting for the Kauravas, he was sure to win.
Arjuna was happy at this arrangement because he knew that the power of Sri Krishna was more than the combined might of all the armies that the Kauravas could boast of. This was ultimately proved true in the war that took place at Kurukshetra, where the Pandavas scored the victory.
