Geethartha Chinthane 51: Mental states of Dhritarashtra, Duryodhana, and Arjuna

According to Sanatana Dharma, one must repay favors (krite cha pratikartavyam esha dharma sanatanah:). This is the principle of Dharma. Dhritarashtra thinks, ‘I have helped them, so they should help me in return.’ He believes that even the Pandavas have a sense of Dharma.

Didn’t I invite the Pandavas to the palace and provide for them? Didn’t I also give them their share? Even when Draupadi was humiliated, the Pandavas could have easily destroyed the Kauravas, but they tolerated it. So, wouldn’t it be convenient if the Pandavas, with this sense of reciprocity, gave up their claim to the land? This is what Dhritarashtra expected.

The first word of the Gita, ‘Dharmakshetre,’ encompasses the entire essence of the Bhagavad Gita. Dhritarashtra, by nature, was a good man, but his actions were corrupted by external influences. This is why he occasionally did some good for the Pandavas.

Duryodhana, however, was wicked by nature. Arjuna was inherently righteous but became doubtful under external pressure. The mental states of these three characters are revealed in the first chapter. The commentators have analyzed how the Lord provided solutions to these states.