Ep. 50 : The Unarmed Ally: Krishna Joins the Pandavas

Narrated by Kumar Varun. Arjuna and Duryodhana both go to Dwaraka to seek Krishna's support before the impending war. Duryodhana arrives first and takes a seat by Krishna's head, while Arjuna stands respectfully at the foot of the bed. When Krishna wakes up, he sees Arjuna first and offers him the first choice: Krishna's powerful army or Krishna himself, unarmed. Arjuna chooses Krishna, while Duryodhana happily takes the army. Krishna agrees to be Arjuna's charioteer, pleased with his decision.This episode highlights the difference in values between Arjuna and Duryodhana and sets the stage for Krishna's crucial role in the upcoming war.Bibliography, Source, and suggested further reading:* Vyasa, Maharishi. Mahabharata. Translated by C. Rajagopalachari, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, 1951.* Vyasa, Maharishi. The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa. Translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli, 1883–1896. Available in public domain.* Narayan, R.K. The Mahabharata: A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. University of Chicago Press, 1978.* Pattanaik, Devdutt. Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata. Penguin India, 2010.* Van Buitenen, J.A.B. The Mahabharata: Volume 1-3. University of Chicago Press, 1973–1978.* Buck, William. Mahabharata. University of California Press, 1973.* Menon, Ramesh. The Mahabharata: A Modern Rendering. Rupa Publications, 2004.