Ancient India’s battle of ideas: Yudhisthira & Arjuna are ideal kings. Don’t be like Ashoka

Reminiscing about his war with Kalinga, Ashoka expressed deep remorse for the death and destruction it caused. The Mahabharata, likewise, depicts a despondent Yudhisthira reflecting on the war between the Kurus and Pandavas resulting in mass carnage. Arjuna, Yudhisthira’s younger brother, had his crisis right before the war, and it set the scene for the Bhagavad Gita. Standing between the two armies and contemplating the imminent slaughter, Arjuna laid down his bow and arrows and announced: “I will not fight.” These two crises of conscience bookend the great war of the Mahabharata. Ancient India’s battle of ideas: Yudhisthira & Arjuna are ideal kings. Don’t be like Ashoka. Patrick Olivelle explains in this week’s ThePrintPurana --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Exclusive content, special privileges & more – Subscribe to ThePrint for Special benefits: https://theprint.in/subscribe/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Connect with ThePrint » Subscribe to ThePrint: https://theprint.in/subscribe/ » Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3nCMpht » Like us on Facebook:   / theprintindia   » Tweet us on Twitter:   / theprintindia   » Follow us on Instagram:   / theprintindia   » Find us on LinkedIn :   / theprint   » Subscribe to ThePrint on Telegram: https://t.me/ThePrintIndia » Find us on Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2NMVlnB » Find us on Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3pEOta8