CHAPTER 1 - GITA
Jay: I would like to know first how Lord Krishna and Arjuna happened to talk on the battlefield, Grandma.
Grandma: It came about in this way, Jay. The war of Mahābhārata was about to begin after peace talks by Lord Krishna and others failed to avoid the war. When the soldiers were gathered on the battlefield, Arjuna asked Lord Krishna to drive his chariot between the two armies so that he could see those who were ready to fight. Seeing all his relatives, friends, and soldiers on the battlefield and fearing their destruction, he became compassionate.
Jay: What does compassionate mean, Grandma?
Grandma: Compassion does not mean pity, Jay. That would be looking down on others as poor, pitiful creatures. Arjuna was feeling their pain and their unlucky situation as his own. Arjuna was a great warrior, who had fought many wars and was well prepared for the war, but suddenly his compassion made him not want to fight. He spoke of the evils of war and sat down on the seat of his chariot, his mind full of sorrow. He saw no use in fighting. He did not know what to do.
Jay: I don’t blame him. I wouldn’t want to fight either. Why do people fight, Grandma? Why are there wars?
Grandma: Jay, there are not only wars between nations, but quarrels between two people, quarrels between brothers and sisters, between husband and wife, between friends and neighbors. The main reason is that people are not able to let go of their selfish motives and desires. Most wars are fought for possession and power. But all problems could be solved peacefully if people could see both sides of the problem and work out an agreement. War should be the last resort.
Our holy books say: One should not commit violence towards anyone. Unjustified killing is punishable in all circumstances.
Lord Krishna urged Arjuna to fight for his rights, but not to kill needlessly. It was his duty as a warrior to fight a declared war and establish peace and law and order on earth. We humans also have wars going inside all of us. Our negative and positive forces are always fighting. The negative forces within us are represented by the Kauravas and the positive forces by the Pāndavas.
The Gita does not have stories in it to illustrate the teachings, so I will add some stories from other sources to help you. Here is a story about negative and positive thoughts fighting each other that Lord Krishna Himself told to Arjuna in Mahābhārata.
Chapter 1 summary: Arjuna asked his charioteer friend, Lord Krishna, to drive his chariot between the two armies so that he could see the Pāndava’s army. Arjuna felt great compassion to see his friends and relatives on the opposite side, whom he must kill to win the war. He became confused, spoke of the evils of war, and refused to fight.