Krishna Never Asks Arjuna to “Be Kind”, He Asks Him to Be True
Riya Kumari | Jun 12, 2025, 12:06 IST
( Image credit : Times Life Bureau, Timeslife )
Okay, imagine this: you're on a battlefield. Literally. Not metaphorically, not "my Monday morning inbox is a warzone" kind of battlefield. I’m talking real horses, real arrows, and very real existential dread. And instead of running for cover like any normal person, you're sitting in your chariot, spiraling. Full-blown identity crisis. You’re supposed to fight your own cousins, your childhood friends, your beloved grandfather. So naturally, you're like, “I can’t do this. It’s not nice.”
In a world that constantly tells you to be nice, polite, calm, sweet, soft, and kind—even when your heart is screaming otherwise—Krishna’s words to Arjuna on the battlefield sound like rebellion. He doesn’t say, “Arjuna, forgive them all. Be kind to your enemies. Take the higher road.” He says, “Stand up. Pick up your bow. Fight.” That’s not cruelty. That’s clarity. Because Krishna doesn’t teach niceness. He teaches truth.
The Problem with “Be Kind”
“Be kind” is easy advice. It feels safe. Socially acceptable. But it can also be a trap. How many people have silenced themselves, swallowed pain, tolerated injustice, avoided conflict, all in the name of being kind? How many have stayed in toxic relationships, abusive jobs, or unfair dynamics, just so they don’t come across as rude?
Kindness without truth becomes people-pleasing. And kindness without courage becomes weakness. That’s where the Gita shakes us awake.
What the Gita Actually Teaches
The Bhagavad Gita isn’t a moral lecture. It’s a conversation on the edge of war. And war doesn’t allow for fake smiles and forced compassion. Arjuna is trembling, breaking down, full of doubt. He says, “How can I kill my own people? My teachers, cousins, elders? Isn’t it better to renounce everything?”
And Krishna—God himself—says no. He doesn’t say, “You're right, Arjuna, violence is bad, just love everyone.” He says:
“You are grieving for those who should not be grieved for.”
“Your duty is to fight.”
“Do it without attachment. Do it with truth in your heart.”
That’s not cruelty. That’s alignment with your inner dharma.
Truth Isn’t Always Nice
Sometimes, truth is uncomfortable. Sometimes, truth requires you to walk away. To say no. To cut ties. To set boundaries. To break things before they break you. And Krishna tells Arjuna:
“Better to die doing your dharma imperfectly than to live doing someone else’s perfectly.”
In other words: You are not here to perform kindness. You are here to live your truth. Even if it’s hard. Even if people don’t like it.
The Courage to Be True
This is not a license for ego. This is not permission to be rude, arrogant, or selfish. It’s a call to ask yourself:
Kindness Isn’t the Opposite of Truth, But It’s Not a Substitute for It
Be kind, yes. But don’t let that be your cage. Don’t let it cost you your voice. Your values. Your calling. The Gita says: Sattva (goodness), Rajas (passion), and Tamas (ignorance)—they all exist in this world. Pretending only sattva exists is delusion.
You will face chaos. People will wrong you. Life will push you to the edge. And in those moments, Krishna doesn’t say, “Forgive and forget.” He says:
“See clearly. Act justly. Do what must be done. And don’t let your ego claim the results.”
Let This Sink In
The most dangerous lie is the one that wears the mask of virtue. So the next time someone tells you to "just be kind", ask yourself: Is that kindness rooted in truth? Or is it fear dressed as grace?
Because Krishna didn’t ask Arjuna to be liked. He asked him to be free. And freedom doesn't come from pleasing others. It comes from being true to yourself, no matter the cost.
The Problem with “Be Kind”
Silence
( Image credit : Pexels )
“Be kind” is easy advice. It feels safe. Socially acceptable. But it can also be a trap. How many people have silenced themselves, swallowed pain, tolerated injustice, avoided conflict, all in the name of being kind? How many have stayed in toxic relationships, abusive jobs, or unfair dynamics, just so they don’t come across as rude?
Kindness without truth becomes people-pleasing. And kindness without courage becomes weakness. That’s where the Gita shakes us awake.
What the Gita Actually Teaches
Arjuna
( Image credit : Pexels )
The Bhagavad Gita isn’t a moral lecture. It’s a conversation on the edge of war. And war doesn’t allow for fake smiles and forced compassion. Arjuna is trembling, breaking down, full of doubt. He says, “How can I kill my own people? My teachers, cousins, elders? Isn’t it better to renounce everything?”
And Krishna—God himself—says no. He doesn’t say, “You're right, Arjuna, violence is bad, just love everyone.” He says:
“You are grieving for those who should not be grieved for.”
“Your duty is to fight.”
“Do it without attachment. Do it with truth in your heart.”
That’s not cruelty. That’s alignment with your inner dharma.
Truth Isn’t Always Nice
Blame
( Image credit : Pexels )
Sometimes, truth is uncomfortable. Sometimes, truth requires you to walk away. To say no. To cut ties. To set boundaries. To break things before they break you. And Krishna tells Arjuna:
“Better to die doing your dharma imperfectly than to live doing someone else’s perfectly.”
In other words: You are not here to perform kindness. You are here to live your truth. Even if it’s hard. Even if people don’t like it.
The Courage to Be True
Angry
( Image credit : Pexels )
This is not a license for ego. This is not permission to be rude, arrogant, or selfish. It’s a call to ask yourself:
- Am I doing this because it’s true to me?
- Or am I doing it because I want to be liked?
Kindness Isn’t the Opposite of Truth, But It’s Not a Substitute for It
Conflict
( Image credit : Pexels )
Be kind, yes. But don’t let that be your cage. Don’t let it cost you your voice. Your values. Your calling. The Gita says: Sattva (goodness), Rajas (passion), and Tamas (ignorance)—they all exist in this world. Pretending only sattva exists is delusion.
You will face chaos. People will wrong you. Life will push you to the edge. And in those moments, Krishna doesn’t say, “Forgive and forget.” He says:
“See clearly. Act justly. Do what must be done. And don’t let your ego claim the results.”
Let This Sink In
Because Krishna didn’t ask Arjuna to be liked. He asked him to be free. And freedom doesn't come from pleasing others. It comes from being true to yourself, no matter the cost.