The Purpose of Revealing Krishna's Identity to Arjuna

Throughout the readings, the dialogue of Krishna and Arjuna changes. At the beginning of the text, Arjuna sees Krishna to be his advisor for discussing his confusion in his warrior duty. At that time, Arjuna still questions and does not completely understand Krishna’s concepts such as discipline and sacred duty. As the dialogue continues, Krishna finally reveals his true identity and says, “…I am the source of all the universe… Nothing is higher than I am,” which explains why he has this knowledge of the concepts introduced at the beginning and throughout the text (7:6-7). The text brings this realization to Arjuna to be later in their dialogue for the purpose of clarifying the truth in Krishna’s words. We see in the text that Arjuna’s realization of Krishna’s divinity builds up to this final point where Krishna reveals it to Arjuna.

Compared to other texts such as Genesis and the Qur’an, the Bhagavad-Gita does not begin with clarifying that Krishna is the divine being over everything in the universe and that anything he says is true because of what he is. The text builds this idea by revealing Krishna’s vast knowledge of the concepts of sacred duty, incarnation, discipline, and the separation from natural ways, but it is not needed for the purpose of explaining these concepts. This different set-up by the Bhagavad-Gita plays a different role in its reading compared to the other texts. These concepts that Krishna introduces to Arjuna are interpreted and explained first on their meaning and logic throughout their dialogue and not on the basis of Krishna’s role as the creator of everything. The text points out that since Krishna is a divine being as well, makes these concepts more concrete in its trueness, but after the concepts become almost understandable to Arjuna. Arjuna states “Lord, Krishna, I realize the truth of all you tell me; neither gods nor demons know your manifest nature” (10:14). The text shows through changes in their dialogue in this reading with the final revealing of Krishna’s identity, Arjuna finally recognizes the great power and knowledge of Krishna, and Arjuna seeks to follow in the concepts of seeking knowledge and discipline to break from incarnation.

            The text shows that revealing Krishna’s identity later brings another point of its purpose of the different set-up compared to others. Once Arjuna realizes Krishna’s divinity, he becomes almost fearful of the omnipotence of Krishna. Arjuna says “my inner self quakes and I find no resolve or tranquility,” and the text notes that after “hearing Krishna’s words, Arjuna trembled under his crown… terrified of his fear, he bowed to Krishna and stammered in his reply” (11:35). Because Arjuna now knows of Krishna’s true identity, he is fearful before him compared to the beginning of the text, when they had a communicative relationship. We can see that Arjuna would believe in what Krishna says now because Krishna is regarded as “the universal father, mother, granter of all…” (9:17). The significance of putting the revealing of Krishna’s identity comes from allowing Arjuna to transform himself first through the learning of the concepts. Arjuna transform himself because of his gain of understanding and knowledge through Krishna’s advising, but not through his fear of Krishna’s power and acceptance of Krishna’s knowledge.

            As Krishna’s identity is revealed later in the text, the purpose of this allows for Arjuna’s transformation solely on his gain of understanding. Once Arjuna learns of Krishna’s divinity, he recognizes that these concepts are true, but also gains a fear for the omnipotent being. We can see from the text that there is significance upon placing the later revealing of Krishna’s true identity. This is for the purpose of allowing Arjuna to transform based upon the logic of the concepts being explained by Krishna as Arjuna’s advisor not as the “god of gods” (11:13).