one of the five Pāṇḍava brothers, who are the heroes of the Indian epic the Mahābhārata (Mahabharata) (“Great Epic of the Bharata Dynasty”). Arjuna's hesitation before a battle became the occasion for his friend and charioteer, the god Krishna, to deliver a discourse on duty, or the right course of human action. These verses, which are in the form of a quasi-dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna, are collectively known as the Bhagavadgītā (Bhagavadgita), which is the most celebrated religious text of India. See also Mahābhārata (Mahabharata).