Duryodhana Isn’t a Man Here—It’s Greed: Read the War Inwardly

Question

But when even Duryodhana was lovingly counseled, it didn’t work. We are working on our inner Self, yes; we are also acting. Still, God told Arjuna: those who side with adharma, you must slay them—because they are ready for war. Whether you like it or not, they will fight you. If we simply stay in Self-knowledge and keep viewing them with compassion, won’t they destroy our dharma?

Answer

The problem is that we’ve taken Duryodhana as a person. Duryodhana is not a person here; he is the personification of greed (lobha). Our scriptures use an outer narrative as a covering. We have to gently set that covering aside to see the inner teaching hidden within. Confusion comes only when we insist on reading Duryodhana as a man out there.

What must be destroyed is greed, not a human being named Duryodhana. That’s where all the trouble begins—by literalizing the characters. So my request is: for a while, let us try to understand Valmiki’s Ramayana entirely through the lens of knowledge. If you grasp this seriously even once, I can say with certainty—it will greatly help you understand the other scriptures as well.