Answer
Initially, Arjuna was trying to make a decision based on his own sense of satisfaction. He thought: “If I fight this battle, I may gain a great kingdom and enjoy it with my family and friends. But if those very relatives are killed in the war, what is the use of such a victory? Better not to fight.”
So whether he chose to fight or not, both decisions were centered on his personal happiness and distress.
At that point, Krishna intervenes and transforms Arjuna’s understanding. He explains:
who Arjuna truly is (not just the body, but the eternal soul),
who Krishna is (the Supreme Lord),
and the nature of the situation Arjuna is placed in.
Krishna reveals that the events of the Kurukshetra War are part of a divine plan. The outcome is already arranged. Arjuna, being a part and parcel (aṁśa) of the Lord, is meant to act as an instrument to carry out that divine will.
When Arjuna understands this, his perspective changes completely. He realizes:
“This is my position.”
“This is Krishna’s position.”
“This is Krishna’s intention.”
And then he decides: “I am ready to act. I will fight—not for my own sense gratification, but to serve the will of Krishna.”
This is the transformation that takes place in the Bhagavad Gita—from acting for personal satisfaction to acting as an instrument of the Supreme.
