Question

What is Sen’s interpretation of the positions taken by Krishna and Arjuna in the debate between them? [Note Sen’s comment: ‘Arjuna’s contrary arguments are not really vanquished... There remains a powerful case for ‘faring well’ and not just ‘faring forward’.]

Answer 1

Sen believes that no matter what the message of the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna's position that ‘everything goes well’ should not be ignored entirely. Krishna believes in the concept of moving forward regardless of the consequences. Sen said that Arjuna is a more practical choice than ‘faring well’. In the modern world, there exists a world full of war and violence. He cited J.R. Oppenheimer (physicist from the American group that developed nuclear weapons) as an example to support his argument.
Sen believes that Krishna’s ‘faring forward’ during this period of violence should not be considered because it will lead to negative consequences; on the contrary, today's best solution is to take appropriate action and evaluate the situation. Therefore, Sen supports Arjuna's decision of faring well and not just forward.