3 Mar 2012 - QA 9

Guruji, when there is conflict, does God take sides or is He unbiased?
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No, God does not take sides; he is unbiased and detached.
But the one who takes refuge in God becomes in favour of God.
In the Mahabharata, when Sri Krishna was resting, both Arjuna and Duryodhana went to him. And both of them went to him because both of them had the same faith that Krishna is unbiased and will accept their request.
If Duryodhana would have felt that He is not unbiased then he would not have gone to talk to Him. Duryodhana went to Sri Krishna because even he knew that Krishna is unbiased. And Arjuna also went for he also knew that Krishna is unbiased.
When the two of them went to Him, Sri Krishna laid a condition, ‘On one side is my army and on the other side is me, and I will not use any weapons. I will not fight. Now ask what you want. You have to decide whether you want my army or you want me.'
Then Duryodhana used his mind. Anyone who uses their mind in this situation would think as to what use it would be to have someone who will not fight the war, might as well choose his army. So he chose the army. So, Duryodhana asked for Sri Krishna’s army and was happy.
And this is what people think even today. They don’t want Guruji, but they want the people from his organization to be with them for their protest. If the people come along with them they can do a protest.

So, on the other hand was Arjuna. He did not know of the powers of Lord Krishna but he knew that He is very intelligent and things always happen as he says. So he asked Krishna to be his charioteer.
The one who rides the chariot is as important as the one who shoots an arrow. The charioteer is no less important. So Arjuna requested for Krishna’s presence because he didn’t think from his head but he thought from his heart, or he thought from the space of the peak of intelligence.
So he took refuge in Krishna and requested Him from his heart for his support.
‘I am ready for the battle. Please be on my side.’
So Krishna also agreed, anyway that is what He wanted. He knew that the side He was on would be victorious.
That is why, the one who has taken refuge in God becomes in favor of God; and one who is egoistic moves away from God. Duryodhana was so egoistic that he moved away from God.