Even assuming one is fighting for a just cause, one must first assess the strengths and weaknesses of the opponent. The Kauravas were not fighting for a just cause. And they failed to take into account the strengths of the Pandavas, said Kidambi Narayanan in a discourse. After the Kurukshetra war is over and the Kauravas have been wiped out, a sorrowful Dhritarashtra tells Sanjaya that he had been witness to the prowess of the Pandavas, and knew that because of this, the Kauravas would lose the war.
Dhritarashtra lists the incidents that had indicated to him the outcome of the war. Arjuna shot a target simply by looking at its reflection. When the Khandava forest had to be burnt down, Indra prevented this from happening by causing it to rain and thereby putting out the fire. But Arjuna defeated Indra. Bhima killed Jarasandha, the King of Magadha. Yudhishthira irresponsibly staked everything he possessed in a game of chess, including his brothers and his wife. And yet his brothers did not turn against him. Lord Siva gave Arjuna the Pasupatastra. Indra gave Arjuna many weapons. When Yudhishthira went on a pilgrimage, he received the blessings of sage Romasa. Arjuna went to devaloka and conquered the devas. None could go to Gandhamadana, but Bhima went there and met Kubera. When the Kauravas stole cows belonging to the Gandharvas, the latter imprisoned the Kauravas. Arjuna fought the Gandharvas and released his cousins.
Arjuna had the bow known as Gaandeeva with him. Above all, he had Lord Krishna on his side. When Bhishma lay on his arrow bed, Arjuna struck the ground, and out came a spring of water to quench Bhishma’s thirst. Dhritarashtra says all these occurrences had indicated that his sons would lose to the Pandavas, and yet he had failed to warn his sons.
