This is a story from the battlefield of Kurukshetra. After the defeat of the Kauravas, the war ended. In those days, there was a custom followed by the victorious army. The charioteer would step out of the chariot first and hold out his hand for the warrior to step on it and out of the chariot. So was the scene here. All the warriors of the Pandava army were stepping out of their chariot with the help of their charioteers who with pride and great respect were holding out their hands for them to step down. Arjuna was now waiting for Krishna to do the same. He asked Krishna to step down and follow the custom. Krishna refused; he politely said that theirs is a different case, they are unlike others and that he cannot do as others. Arjuna was disappointed. Even after listening to the Bhagavad Gita, after having seen the cosmic form of Lord Krishna, he was disappointed. After much argument, he stepped down, all by himself. He felt ashamed, he felt disrespected, he was thinking about how to face his people. Right after him, Krishna stepped out of the chariot immediately followed by Hanuman who departed from the flag. As soon as Krishna stepped out, the whole chariot burst into flames! Arjuna was shocked, he then asked Krishna as to what had happened. Krishna smilingly replied, “Arjuna, if I had got off the chariot before you, you would be dead. What you saw was all the curses and ill magic of many People who wanted to harm you. I was acting like a shield, not allowing any to even touch you. And that is why I asked you to step down first”, Arjuna Prostrated to Krishna begging for forgiveness.
