Arjuna was confusing his material attachment with compassion, which resulted in cowardly behavior. If a serial killer or a terrorist enters the house of a civilian who has a gun and can use it to protect himself and his family members, should he bravely face the intruder or become a compassionate peace loving saint and allow his family to be murdered? If someone, like a police officer, advises him to take the gun and face the intruder, is such an advisor to be branded a violent nut?
Deliberate on this and see if Krishna was wrong in advising Arjuna to fight with the criminals who stripped his wife, a queen, in front of his own eyes, and in the presence of the very people who were now standing against him with weapons in hand. These very kinsmen had sat speechless, and some even mocked the hapless, innocent queen of high moral character and her husband and did not oppose the stripping.
Krishna is not preaching to Arjuna to be violent against innocent civilians like a terrorist. He is asking him to be brave in the face of the imminent situation. A coward runs away after his act of violence. Arjuna also wanted to run away, albeit from the war. Lord Krishna advised him not to be a coward and do his duty as a soldier. So, it is an antidote to unjust violence.
