Character & Conduct: Lessons From Mahabharata Personalities - Part 4

Link to Part 1: http://bolharrybol.blogspot.com/2020/12/character-conduct-lessons-from.html

Link to Part 2: http://bolharrybol.blogspot.com/2020/12/character-conduct-lessons-from_12.html

Link to Part 3: http://bolharrybol.blogspot.com/2020/12/character-conduct-lessons-from_4.html

Character Lesson 14: Never Lose Perspective

Life works on certain principles, some bitter truths. Gandhari always knew the Kauravas invited their doom through their series of misdeeds and injustice meted out to the Pandavas. Yet, she lost sight of the larger picture when drowned in the sorrow of the loss of her sons. Life sometimes may push us to the limit, but keeping the perspective acts as an anchor to stay the course. Gandhari cursed Krishna that his Yadava dynasty would be annihilated just as the Kauravas were. Krishna had the power to withdraw any curse, yet he chose to accept Gandhari's anger and go his way. The Yadava dynasty did meet its fate eventually and Krishna too departed from the world.

Even after the Pandavas start ruling Hastinapur, they continue to shower their love and respect on Dridharashtra and Gandhari, holding no remorse against them. This despite the fact that Dridharashtra tries to kill Bhima by giving him a 'fatal death hug'. Krishna saves the day for Bhima by asking him to place in front of the blind Dridharashtra his statue and expose the defeated King's intentions. Dridharashtra, despite his life and regime being in ruins, cannot overcome the death of Duryodhan, and so tries to kill Bhima. Duryodhan is killed by Bhima in a terrible mace duel, and the war is eventually won by the Pandavas.

Character Lesson 15: Maybe, You Cannot Forget, But Forgive And Move On

Yudhishthir is truly a virtuous and morally upright leader. He has won the war at a great cost. Losing all his brothers, including Karna, is painful and a massive price to pay. He wants to let bygones be bygones and thus stops Dridhrashtra and Gandhari from proceeding to the forest. He feels pained at his own decision to fight the war and has the heart to forgive his father's elder brother who never treated the Pandavas justly.

The Pandavas rue the fact that they lost their eldest brother Karna. They make amends by reuniting with Karna's family.

In our lives too, we can benefit much by forgiving self and others. As much as possible, avoid burning bridges. Healthy relationships are central to our existence. Bitter experiences are almost impossible to forget, but we can certainly try to forgive and move on. Karma plays itself out in various ways. Maybe, someone hurt us back due to our past Karmas, which we cannot recall.

Forgiving can be mighty tough though. Duryodhan could not forgive Draupadi for her insulting words, Draupadi could not forget and forgive her ill-treatment during the dice game when Dushasan tried to disrobe her. Draupadi, in a way, also pushed her husbands into war to avenge their spineless silence when she was being insulted in front of those present, including stalwarts like Bhishma, Kripacharya and Dronacharya.

The silence of these so-called great men sowed the seeds of humanity's most terrible war, whose reverberations can be heard even today 5,000-plus years later.

Character Lesson 16: To Commit Injustice Is Bad, But To Tolerate Injustice Is Worse

The world continues to face the sin of silence. The Mahabharata is not just a story or an epoch-making event, but also a metaphor for multiple dimensions of human behaviour and nature. Even today, there is a 'Bhishma' who is bound by his own 'careless oath'; even today there are scores of Duryodhans whose lust for power is breeding unprecedented injustice; even today there is a Draupadi who does not know to bite her tongue to stop insulting words; even today, there is a Shakuni who is always on the prowl to manipulate the vulnerable and gullible........

But where is Krishna? Right within us I suppose. Krishna is not just God-incarnate, he is our conscience. Through his role in the world and by rendering the Bhagavad Gita, he has left a legacy of wisdom which in the modern world can be acquired at just the click of a button.

We Are Not Done Yet

The Kurukshetra war was fought for eighteen days, each day more horrifying than the previous one. However, it could all have ended in just one day, if only Krishna had decided to take up arms. Instead, he chose to be a charioteer to Arjuna.

Krishna chose to be, not a frontline leader, but a Servant Leader.

Character Lesson 17: Serve Your People, Don't Boss Over Them

Krishna was the Boss, everyone knew it, though some, like Duryodhan, did not accept it. Even the ruthlessly cunning Shakuni knew Krishna was unconquerable. Nothing was hidden from him, nothing could be hidden from him. He advised Duryodhan to have Krishna by his side, not his army. But Duryodhan, blinded by ego, could not see the wisdom in Shakuni's words. Duryodhan simply did not have the character to discriminate between truth and untruth.

But Barbaric, the grandson of Bhima, had both the character and the vision to see Krishna's greatness. He was so powerful that he too could have ended the war in the Pandavas' favour in one day. But he had promised his Guru that he would always fight on the side of the weak. So even if he had fought on the Pandavas' side, he would have eventually gone to the Kauravas' side as they would have been weakened, eventually flip-flopping so much that he would have been the only one alive at the end of the war. Krishna knew this. So he asked for Barbarik's head and placed it atop a mountain so that he, though could not participate, could watch the war. Krishna asks Barbarik too if he did not give a thought before promising his Guru what he was getting into?

Krishna at every stage demonstrates he is a Servant Leader. He is the Doer, but never interferes in anyone's chosen Karma. Yet, at every stage, he facilitates. He does not impose himself on anyone, but knows when to push and when to pull. He in a way 'allows' the war to happen, so that humanity never forgets its terrible consequences. Nations would do well to study the Mahabharata and the role of Krishna to understand the futility of unhealthy conflict, conflict management and leadership.

Character Lesson 18: Be An Adaptable Leader

Krishna is a Complete Leader. He navigates through the various leadership styles as per situations and the personalities of people he has to lead. He leverages everyone as per their capacities and temperaments. He has specific roles for each of the Pandavas. He knows which Kaurava warrior needs to be defeated in which way. Krishna is a Strategist, Facilitator, Coach, Aggressor, Pacifist, Mediator, Peace Ambassador......

Modern day leaders are not expected to be Krishna, as we are not God. But leadership does require high levels of adaptability and ability to switch roles effortlessly and endlessly.

We Are Done, Almost

Krishna is the pivot around which everything in the Mahabharata revolves. The Mahabharata is a poignant story. It is a story of greed, deceit, lust for power, property, disrespect of women, heinous crimes, but it is Krishna who acts as a soothing balm. He is with the Pandavas, not because he is their relative, but because they are on the right side of the moral code and have been unjustly treated.

Most of the Mahabharata is filled with pain and poignant drama, but the life of Krishna is the joyful part of the whole saga. His escapades as a child in Vrindavan, the miracles he performs even as a kid and the naughtiness of his demeanour bring a smile to your face. Krishna regales, educates and navigates through the complications and complexities he encounters during his lifetime. He himself is a King and also the protector of the world.

Krishna pervades, presides and preaches. Somewhere, amidst the din and dust of human politics, Krishna constantly tries to get people to understand the true meaning of life. He chooses the chaotic setting of The Kurukshetra to preach to the world The Bhagavad Gita. He speaks not just to Arjuna, but to each one of us. The Bhagavad Gita is an example of a true legacy. Its relevance is increasingly felt with each passing day even 5,000 years later.

The world more than ever needs Krishna. It seems little has changed since the Mahabharata. That the Mahabharata is still relevant from a moralistic standpoint is not a great commentary on how the human race has been conducting itself. Krishna is within us. We cannot expect that another avatar will come and liberate us. We have to take responsibility for our lives and perform our Karmas understanding the consequences.

Krishna has offered to the world the blueprint of living. It is up to us now to start living those principles. The Mahabharata is not just an epic, it is a metaphor for human frailties and foils. The war still rages on in the various Kurukshetras of our lives - at home, in the office, in the streets, in politics....Let's invoke the Krishna in us.

CONCLUDED

Character & Conduct: Lessons From Mahabharata Personalities -Part 3

Link to Part 1: http://bolharrybol.blogspot.com/2020/12/character-conduct-lessons-from.html

Link to Part 2: http://bolharrybol.blogspot.com/2020/12/character-conduct-lessons-from_12.html

Character Lesson 9: Never Lose Sight Of The Larger Picture

Krishna never loses sight of his purpose. His birth is to establish dharma and to ensure the right party wins, even if that means employing methods that are seen as 'unethical' and against the 'rules' of the game. For him, the war is not about the spoils going to the victor. He is clear who needs to win - it is the Pandavas. He spares no one who comes in the way, including the Pandavas' relatives.

Krishna stops Bhima's grandson Barbarik from participating in the war as he vows to fight for the weaker side, not just with the just one. The invincible Barbarik could have won the war single handedly for the Pandavas, but he had promised his Guru that he would side with the weaker side in the war, not the stronger one. So once the Kauravas got weakened, he would have switched sides and attacked the Pandavas and so on and so forth. So in the end who would be left? A lonely Barbarik. So Krishna asks Brabarik to chop his head off as his Guru Dakshina, as Krishna after all is his first Guru.

Krishna uses various tactics to ensure the right people are on the right side of the war. He stops Draupadi from allowing Karna to participate in her swayamvar. If Draupadi had married Karna, she would have ended up in the unrighteous Kaurava camp.

During the war, he plots the killing of the great warriors amongst the Kauravas. Be it Jaidrat, Karna, Bhishma, Dronacharya or Duryodhan, he is not consumed by their personalities. He just knows that they are on the wrong side of the moral code and deserve to die.

Sample the various acts of Krishna in the middle of the war. Arjuna is livid with Jaidrat that he plotted the killing of Abhimanyu, and so vows to kill him before sunset, otherwise commits to immolate himself in the fire. As the battle gets really tough and Arjuna sees Jaidrat getting out of hand, Krishna creates an illusion of sunset. Delighted, Jaidrat and the Kauravas start celebrating. The Sun however 'rises' again and Arjuna easily kills an unarmed and unready Jaidrat.

Bhishma sets the code for the war and also lets the Pandavas know that he will not attack a woman during war. So Krishna asks Shikandi to come in front of Bhishma, exposing him to the arrows of Arjuna. Shikandi is half man, half woman, and Amba in the previous birth. Bhishma recognises him as Amba and puts his arms aside. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to defeat Bhishma.

Krishna asks Arjuna to kill Karna as he descends from his chariot to fix its stuck wheels. Krishna has no sympathy for those who never followed any rules. Karna ruthlessly participated in the killing of a hapless Abhimanyu. Dronacharya and Duryodhan were also party to killing Abhimanyu unjustly and against the war code. Krishna has no remorse in killing these people through trickery.

He asks Yudhishthir to tell Dronacharya that Ashwathama is dead. The one dead is actually Ashwathama the Elephant. But Dronacharya gets demoralised on hearing this from the ever-truthful Yudhishthir. He knows Yudhishthir can never lie. Dronacharya gives up and is killed by Drishtadhyum.

Krishna asks Bhima to attack Duryodhan with his mace on his thighs. The blind-folded Gandhari had opened her eyes just once and with divine rays made Duryodhan's body as strong as iron. She had asked him to take bath and come completely naked, but Krishna tricked Duryodhan from going completely naked in front of his mother. His thighs therefore remained vulnerable, which he asked Bhima to exploit.

Krishna in the Mahabharata speaks the truth and lives the truth. He is God. He can do anything. But he does not interfere with human karma. He acts as their mentor, and that too only to those who are ready to listen to him. He vows not to raise arms in the war. He becomes Arjuna's charioteer in the war. If Krishna had decided to fight the war, it would have got over within minutes. But that was not the purpose of his human birth. He was here to guide and educate.

As the war is about to begin, Krishna deals with Arjuna's despondency. Arjuna is not ready to fight the war against his own people. He feels it is worthless to kill one's own brothers, elders and mentors and win the throne. Krishna educates Arjuna through the Bhagavad Gita and gets him to fight the war. The Bhagavad Gita is Krishna's greatest legacy.

Character Lesson 10: Leaders Leave A Legacy

Leading up to Kurukshetra, Krishna is against the war. He even admonishes the Pandavas for their eagerness to fight the war to reclaim their just rights. He even goes as a peace messenger and asks Dridharashtra to give the Pandavas only five villages and not half the kingdom. Indraprastha was theirs but taken away through the second dice game. As a result, they were exiled for thirteen years. Yet, to avoid war, he asks for just five villages.

But a greedy and arrogant Duryodhan refuses to part with even an inch of land and his father is emotionally incapable of going against his son's wishes. He fears Duryodhan will kill himself. Yet again, Dridharashtra puts his son before the good of his people.

Thousands of ordinary soldiers would lose their lives in the war and many families would be bereaved just for the sake of a dispute between two warring families. This is unacceptable to Krishna, but acceptable to Dridharashtra. He is not just blind, he is also blinded by the attachment to his son. His wife's Gandhari's warnings and sane advises fall on deaf ears. This happens in modern day wars too?

Gandhari, in a way, perhaps is responsible for her own predicament. Perhaps, there could have been other ways to demonstrate her partnership with her blind husband. However, she chooses to blindfold herself to show she is an equal partner. This is one more instance of a vow in the Mahabharata that is impractical and self-defeating.

Character Lesson 11: Overcommitting is worse than undercommiting

Gandhari otherwise is a reasonable woman. She does not discriminate between her and Kunti's children. She despises her own brother Shakuni and is never afraid to point out the mistakes of her King husband. But even she gets carried away during the war. She is unable to bear the loss of her hundred sons and holds Krishna responsible. So she curses Krishna that just as the Kuru clan has been destroyed, so would the Yadava clan be.

Yet, she was the one who stopped Draupadi from cursing during that fateful day when she was dishonoured. Draupadi was completely entitled to curse those who watched her dishonour in silence. It was Krishna who rescued her from utter dishonour. But Draupadi, in a way, also invited the wrath of Duryodhan when she insulted him during his visit to Indraprasth by saying "a blind man's son is also blind" as he fell into pool of water which he mistook to be land.

Character Lesson 12: Never insult anyone with sour words

Draupadi is a powerful woman born out of fire. Though she repents her words for Duryodhan, her action unintentionally becomes a key reason for the Mahabharata war. Egotistic people like Duryodhan easily forget their misdeeds, but never forget any wrong done to them.

Draupadi is unforgiving of her husbands, and rightly so, for failing to protect her honour. To remind them of their folly, she resolves to not tie her hair till she gets to wash them with blood taken from Dushashan's heart. Bhima promises to do the needful for her. As promised, he kills Dushashan who dragged her and tried to disrobe her on that fateful day.

Through the thirteen years of exile, she never lets her husbands forget why her hair is kept untied. Her desire for revenge keeps the flame of war burning constantly. Without the war, neither she nor Bhima can fulfill their resolve. Krishna reminds them that peace is more important than the fulfillment of their resolve. But the desire for revenge blinds them to the cruel fallout of the war - unprecedented death and destruction.

When Abhimanyu is killed, Draupadi realises the futility of war. She realises, in the end, there are only losers.

When nations go to war, it is the duty-bound soldiers who die en masse. They neither have any ideological affiliation nor are they consulted on anything. It was the same when the Kurukshetra war happened and it is the same even now.

Krishna knew the war would happen, but tried his best to avoid it. Yet, when Gandhari tells him he could have avoided the war, he says yes, but it was essential. Maybe, humanity for ages had to learn the lessons from such a macabre affair. He perhaps also saw it as an inevitability towards the fulfillment of his birth amongst humans as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

Character Lesson 13: No one wins in a war, not even the 'winner'

Four women play a key role in the Mahabharata - Kunti, Gandhari, Draupadi and Amba. The role of Amba in the form of Shikhandi in a new birth is critical to Bhishma's death. Krishna smartly gets Bhishma to confess to the Pandavas in the middle of the war that he will lay down his arms if a woman comes in front of him in the battlefield. Krishna knows it is critical to get Bhishma out of the way if the Pandavas have to win.

Amba is reborn as the half man-half woman Shikandi in this birth with the sole aim of vanquishing Bhishma. So the moment Shikandi comes in front of him, Bhisma exposes himself to the brutal arrows of Arjuna. Krishna prevails again with his tactics. Yet, for Bhishma, getting hit by Arjuna's arrows is both a privilege and an honour. A gravely injured Bhishma lies on a bed of arrows, majorly denting the Kauravas' campaign. He still holds on to dear breath as he has vowed not to die till he is assured the throne of Hastinapur is in safe hands.

When Yudhishthir comes to know that Karna was the eldest Pandava and Kunti had hidden it from them, he holds his mother responsible for the war. As Kunti sits crying besides Karna's dead body, the Pandavas are perplexed at their mother's behaviour. If only the Pandavas had known about Karna, they would have simply handed him the throne and averted the war. Kunti however keeps this as a closely guarded secret, even from Karna, as he was born to Kunti before her marriage. Kunti, unable to disclose this to the world, abandons Karna, who is picked up by a charioteer and along with his wife brings him up. How much have society's norms changed even now, one wonders!

This one non-disclosure deprives Karna of his princely rights and he harbours ill-will against the Pandavas, his own brothers. Arjuna is his sworn enemy. He believes he is no less than Arjuna in bravery and archery. But Arjuna is Dronacharya's favourite. However, Karna is denied training by Dronacharya as he is not a prince. Even Draupadi refuses to marry him as he is a mere charioteer's son. Duryodhana 'buys' his loyalty by making him a King and 'using' him against the Pandavas.

Draupadi's denial of Karna, demeaning words for Duryodhana and burning desire for revenge contribute to the lead-up to the horrendous war, in which even the victors don't feel any joy. Draupadi, who brayed for the blood of the Kauravas to avenge her insult, cries inconsolably at the side of Abhimanyu's dead body, lamenting a war that benefits no one. Draupadi could not make peace with herself for the misdeeds of the Kauravas and the meek surrender of her husbands. She keeps her hair untied till she receives the blood of Dushasan to bathe with. Draupadi's untied hair acts as a poignant reminder to her husbands that they are duty bound to avenge her insult.

Gandhari's is a sane voice in the unholy corridors of the Hastinapur regime, led by Dridharashtra, her 'selfish and short sighted' husband. She constantly urges him to rein in Duryodhana and give the Pandavas their due rights. Yet, when she loses all her sons in the war, she blames Krishna for the war and even curses him. When her sorrow becomes bigger than the calamity, she loses perspective.

TO BE CONTINUED. PART 4 IS CONCLUDING PART. 

Character & Conduct: Lessons From Mahabharata Personalities - Part 2

Link to Part 1: http://bolharrybol.blogspot.com/2020/12/character-conduct-lessons-from.html

Krishna tells Arjuna during the war not to take oaths which make him focus on the result rather than on the task at hand. He cryptically mentions how Bhishma and Bhima are bound by their oaths. Arjuna pledges to kill Jaidrat before sunset, otherwise promises to immolate himself in the fire. It is Krishna's tactic that saves the day for Arjuna.

Krishna is Arjuna's charioteer, but most importantly The Lord Of The Universe. He is the conscience keeper and knowledge provider for the Pandavas, who adore him. They know Krishna's presence alone will enable them to win the war, not the size of their army. Krishna enlivens proceedings in an otherwise poignant saga serenaded with trickery, blind ambition, opportunism and lust for power. Sounds familiar? Looks like nothing has changed?

The significance of Mahabharata cannot be understood without Krishna. He fills an otherwise violent saga with perspectives and moments of peace. Krishna himself though never had an easy life. His uncle Kamsa was braying for his blood. According to a heavenly broadcast, Krishna, the eighth child of Devaki and Vasudev, would kill Kamsa and put an end to his evil rule. So Krishna, at birth, is rescued from jail and given in care of Yashoda and her husband Nanda, Vasudev's friend.

Krishna is born to re-establish righteousness in the world. He is related to the Pandavas by birth. He is their Guru, their protector. He performs various miracles during his childhood and throughout his life, but never once does he misuse his power. He is a tactician. He even uses 'deceit', but only against those who cannot be fixed otherwise.

Character Lesson 2: Wth Great Power Comes Great Responsibility.

Krishna is God, but does not impose himself. His job is to guide humans on the right path. Throughout the Mahabharata he preaches peace and strongly advises against war. In fact, he even abandons Mathura and sets up base in Dwaraka to avoid war.

In the build-up to the Kurukshetra war, he does his best to avoid the war. But once the war becomes inevitable, he fully commits himself and the Pandavas to fighting with all their might. For Krishna, purpose of the war is not to win, but re-establish righteousness. The Kauravas have great warriors in the form of Bhishma, Dronacharya, Duryodhan, Karna.....but they are all fighting on the wrong side of the moral code. They have an incredibly large army. The sons of Dridharashtra and Gandhari are hundred in number, whereas the Pandavas are only five.

The Pandavas don't have such a large army, but they have Krishna. Before the war when Duryodhan and Arjuna are asked whether they want Krishna or his army, Duryodhan chooses the army, whereas Arjuna is wise enough to ask for Krishna. Shakuni, who all his life poisoned Duryodhan's mind against the Pandavas, realises his nephew's folly. Even the evil Shakuni realises Krishna is the factor that will decide the war, not the size of the army.

Character Lesson 3: Know What To Ask

In the modern world, like Duryodhan, people's ambitions make them ask for the wrong things - power, money, status - which, though important in moderation, blind them to the real source of happiness - love, compassion, empathy.......

Arjuna knows what to ask. He is wise and brave. Duryodhan is brave, but not wise. He is the result of his father's lust for power and his uncle's crooked manipulation. Shakuni wants to take revenge against the Kuru clan for getting his sister Gandhari married to a blind King. Gandhari, in a moment of incredible sense of partnership, ties her eyes with cloth so that she too can lead a life of blindness. Shakuni, through Duryodhan, works out schemes after schemes to get rid of the Pandavas. Bhishma, due to his oath not to ascend the throne himself, watches all the dubious events helplessly. He knows he is wrong to side with the Kauravas in the war, but puts his oath above the nation.

In this war between right and wrong, all the so-called great men are fighting for the wrong side. They know they are wrong, yet feel indebted to the Kauravas for one reason or the other. While Bhishma is bound by his oath, Guru Dronacharya, teacher to both the Pandavas and the Kauravas, is bound by his loyalty to the kingdom. Karna is bound by the loyalty to his friend, who makes him a King though he does not belong to a princely family. It is another matter of course that Karna later realises he is actually the eldest brother of the Pandavas, as he is Kunti's first son, abandoned by her before marriage.

Karna is one of the most interesting personalities in the Mahabharata. He is great, complex, son of the Sun God, is a great giver - a daanveer - says a lot of right things, but often commits unpardonable mistakes. He knows his friend Duryodhan is evil, but he gives up his life for him in the Kurukshetra war as he feels indebted. Duryodhan gives him the respect that society does not deem fit, as he is mistaken to be the son of a charioteer and not of a royal. Karna insults Draupadi during the events that unfold as a result of the dice game. He is part of the cowardly act by the Kauravas when they kill a trapped and unarmed Abhimanyu against the laws of war.

Just like Dridharashtra, he too feels wronged in life. He never receives his real mother Kunti's love. Draupadi refuses to give him a chance at her swayamvar as he is not a Prince. He falls in love with a Princess, but is refused her hand as he is not a royal himself. He ends up marrying the princess' maid. Karna judges his worth by how society reacts to him. He sides with the immorals though he often disagrees with their machinations.

He feels so indebted to Duryodhan that he does not discriminate between right and wrong. He does what is convenient (even though not easy), not what is right. In the end, he pays the price for this.

Character Lesson 4: In Life Do What Is Right, Not What Is Convenient

The crimes of Karna however are small in front of those of Dridharashtra. He is born blind. He is the rightful heir to the throne as he is Pandu's elder brother. But Vidhur, a man of great knowledge and advisor to the throne, feels Pandu should be King, as Dridharashtra is blind. The final decision is left to their grandmother Satyavati, and she chooses Pandu as the King.

Dridharashtra never overcomes this feeling of having been denied what was rightfully his. He harbours ill will against Vidhur and the Pandu clan all his life. To add to his woes, Pandu's first son Yudhishthir is born before Duryodhan, thereby blocking Duryodhan's chances of becoming King as the elder brother's son. If ifs and buts had any meaning, if Dridharashtra was made King, would the Kurukshetra war have never happened?

Dridharashtra is blinded by love for his son. Shakuni parallely uses Duryodhan to plant ill-will in his mind towards his Pandava brothers. The seeds of a terrible war are sown in the childhood of the Pandavas and the Kauravas. Gandhari's vociferous sane voices fail to make Dridharashtra realise his follies. He allows Duryodhan to commit mistake after mistake. He gives his tacit support to various plots to kill or dislodge the Pandavas and deny them their rights. His dream is to see Duryodhan become King. He wants to fulfill his own ambition through his son. Sounds familiar to how modern parents want their children to fulfill their unfulfilled dreams?

Character Lesson 5: Don't Live Your Dreams Through Your Children. They have their independent lives and dreams.

Dridharashtra lives all his life as a victim. He refuses to take responsibility for his decisions. He feels wronged. He never comes to terms with his own lack of character to be King. He places his son before the nation. Sounds familiar? Politics, nepotism, etc?

Character Lesson 6: As A Leader, Put Team Before Self And Selfish Interests

As a result, Duryodhan becomes a symbol of evil. He can easily be manipulated. Duryodhan's personality is a classic example of nature versus nurture. Did he have a natural tendency for evil or his behaviours were a result of how his father and uncle influenced him? Through the Mahabharata, Duryodhan does show signs of his discomfort with winning through devious means. His friend Karna time and again urges him to win the battle at war rather than through treachery. He even forcefully stops him from killing an unarmed and in-prayer Barbarik, who is otherwise invincible with the divine weapons he possesses. Ashamed by his act, Duryodhan even asks his sworn enemy Bheem to cut his head off. Barbarik, after all, is Bhima's grandson.

Duryodhan is a victim of his father Dridharashtra's ambitions and Shakuni's evil politics. Karna believes in the means to achieve an end, though his actions do contradict his beliefs - like when he participates in the collective killing of an unarmed and trapped Abhimanyu, or when he insults Draupadi. Shakuni however believes only in the end, not in the means. Duryodhan lacks the courage to refuse to adhere to the ways of his uncle. After all, he too is consumed by the desire to be King Of Hastinapur. He too believes his father was treated unjustly. So as his father's eldest son, he believes in his right to the throne.

Amidst all this a sane voice in the form of Vidhur - The Prime Minister is often heard in the corridors of power in Hastinapur. He is convinced that the one competent to be King is Yudhishthir, not Duryodhan. He is the Voice Of Truth. Unlike Bhishma or Drona, who are bound by loyalty, Vidhur is bound by Truth. Any wonder then that when Krishna goes to Hastinapur as a peace messenger of the Pandavas, he refuses to accept Duryodhan's lunch invitation? Instead, he eats at Mahatma Vidhur's home. Duryodhan sees this as yet another insult, but Krishna could care less. He only sides with those who are right.

Character Lesson 7: Leadership Is About Competence, Not About Rights.

Krishna and Vidhur are on the same page. They believe in Truth. They both never mince words when it comes to highlighting adharma. Vidhur's was the only voice which vociferously opposed the happenings during the dice game. He kept urging Dridharashtra to stop the game, but the King was happy his son was winning. Bhishma, Dronacharya, Kripacharya - the doyens of the Hastinapur Kingdom watched 'helplessly' even as Draupadi was dragged by her hair by Dushasan and was being disrobed. It is Krishna who saved Draupadi from total dishonour. Draupadi's five husbands too watched helplessly and allowed their wife to be insulted in front of everyone.

Character Lesson 8: Principles Matter More Than Capabilities

Krishna sides with the Pandavas because they are on the side of dharma. He knows the warrior capabilities of each of the Kaurava leaders. He has no qualms using so-called wrong means to defeat the Kauravas at war. He continuously plots against them during the Kurukshetra war to ensure the Pandavas win and through them a just order can be created. He is a leader who always looks at the larger picture.

TO BE CONTINUED

Character & Conduct: Lessons From Mahabharata Personalities - Part 1

 

INTRODUCTION

The lockdown was a bolt from the blue. It caught the human race napping. Out went the next big career move, business decision, car, house, dream holiday, etc. It all came down to mere survival. Suddenly, everyone had to cope with not just an unforeseen situation, but an unprecedented and unimaginable context.

Everyone started coping in their own unique ways, though some patterns ran common - like work from home and enhanced sanitisation habits. At the same time each family might have worked out its own unique or creative way to deal with the situation. We gathered around the laptop at lunch time to watch BR Chopra's Mahabharata.

For my wife and me, it was a nostalgic experience. We travelled back in time into the '80s when we had witnessed something like a lockdown due to the Ramayana and the Mahabharata serials on Doordarshan. On days they were aired, streets wore a deserted look as everyone sat glued to their television sets to witness an epic saga of the two most celebrated epics in India.

We grew up listening to the stories of Rama, Sita, Hanuman, Krishna, Arjuna, Draupadi, Dronacharya, Bhishma.....Our moralistic values were built around the stories from these epics. We learnt what was right and what was wrong. So the coming alive of our heroes through television serial characters held the whole country in awe. We watched every episode in disbelief. Many in the country even thought of the actors as Gods themselves.

So the feeling of re-living those episodes during this real lockdown was fascinating to say the least. Were we also fulfilling our parental responsibility by getting our daughter to watch this great drama? Maybe.

I watched all the 140 odd episodes diligently. At every step, I tried to reflect on what lessons does this great epic offer for humanity. Change the era and give the characters a modern look, you may as well be watching a 21st century drama, and not something which is said to have occurred more than 5,000 years ago. Even today, we are grappling with violence, property disputes, deceit, immoral politics, etc. So what really has changed?

Besides the moralistic perspective, there is another fascinating aspect of the Mahabharata. It is one of the greatest stories told. Whether it is historical or mythological, there is no denying that it is a blueprint for great storytelling. Incidents - real or unreal - need to be narrated in an engaging way. What brings stories alive is people and their characters - the roles they play.

In this writeup, I have looked at what lessons we can derive on character and conduct from some outstanding personalities in the Mahabharata, including Krishna, the pivot around which the whole story, plot and sub-plots revolve. Each one of them is great yet vulnerable. They are in possession of some unimaginable gifts, yet their failings are mighty hard to digest. For example, the silence of Dharmaraj Yudhishthir when his wife was being insulted within the palace of Hastinapur. Bhishma, Karna, Draupadi, Dronacharya are all celebrated for their greatness, but at crucial points they let themselves and their followers down.

Through this essay, I have tried to decipher the key lessons we can derive from the lives and conduct of some of these great personalities.

But before we proceed, here is a Disclaimer:

My interpretations are based on what I observed in the serial made by BR Chopra and Team. If somewhere I have got the facts or interpretations wrong, it is purely my failing - the failing of a novice. This is not to be treated in any way as a comment on the makers of the serial and what they have represented. I am not a scholar and have not compared what has been shown in the serial with any other source. I have written this piece purely inspired by what I saw and as a common man. Hope you will take away some interesting insights from this amateurish scholarly attempt.

CHARACTER & CONDUCT: LESSONS FROM MAHABHARATA PERSONALITIES

Bhishma lies on his bed of arrows awaiting the moment when he can decide to leave the world. After all, he has the boon of dying at will, which eventually turns out to be a curse. The Pandavas are by his bedside. They have won the Kurukshetra war and Yudhishthir is the new King. Bhishma is now secure in his knowledge that his beloved Hastinapur is protected from all sides and so is all set to give up his body.

But Krishna has one last request. He wants Bhishma to give some lessons on kingship to Yudhishthir. "When you can do it, why am I needed for this task?," asks Bhishma. "Because I have the knowledge, but you have the experience," replies Krishna.

Bhishma advises Yudhishthir to always put the nation before anything else. Somewhere he holds himself responsible for the Kurukshetra war. His oath not to be King so that his foster mother Satyavati's sons could ascend the throne meant he had little control over decision making. Series of unholy events unfolded in front of his helpless eyes and ultimately he ended up fighting the war on the side of the wrongdoers.

The advise to put nation above everything else is timely and apt for Yudhishthir. He has a chronological advantage as he is the eldest of the Pandavas. But he is also the epitome of righteousness. Yet, he has often displayed his inability to draw the line. He commits without thinking. After a long and nasty war, when all he needed to do was vanquish a hapless Duryodhan, he tells him he will accept defeat if Duryodhan can defeat even one of the five brothers in a one-to-one duel. Krishna is flummoxed and shocked at this indescribable magnanimity. How unfair is this to the scores of soldiers who sacrificed their lives so that the Pandavas can regain their rights?

Yudhishthir had committed the historic blunder of putting his family members at stake after he lost all his material possessions in the dice game. His sense of righteousness blinded his judgement of the powers of a King. His wife and brothers were not his personal property. So Bhishma's advice is not just for Yudhishthir, but for all leaders who often are caught between personal contexts and team interests.

Yudhishthir now has a third chance at the throne. The second time was when after the first dice game, Dridharashtra, ashamed by the insult of Draupadi, returned to Yudhishthir all that he had lost. This time Krishna wants to ensure he is balanced and does not get carried away. He often overcommits and gets everyone into a muddle. This and various other factors contributed to the terrible Kurukshetra war.

Bhishma and Yudhishthir, besides being two pivotal characters, are also great students of life. They are ready to admit to their follies and take corrective action. They introspect and correct. They are great because they are aware of their great shortcomings.

The Mahabharata is often interpreted for management and leadership lessons, and rightly so. But within this epic lie great personalities who offer timeless lessons on character. Whether the epic is a reality or fiction, the lessons for humanity are priceless. In the least, this is the world's best-told story along with the Ramayana.

As in a well scripted movie, there are plots and sub-plots - complex, intriguing and eerie sometimes. Many characters make their strong presence as each of them have a well defined role and script. So the epic can also serve as a great lesson on screenplay and movie making.

The genesis of the war itself lies in King Shantanu falling in love with Satyavati. He wants to marry her, but her father puts a condition that only sons born from her will succeed Shantanu as the King. This is unacceptable to Shantanu as his son Devavruta is the rightful heir. But concerned for his father and blinded by his love for him, Devavruta takes an oath that he will remain a celibate and never marry so that Satyavati's sons can be the heir apparents. Any wonder then that during the Kurukshetra war Shantanu, sitting in heaven, holds himself responsible for it?

Character Lesson 1: Think Before You Speak. Don't make grand impulsive commitments whose price you may have to pay all your life.

TO BE CONTINUED