LIVING, DYING AND MAKING A LEADER

The journey of leadership, when based on responsibility, is a greater struggle because responsible people have to fight leaders who are position bound. So some fight for position and some for responsibility, and the clash always occurs between these two kinds of people. At the end of the day, when seen purely from a profit point of view, people with responsibility lose the same amount of resources as people who are fighting for power. So from a Buddhistic perspective, it is all a waste so one rather give up all attachment and focus  on Nirvana. This certainly makes sense but in the world we live in, it is irrelevant and impractical. Leadership is an unavoidable need of this world.

While winning the war of Kurukshetra, the Pandavas were losing their family members, in fact their future legacy was about to be extinguished. The Kurus killed Abhimanyu and Ashwatthama brutally killed all other sins if Draupadi. He was about to wipe out the very last heir of their family who was still in the womb. Lord Krishna protected him within the womb of Uttara, knowing that in future, the need for ideal leadership legacy would arise. He didn’t just protect the position of the Pandava family in the count of leaders, he safeguarded the legacy of continuous sacrificial spirit of the Pandavas, knowing only such dedication brings good governance.

Abhimanyu died for this spirit. Uttara chose to follow suit by living a life of sacrifice in this world. Abhimanyu’s death and Uttara’s life shared the same valour and their combined spirit brought Parikshit into this world, who had the additional quality of being protected by Krishna.

If you find a successful leader, that is one who leads and does not grab, observe his dedication and also the sacrifice his family makes. And if you find a power hungry leader, observe how he exploits. You will see the difference between the power-hungry and the sacrifice-hungry and the results their respective actions bring about.

The great war was between saving the family of Pandavas and saving the family Duryodhana. One stood for responsibility while the other wanted the power that emerges from the position. One group died brutally and so do the other,  but their purposes were different and so is the legacy, which  they’ve left us with to follow.