Quora Downloads Mahabharat

8/11/2019 Quora Downloads Mahabharat

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Main Question

What elements of 'Mahabharata' make ittimeless and what are the basic lessons we canlearn from it?What do people mean when they say that 'Everyone can learn something from Mahabharata in all times

to come'? What management and leadership traits/skills can I learn from Mahabharata that I can applyin my job/business/personal/social life?


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Answer 1

'Item added to your Reading List.


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Answer 2

The reason I like Mahabharata, because it has subtle lesson.

I was unable to find story online, so I typed on my own. Apologies for poor drafting, I was nevergood at story telling.Once Arjuna asks Krishna why Yudhishthir is called Dharmaraj (Religion king) and Karna

Daanveer (Donation king), as both never refused alms to anyone. Krishna says wait for some time Iwill let you know.After a month when in whole kingdom was raining heavily, both (Krishna and Arjuna) in disguiseof Brahmins (wise men/priests) first go the Yudhishthir that we are doing a Yagn and need 100Kg ofSandal wood. Yudhishthir immediately sent his servants across the kingdom, and later refusedsaying it is difficult to find dry Sandal wood anywhere. Let me know if I can arrange anything elsefor you. Both brahmins said no thanks and left the place.Then they went to Karna and made the same demand. Karna thought for a while and said it israining heavily outside, it is least likely to get dry Sandal wood. He takes out his bow and arrow andcuts all windows and doors of his palace and compiles them for the brahmins.Later Krishna says to Arjuna, it is not that Yudhishthir would have refused if we would have askedfor wood from his doors and windows. But this idea didn't strike Yudhishthir in first place.

Yudhishthir donates because it is written in Dharma (religion), Karna donates because he likes to doit.The message of the story is very subtle. So many times in office and other places we see people who

just put superficial effort to show others and make themselves feel good about that they have donethe effort. They don't put their heart and soul in it. Somewhere, getting things done is not in theirmind, they do it just because they have to.------ * ------- * ------EDIT:Thanks for the overwhelming response. (Yes 65 votes is a big number for me :)Please allow me to share one more of my favorite less known stories from Mahabharat.During Pandavas exile, while strolling Bheema finds an old monkey with his tail blocking the road.Filled with false pride and arrogance, Bheema asks the monkey to remove the tail from his path.Monkey replies, I am too old I am good for nothing, please move my tail . Bheema tries to move

the tail, but is unable to move it. Dejected, he goes to Yudhishthira, and tells him about theincidence. Then Yudhishtir tells him, that couldn't be a normal monkey, it must Lord Hanuman indisguise. Go and apologise for your rude behaviour and ask for an advice from the learned one. Following his brother command Bheem does the same, he goes back and apologises to LordHanuman for his rude behaviour and asks for forgiveness. Then as instructed he asks for advicefrom Lord Hanuman. In response Lord Hanuman holds tongue with one hand and genital organwith the other hand. Bheema gets confused, he humbly asks again for the advice but gets the sameresponse. After couple of attempts he gets frustrated and leaves. He then tells Yudhishtira, Iapologised for my rude behaviour, but it seems Lord Hanuman still had grudge against me. Andtells Yudhishthira about Hanuman's response. Then Yudhishthira says, you still don't you get it.Lord Hanuman meant that the one who can control these two senses, leads a successful and peacefullife.


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Answer 3

1. Don't sign a blind contract(Bhishma did, and had to suffer for the rest of his life)

2. Don't be disrespectful(Draupadi was, towards Duryodhana, got repaid worse, much worse)(Shakuni was, towards Dhritarashtra, his sister went blind, he spent the rest of his life planningrevenge)

3. Self pity sucks(Dhritarashtra)4. Your right, power and role is just to put your best efforts, expectations of results are futile.(The famous Karmanyevadhikaraste .. )5. Don't worry about your weaknesses, they are helping you in disguise (Arjun's impotency)6. Don't risk what you can't afford to lose (Yudhishthira did, won years of problems for hisfamily)7. He who is reverent for you, may be a villain for others. (Dronacharya for Arjun v/sDronacharya for Karna and to some extent, Eklavya)8. Don't play around if playing around means getting pregnant. (Kunti did, ended up withKarna)9. Even if you are super smart, it's no good if you have to listen to idiots. (Vidura, secondsmartest fellow in Mahabharat was rendered frustrated by Dhritarashtra, Pandavas because they had

to listen to Yudhishthira)10. Don't be angry. (Said by Vidura, "Krodh agar Vir purush pi jaaye, toh wah amrit samaan hai.")11. There is a difference between sanity and righteousness. (I think, this is my own conclusionbased upon Yudhisthira)And the best of them all:No matter who you are, don't play jokes with your mum. Seriously.(Arjun did, had to shareDraupadi)


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Answer 4

You have very aptly described Mahabharat as timeless. It is an epic that provides relevantlessons and much entertainment even in the 21st century. The reasons are many. I will attempt toenumerate some of them here and I am sure everyone who answers will have their own reasons.That is the beauty of the writing.

Plot 1. - A plot is a basic necessity in storytelling. This is an element where Mahabharat scoresheavily. The plot is rich and complex. There are numerous sub-plots and diversions which add tothe texture of it. It is very interesting to understand how small actions can have a major effectsomewhere in the future. Each and every small incident has a major significance. For just a smallexample - when Krishna conjures the Sudarshan Chakra for beheading Shishupal at Yudhishithra'syagya, his finger gets injured due to the chakra. Promptly, Draupadi tears off her sari and ties it onKrishna's wound to stem the bleeding. Krishna promises to pay her back in the future for this. Alittle later, when Draupadi is in desperate need of cloth, Krishna comes to her aid and pays back thefavor with cloth that never ends. Hence, no incident in Mahabharat, however small, is insignificant.

Characters 2. - The characters are incredibly well developed. They are multi-dimensional. Theyhave shades of grey like real people. No character in the Mahabharat is all good or all bad. Even

heroes like Krishna, Arjun and Yudhishithra make mistakes, sometimes huge and even villians likeDuryodhan have redeeming qualities. Each and every character has its back story. It would be avery long post if I were to explore these back stories. Sometimes these back stories span eons andinvolve boons that were given to these characters in their previous lives. Shikhandi, for example,ends up being the cause of Bhishma's death as a result of his previous birth as Amba where he hadbeen wronged by Bheeshma. Amba had been abducted by Bheeshma for his brother Vichitravirya.However, because she was in love with Salva, Vichitravirya refused to marry her. Salva also refusedto marry her as she had been abducted by another man. She came to Bheeshma to beg him to marryher and end her condemnation. However, because of his vow of celibacy, Bheeshma refused to doso. Amba then went into deep penance to be able to avenge her wrongs and was henceforth born asShikhandini to Drupada. She became Shikhandi when she remembered her past life. Arjun, behindshikhandi, finally was able to fatally wound Bheeshma as Bheeshma would not take aim against

someone who was born a woman. This back story can give an example of how rich each character isin Mahabharat and how well each character has been etched out. Another recommendation would beShakuni's back story and what made him the way he was.

Context and Relevance3. - The lessons from Mahabharat are many and varied and each person canderive something different from the epic. In fact, in multiple readings of the epic, each reading willgive the reader something new. I feel the lessons contained in the Bhagvad Gita are relevant eventoday.Especially 0M.#M/G 5>'?>08M$G . +2G7A &>(>, 0M.+2G9M$A0 -A0.> $G

8K8M$M50M.>(@. Roughly translated, it means - You have a right to perform your prescribedduty, but you must not be overly distraught or concerned with the results of your actions as they are

for Me to decide. 4. Of course, the 'Me' here refers to god. However, even if you are an atheist, youwould be able to appreciate how actions do not always lead to proportionate reactions. Instead ofdwelling on the past, it is more prudent to move ahead. I have always found this statement to be

very useful in everyday life. Hence, the Mahabharat is full of everyday lessons which are relevantwhether to your believe in God or not or are agnostic.

I firmly believe that the Mahabharata is an epic that you would enjoy reading, not just for thereligious significance but for the pure fun of reading an incredibly well written piece of literature.The richness of the plot, the diversity of the characters and the relevant lessons makeMahabharat a timeless epic that everyone can learn something from.For more relevant learnings, you should also check the question - What management & leadershiptraits / skills can I learn from Mahabharata, that I can apply in my job / business / personal / sociallife?


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Answer 5

Half knowledge can always be a dangerous thing.

Abhimanyu knew how to enter into the Chakravyuha, but not exit from it. It cost him his life. Therest of the Pandavas could not follow him inside, blocked as they were by Jayadratha.Give a man a long rope.

Krishna spared Shishupal of his mistakes, due to the promise he had given to the latter's mother ofsparing him for a 100 crimes. Yet Shishupal unaware of the fact kept needling Krishna at Yudhistir'sRajasuya Yagna, Krishna was quiet all the while, and when he knew that Shishupal had crossed thelimit, he slayed him.Brain is always better than brawn.The Kauravas had a stronger army, more warriors, and they had Krishna's formidable NarayanaSena, yet the Pandavas had Krishna. That proved to be a vital difference, he was one person whoknew every weakness of the opponents. And he applied the tactics smartly, be it against Bhishma,Karna, Jayadratha or Duryodhan.Half truth is more harmful than a lie.Yudhistir's "Aswatham Hatha Kunjara" moment, when he emphasized on the Aswathama Hatha(Aswathama Has been Killed) part, while the Kunjara( elephant) part was drowned out. It led Drona

to give up his arms voluntarily, and lose his life.Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.The insult of Draupadi in the assembly, would prove to be the curse for the House of Kurus. Heranger and desire for revenge would ultimately prove to be fatal for the Kauravas, as the entire racewas wiped out in the great battle.


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Counter:Arjun never let his valor in the one man show in the Virat battle affect his strategicjudgment during the battle at Kurukshetra. The result was different from that during the game ofdice at Hastinapur.Personal (no counter examples required IMO):1.Be careful what you wish for and mind your tongue.I d like to thank lady Draupadi for shedding(no puns intended) light on the immediately precedingpoints, with her five husbands and jive at an ill tempered brother in law. Shishupal with his 100expletives set a benchmark for the current crop of youngsters.2. Fraternize with equalsUnless you re the prince in a prince and pauper friendship or your friend happens to be LordKrishna in which case you can afford to be a Sudama - always be wary of people who arebetter-off in some way.3. Listen to your mom ( and if you already do, don't play jokes on her.)On a lighter note, if only Duryodhan had obeyed his mother s wish for him to appear stark naked infront of her before his big main event fight.Also, sharing a wife is so dated, more so for a timeless classic like Mahabharat.Beyond that, what was narrated by Sage Ved Vyas and penned down by Lord Ganesha is not for amere mortal like to me to envelop.


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Answer 7

Color of truth is grey.


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Answer 8

I consider the Mahabharata the best epic ever and Till now I have read three different versions of it.

1. RashmiRathi by Ramdhari Singh Dinkar2. Mahabharata by C Rajgopalachari3. Mrityunjaya by Shivaji Sawant

All this version has something unique in themselves , a different perspective of the human emotionsand the characters. I believe that every reader of this drama will find himselves having developed aperspective that will vary with the people around him because this is what Mahabharata is all about,Perception.Every character has an interesting story, and despite a few supernatural elements, every humancharacter is...human. Human, with all the flaws and strengths, and no one is more so than theprotagonist of Mahabharata, Krishna.


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read the Mahabharata. Read how Arjuna who learnt classical music and dance in Indra s palace andfelt that it was all a colossal waste of time had to use that very art in Virata s kingdom to survive thefinal year of exile. Read how Abhimanyu who learnt the art of penetrating the Chakravyuha in hismother s womb used it 16 years later in a deathly charge simply to protect his uncle Yudhistira?Nothing you learn ever goes to ground! It gives fruit! You just need to know when and how to pluckthat fruit!Strategy means utilising the right tool (or person) at the right time!Strategy is not about having the best people or material or systems and processes. It is about usingthem at the right time and in the right way. During the war, Arjuna and Bhima both lost their sonsAbhimanyu and Ghatotkach respectively. Both these boys fought like veteran warriors and gainedthe respect of their elders and peers alike. However they also served a greater purpose. It can be saidthat Krishna needed Ghatotkach to die at Karna s hands so that Arjuna would not have to faceKarna s lethal Shakti astra. It can also be said that Abhimanyu had to die in violation of all thedecided laws of war so that the Pandavas could use this as precedence and break these very laws tokill Dronacharya, Karna and Duryodhana. It can be argued that Krishna could have prevented theseyoung boys from dying. But it can also be argued that had these two events not occurred, theoutcome of the war would have been totally different!The Mahabharat is like a vast ocean from which we can keep on picking pearls of wisdom everytime we dive in it. Its greatness probably lies in the fact that its lessons are as applicable in practical,realistic terms in today s world as they were a couple of thousand years ago and as they will be acouple of thousand years later!Source : Internet


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Answer 10

Know your real dharma.

When we refer to the Mahabharata, the main focus is on the Mahabharata war of 18 days and all theevents leading up to it. Mahabharata which is referred to as a Dharma Yuddh (Dharma War or Warof Dharma) the interpretation is that it was a war between righteousness and non-righteousness or to

put more simply the war between good and evil.However when we dig deeper we find that there was never a absolute good or bad to start with, theDharma Yuddh was not between Dharma and Adharma, it was a war between differentinterpretations of Dharma.When Karna decided to not speak against his friend in the sabha where Draupadi was disrobed - hechose his dharma of unflinching loyalty to his friend Duryodhana even though his friend wascompletely wrong. His interpretation of his Dharma was of friendship over respect to a woman.In the same sabha, when Bheeshma chose to stay silent, his interpretation of dharma of loyalty tothe crown as abiding silently by the crown prince Duryodhana's diktats instead of the dharma ofbeing the elder and speaking against the wrong-doings of his children.When Kunti chose to stay silent about her first son Karna, she chose the Dharma of not given a badname to her lineage than to adandon her son and allow him being disrespected by this own brothers.

When Duryodhana, the first born of Dhritarashtra was vying for the crown as the first born of thefirst born, the elders did not clarify the position of his vis-a-vis that of Yudhistira as the first born ofall the children of Dhritarasthtra, Pandu and Vidur.When Duryodhana tried to kill the Pandavas in the castle of lac, none of the elders spoke against theintra-familial feuds of the children. They interpreted their dharma of loyalty to the crown as beingmute spectators to the mistakes of the crown prince.When Yudhistira shouted 'Ashwatthaama Hatah! ..... kunjaraha' he interpreted that speaking thetruth even though inaudible was right in a war.In this sense, during the whole of Mahabharata in the sitations of grey each pivotal character took totheir interpretation of dharma in their very own narrow sense than what was a correct dharmasuiting their responsibility. Where in the narrow sense every character was right in what they weredoing but the repurcussions of their short-sightedness led to a tragic wasteful battle which led to 3different complete clans being wiped out.


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Answer 11

It is true that everyone can learn something from Mahabharata, here is my interpretation.

1. Wisely choose allies:Kauravas could manageonly few old relations as strong alliances like,

Gandharas through their mother and shakuni.Sindhu, through marriage of Jayadhratha and Dushala.

Pragjyotisha through marriage of Duryodhana and Bhanumathi.

King Shalya through hospitality of Duryodhana.

but Pandavas carefully managed many alliances as follows

Kekaya through marriage of Yudhisthira and Devika.

Panchala through Marriage with Darupadi.

Rakshasas through marriage of Bhima and Hidimbi.

Kasi through marriage of Bhima and Valandhara.

Dwarka through marriage with Arjuna and Subhadra.

Nagas through marriage of Arjuna and Uloopi.

Chedi through marriage of Nakula and Karenmayi.

Magadh through marriage of Sahadeva and Vijaya.

Matsya throgh marriage of Abhimanyu and Uttara.

2. Decentralized the power:Kauravas had centralized leadership, 11 akshauhini*of army with one head of army at a time, whohas supreme authority, they were Bhishma, Drona, Karna, Shalya and Ashwathama.whhere as Pandavas had 7 akshauhini decentralized power into 7 kings.

Drupad (King of Pancala).

Virat (King of Matsya).

Dhrshtaketu (King of Chedi).

Sahadeva(King of Magadha).Shikhandi (Prince of Pancala).

Satyaki (warrior from Dwarka).

(An Akshauhiniwas an ancient battle formation that consisted of 21,870 chariots (Sanskritratha);21,870 elephants; 65,610 cavalry and 109,350 infantry, as per the Mahabharata (Adi Parva 2.15-23).The ratio is 1 chariot : 1 elephant : 3 cavalry : 5 infantry soldiers. In each of these large numbergroups (65,610, etc.), the digits add up to 18.)3. Loyalty in a relation makes a difference:Karna was humiliated that, as he was neither Kshatriya nor king, he cannot combat with Arjuna.

Duryodhana took Karna's side and argued that its the valor of a person that matters and not the


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caste. He also made Karna King of Anga.This incident created immense respect and loyalty in Karna towards Duryodhana. Even afterknowing Pandavas were his brothers(and the fact that Kunti asked him not to fight against his ownbrothers), Karna took Duryodhana's side.Even Duryodhana was very loyal.Once Karna and Bhanumathi were playing and Bhanumathi wasabout to lose. Duryodhana stood behind karna facing Bhanumathi. circumstances lead to a anawkward situation which made karna and Bhanumathi think they would be misunderstood byDuryodhana. But Duryodhana with a smile controlled the situation for he had so much trust onKarna.4. Be cautious in selecting manager:Krishnamade such a good manager by dividing power among kings(in the battle), in makingalliances and by estimating enemy's strategy, he perfectly assigned right people with theiropponents. Instead of striving alone he involved everybody in the war (which makes him perfectleader) and took right decisions at the time of crisis.Where as Duryodhana was a low-key strategist. He could not control situations on the spot. But wehave to appreciate his strategy of making King Salya fight from his side.When King Salya (brother of Madri) was coming to join Pandavas in battle, Duryodhana became agood host and his hospitatily left King Salya no choice but join his forces.5. Never take the self respect of person in front of others:You are partly right if you thought I was going to discuss about Draupadi. Yes, its such a disgrace toDraupathi who was daughter of King Drupada, wife of pandavas was insulted in the sabha whichconsisted of all elders (including Bishma) (such an act is disgrace to any woman in fact). Disgraceto a woman is the main reason for the cause of this great battle Kurukshetram.Other example is between Drupad and Dronacharya. They studied at same place and were good

friends. Drupad promised to help him when is in need. After many years when Dronachaya went toDrupad for help, Drupad insulted him infront of everybody, which created rivalry between them.6. Choose the right path:Although its circumstances that made Karna choose Kaurava's side, sometimes it is necessary tochoose the right path. Yuyutsu is an example in this regard. He is son of Dritarashtra and Sukhada.Even though he is predisposed to wrong path, he choose Pandava's side and became king ofIndraprastha in the end.7. Woman empowerment:If we observe carefully, no woman was involved in decision making on Kaurava's side. It waspatriarchal structure. Where as on Pandavas, Kunti's decision was honored. Even Draupadi playedkey role in decision making.Any team which does not have women is unbalanced, for the Masculine traits of Aggression and

Dominance should be balanced by the Feminine traits of Harmony and Sustenance.8. Never to hurt your own people:It was Shakuni's influence on Kauravas that created whole rivalry between Pandavas and Kauravasfrom the childhood. Dritarashtra came to know he was second husband. Gandhari was married to agoat, for it was written her husband dies after marriage. This made Dritarashtra angry andimprisoned Gandhari's family and starved them by giving only one fist of rice. They chose Shakuniand saved him giving their food. This made him angry and revengeful on Kauravas and lead to theirdestruction.Finally I conclude with Greed leads to destruction, may be now or in future.I apologize if there are any mistakes written.. :)


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Answer 12

Thanks for such an interesting question.Many lessons can be derived from Mahabharata and it greatly depends on how you see the epic andwhat morales you derive from it.Here are some management, leadership and life lessons which you can derive by studying thecharacters of Mahabharata.

Decision Making, Context is important - Bheesma

Devavrata (Bheesma) takes a very brave decision and does the unthinkable.I will not marry and produce kids so that my father can marry the woman he loves. I will renounce sexfor my father's happiness.

This is a massive decision he took in the context of his father's happiness.

But going forward, this decision turned out to be fatal. His father's wife, Satyavati gives birth to twochildren who died without fathering a child. The kingdom is without a king and hence queen Satyavati,comes back to Bheesma again and requests him to either marry or make the two queens pregnant.But Bheesma is tied with his vision of renouncing sex. He walks away sayingNope. I have taken this decision and I will stick to it no matter what happens.

Satyavati then requests Vyasa to make Ambalika and Ambika pregnant but the results were notsatisfactory. Dhritarashtra was blind and Pandu was a weakling.So one side, you see integrity and commitment. On the flip side, you see the decision that produced apositive result on one context brought a negative consequence in the other.This is what happens in life when you take decisions with shortsightedness. A decision which is fit inone context turns out to be complete opposite going forward and you are thrown into wilderness. Socontext keeps changing and you will have to keep changing your decisions with the context. If you donot change your decision making instinct with the context, prepare for a storm, prepare for the"Mahabharata".

Negotiation - Unpredictable Outcomes ( Yes, your "perfect" planwill fail ) - Satyavati


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So what is she doing? She is negotiating. She is making her future secure, she is using the situation toher advantage and making the most out of it. In her context and POV, she is doing the right thing as thesubject (King) has fallen for her and the ball in now in her court. She has to make the maximum use ofthe available resource at hand (management jargon, please excuse :D)But what is the outcome? Her children turn out to be vagabonds, they die early without fathering a

child. Her family bloodline is in a state of risk and her strategy has died an untimely death.This is what happens in life. You plan so much, you make strategies and plans but life is nothing but achain of unpredictable outcomes. You are nothing but a puppet in the hands of destiny, so do not plantoo much. You can make the perfect business plan, you can use the best resources, you can put anamazing strategy in action but there is a high chance that all of this will fail. Life is full of uncertaintyand strategies will fail. You will have problems no matter what you do.

Experiments / Curiosity - Wait for the right time - Kunti

Kunti had a vardaan from Durvasa muni that she can evoke any god and she will get a child. She iscurious and tried experimenting when the condition isn't right, she evoked the Sun god while she is notmarried.Result : Karna is born and she has to let him go fearing the norms of the society. How selfish you are,

O kunti, why? Whats the fault of that young lad? You gave birth to a talented fellow who isdiscriminated through out his life just because of his caste? What a shame.


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What is the outcome of unprepared experimentation? A soul is always deprived of his legacy, a soulwho is deprived of what he d... (more)Loading...


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Answer 13

Thanks for such an interesting question.

Many lessons can be derived from Mahabharata and it greatly depends on how you see the epic andwhat morales you derive from it.Here are some management, leadership and life lessons which you can derive by studying thecharacters of Mahabharata.

Decision Making, Context is important - Bheesma

Devavrata (Bheesma) takes a very brave decision and does the unthinkable.I will not marry and produce kids so that my father can marry the woman he loves. I will renounce sexfor my father's happiness.

This is a massive decision he took in the context of his father's happiness.


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But going forward, this decision turned out to be fatal. His father's wife, Satyavati gives birth to twochildren who died without fathering a child. The kingdom is without a king and hence queen Satyavati,comes back to Bheesma again and requests him to either marry or make the two queens pregnant.But Bheesma is tied with his vision of renouncing sex. He walks away sayingNope. I have taken this decision and I will stick to it no matter what happens.

Satyavati then requests Vyasa to make Ambalika and Ambika pregnant but the results were notsatisfactory. Dhritarashtra was blind and Pandu was a weakling.

So one side, you see integrity and commitment. On the flip side, you see the decision that produced apositive result on one context brought a negative consequence in the other.This is what happens in life when you take decisions with shortsightedness. A decision which is fit inone context turns out to be complete opposite going forward and you are thrown into wilderness. Socontext keeps changing and you will have to keep changing your decisions with the context. If you donot change your decision making instinct with the context, prepare for a storm, prepare for the"Mahabharata".

Negotiation - Unpredictable Outcomes ( Yes, your "perfect" planwill fail ) - Satyavati

King Shantunu fell in love with Satyavati and wants to marry her. Satyavati agrees but she puts up a

conditionI will marry you but my child will be the king of Hastinapur. He will be the heir of the throne and hewill be the ruler.


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So what is she doing? She is negotiating. She is making her future secure, she is using the situation toher advantage and making the most out of it. In her context and POV, she is doing the right thing as thesubject (King) has fallen for her and the ball in now in her court. She has to make the maximum use ofthe available resource at hand (management jargon, please excuse :D)But what is the outcome? Her children turn out to be vagabonds, they die early without fathering achild. Her family bloodline is in a state of risk and her strategy has died an untimely death.This is what happens in life. You plan so much, you make strategies and plans but life is nothing but a

chain of unpredictable outcomes. You are nothing but a puppet in the hands of destiny, so do not plantoo much. You can make the perfect business plan, you can use the best resources, you can put anamazing strategy in action but there is a high chance that all of this will fail. Life is full of uncertaintyand strategies will fail. You will have problems no matter what you do.

Experiments / Curiosity - Wait for the right time - Kunti

Kunti had a vardaan from Durvasa muni that she can evoke any god and she will get a child. She iscurious and tried experimenting when the condition isn't right, she evoked the Sun god while she is notmarried.Result : Karna is born and she has to let him go fearing the norms of the society. How selfish you are,O kunti, why? Whats the fault of that young lad? You gave birth to a talented fellow who isdiscriminated through out his life just because of his caste? What a shame.


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What is the outcome of unprepared experimentation? A soul is always deprived of his legacy, a soulwho is deprived of what he deserves, guilt followed by "Dharmasankat".Inference: You can do experiments but wait for the right time and situation. Do not cross the line,premature experimentation can lead to dangerous outcomes and you will have guilt all through yourlife - Why I did not wait for the right time?

Be Diplomatic - Pen is Mightier than the Sword: Madri

King Pandu was on his quest to expand the borders of Hastinapur's empire. He decided to attack thekingdom of Madra.Madri was the princess of Madra and she secretly adored Pandu. But Madra king was not in friendlyterms with Hastinapur and hence the chances were very thin. This was the perfect moment she waswaiting for.She went to Madra king and told him that defeating the hastinapur army is no easy feat. Even if youdefeat him, you will lose thousands of men, wealth and property. The only way to permanently avoidthis war is to offer me to King Pandu and make friendly relationship with Hastinapur so that they cannever attack Madra kingdom in future.


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Result: Madri acts diplomatic by not revealing her desire that she wants to marry Pandu. Instead shefocusses on the part that she is helping her kingdom and saving the lives of thousands of people whomight have otherwise died in the war.Inference: One diplomatic decision can succeed the might of millions of men and an entire army. Penis mightier than the sword. Be diplomatic when its required.

Determination succeeds against all odds - Amba

Bheesma forcibly kidnaps three maiden pricesses from Kashi - Amba, Ambika and Ambalika for theking of Hastinapur - Vichitravirya. Amba reveals that she already loves another prince and does notwant to marry the king of hastinapur.Bheesma lets her go but the other prince refuses to accept her. She returns to Bheesma saying"Hey Gangaputra Bheesma, you are the reason of my misery. You kidnapped me and now you have totake my responsibility. I demand motherhood from you, be a man Bheesma, be a man."

Bheesma denies saying that he can never marry because of his vow of Brahmacharya.


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To this Amba pledges"I will be the reason of your death, no matter how many times I have to take birth. I know you cannotbe killed because of your vardaan of Ichyamrityu but trust me, I will take birth time and time again andwill be the reason of your death."

So what do we have here. An impossible situation of killing Bheesma by a woman who does not knowhow to hold a bow. This woman, however is determined to kill Bheesma. Her determination is as

strong as a rock and she did become the reason of Bheesma's death on the 10th day of Kurukhshetrabattle. She was reborn as Shikhandi - half woman/half man and Bheesma wont fire a weapon towards awoman and Arjuna utilized this weakness (Achilees heel of Bheesma)


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Inference: Work hard and you will succeed and overcome any situation, no matter how difficult it is.

Focus on the entire thing, listen carefully before you act - Drona

In the battle of Kurukshetra, Drona is an unstoppable badass. He has to be stopped or else the Pandavaarmy will be ruthlessly destroyed.So Pandavas announced that Bheema has killed Aswathama. They suppress the fact that Bheema has

actually killed an elephant whose name is the same as Drona's only son. (Ashwathama hatha, iti gaja...)Drona loses focus and listen with only half ear. He drops his weapons and as a result he is beheaded byDhristyadhumna.


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Inference:Focus on the entire thing, do your research and then act. Do not just listen to sources andact, think and do your own research no matter how credible the sources are. Drona relied on the"credible" Yudhistira and ignored to research on his own which cost him his life and Hastinapur acostly defeat.

Little knowledge is a dangerous thing - Abhimanyu

Only Arjun and Drona knew how to crack the Chakravyuha - an invincible formation which is deadlyenough to finish the war in one day.Abhimanyu learned to crack Chakravyuha while in Subhadra's womb but he didn't knew how to getout of it.


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It is the combination of Arjuna and Krishna that wins (Nara + Narayana), not Arjuna alone. So on abroader perspective, even the best product needs an advisory board. Without mentorship and properguidance, even the best resource is directionless and cannot be used with supreme efficiency.Inference: Seek a mentor, no matter how talented you are.

Stubbornness is not wise. You cannot have everything in Life -Duryodhana

Duryodhana is foolish and stubborn. He is hell bent on not giving anything to Pandavas no matterwhat.

He won everything in the dice game and when Pandavas returned after 14 years from exile anddemanded half the kingdom, he deniesListen, you have lost everything and you cannot have any claims over the kingdom. It's all over now,get over it.

Krishna saysWhat about 5 villages? Just give them 5 villages or we will go at war with you

Duryodhana is so stubborn and egoistic he saysForget about 5 villages, not a needle point of land will I give to them.

Result: His stubbornness costed him his entire kingdom, 100 brothers and his life. Had he given those5 villages to Pandavas, he would have avoided all this but no, he chosed to be stubborn.

Inference: You cannot have everything. Learn how to curb stubbornness or else you risk everything.


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Organization is bigger than the Individual : Yudhistira

Yudhistira is a noble king, an epitome of wisdom and righteousness. Yet he decides to gamble away hisentire kingdom not just once but twice.


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Draupadi asks who gave him to right to lose her, his brothers and the Kingdom? Just because he is theking does not entitle him to gamble away his kingdom. Yudhistira loses his self control and gamblesaway everything, thinking that the kingdom, the property, his brothers and his wife are all his"possessions".Inference: The organization (Kingdom) is bigger than the individual (King / CEO). The individual hasno right to destroy the organization, even if he has founded it. He maybe the manager or owner but theorganization is certainly greater than him.

Lower your standards, do not ask for what you can't manage -

DraupadiDraupadi had done ghor tapasya and asked for a husband with 14 qualities. Lord Shiva told her whatshe is asking for is an impossibility, because all these qualities cannot co-exist in one man. Shivawarns her time and again but Draupadi acts like the stubborn Duryodhana, and says that it is up to lordShiva to grant her the wish she had demanded.


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Arjuna was fighting the war on a different front and Drona laid out Chakravyuha, so that Yudhistiracan be leisurely captured. Abhimanyu came to the rescue saying that he can break this formation. Hewas given the defence of 3 other pandavas but Jayadratha held them off in the first door ofChakravyuha.Result: He was killed mercilessly by Kaurava warriors and died an unfortunate death. He wascourageous, but his half knowledge cost him his life. The fact that he relied his defence on his 3pandava uncles, whom he considered superior to him in warfare was a costly mistake.Inference:Be careful while you practice your application of knowledge in real life. Also, do notblindly trust your resources, you never know when they will fail.

Even the best needs a mentor - Arjuna

Arjuna is without any doubt the best warrior in Mahabharata, on the parallels of Bheesma and Drona.He has all kinds of weapons which he had obtained from Indra but nevertheless, he seeks a mentor -Krishna. He is not overconfident, he is not stubborn, he is not a fool. He knows the value of properguidance.


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So here we see greed and desire crossing all limits. Shiva granted her the wish but warned her of theconsequences that are bound to follow.Note that Draupadi rejected Karna on the ground of low caste. Karna is probably the only character inthe epic with all the qualities. But she rejected him and married someone who shared her with hisbrothers.Also, Draupadi is extremely proud of her beauty and she uses it to create jealously among the cousinstime and again. Apart from Duryodhana, many men lusted for her.This provoked the disrobing incidentto a large extent.Inference:Do not ask for things you can't handle, lower your standards. Also, dont be besotted byyour beauty and looks, for they are likely to go against you.Read my other answers ->Amit Banerjee's answer to Mahabharata: What is the underlying symbolism of Draupadi being marriedto all five pandavas?Amit Banerjee's answer to Mahabharata: Was Draupadi in love with Karna?

Do what is right, even if that means going against your team:Yuyutsu

Yuyutsu is the only kaurava who protested against Draupadi's disrobing incident. When Yudhistiramade an offer to all the assembled people to change sides if they wanted to, Yuyutsu took his chariot tothe Pandava camp and switched sides.Inference: Always remember your Dharma and stand up for what's right.

Beware of the company you keep - Shakuni

Young Duryodhana is not as arrogant. But he is slowly spoiled by Gandhar prince, Shakuni. Shakunislowly fills Duryodhana's heart with bitterness and exploits him. Duryodhana is basically an innocentlad, he is provoked to be raged against Pandavas. Duryodhana is just a vehicle, Shakuni is theinstrument here and sadly, Duryodhana's parents are literally "blind" on the company their son keeps.


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Inference: Be very careful of the company you keep. Your company shapes up your thoughts, sochoose it wisely.

Dedicate everything, expect nothing, and you will be adored evenby your enemies: Karna

Karna is an exceptional character in Mahabharata. He was the eldest son of Kunti but due tounavoidable circumstances, he grew up as a charioteers son. Karna is exceptionally talented fellow, heis loyal and well built, intelligent and handsome (all the qualities Draupadi demanded from Shiva).


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But he never gets what he deserves. Neither the respect, nor the legacy or love. Politics was played onhim time and time again but he always stood his ground. He never gets his due but he never gave up onhis efforts. His courageous spirit led him to achieve impossible odds, he was no less than otherPandavas when it came to virtues and valor. Krishna and Bheesma concede that karna is a noble spiritwhich rarely appears in the human race.

Despite all this, he is a loyal friend. He knows Duryodhana is wrong but he still takes his side and nothis brothers. This is because it is Duryodhana who has given him identity in the society. He promisesKunti that he will not kill any Pandava except Arjuna. Karna knows that kauravas will lose but hefights to repay Duryodhana's debt.On many occasions, he was provoked to switch sides. Kunti, Indra, Krishna tried to provoke him buthe walked away. He said - I cannot leave my friend at a time when he needs me the most.Inference: A friend in need is a friend indeed. In Life, you may not get what you deserve butnevertheless, you got to dedicate your life for something. Dedicate everything, every single thing youhave and the world will remember you forever.

Make powerful Allies - Network is Power

Kauravas were the greatest empire of that time and the presence of Bheesma and Drona guaranteed that

their victory is certain. Nobody can kill Bheesma, he has ichhaa-mrityu, so he alone can finish the war


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(which he almost did for the first 10 days).They did not focus on making allies except from old relations from far off places like Gandhara(Shakuni), Sindhu (Jayadrath) and Kambodia (Camboja - Bhagadutt)Pandavas on the other hand did not have wealth so they focused on making powerful allies.

Panchal through marriage with Darupadi.

Dwarka through marriage with Arjuna and Subhadra.

Magadh through marriage of Sahdeva and Vijaya.

Chedi through marriage of Nakula and Karenmayi.

Kasi through marriage of Bhima and Balandhara.

Kekaya through marriage of Yudhisthira and Devika.

Matsya through marriage of Abhimanyu and Uttara.

The Rakshasas through marriage of Bhima and Hidimba.

The Nagas through marriage of Arjuna and Uloopi.

The kingdom of Virat - Arjuna saved Virat from Kauravas while disguised as Brihannala

In business language, this is synonymous to merger and acquisition.Inference: Network with people and expand your reach. Connect with people who will fight with youbecause you share a similar cause.

Teamwork succeeds where Individual effort fails

Kauravaslacked team spirit from day one. No coordination at all, the Kaurava generals fought theirindividual wars.

Bheesma is fighting for his vow of protecting the throne

Drona is fighting for Hastinapur's salt and Drupad's

Kripacharya is fighting for his wife's brother (Drona)

Shalya - Tricked by Duryodhana, he wanted to fight for Pandavas.

Karna - Fighting to prove his superiority over Arjuna.

Aswathama - fighting to support his father Drona.

Shakuni - Favors Duryodhana but not interested in Hastinapur's throne. His only interest is tospoonfeed Duryodhana in the battlefield.

Pandavas were one team with one Goal. Everyone listened to Krishna's strategies while as warriorsthey were in complete awe of Bhima and Arjuna. Most of them were close relatives cousins,

brothers-in-law, fathers-in-law. More than that they all were part of the decision-making process. Itwas their common war.Inference: The strength lies in team work and not in individual efforts.

Know your competitors weakness and exploit it silently:Yudhisitira

There is a reason why Yudhistira got that name - he is always calm and composed in the battlefield(Yudh mein sthir = Yudhisthir)Yudhistir is an amazing strategist. On the first day of the war, he went over to the enemy side to seekblessings from Elders. In reality he made a covert deal with them, wherein all of them agreed to helphim and unfolded the secrets of defeating them (Bheesma actually told Yudhistir how to stop him on

the 9th day).


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He took calculated risks. He made an offer to all the assembled people to change sides if they wantedto. He knew well of the lack of cohesiveness among the Kauravas. Yuyutsu, son of Dhritarashtracrossed over to the Pandavas. This exposed the weakness of the Kauravas for all to see.Inference: Know your competitors weaknesses and exploit them but do it silently.

Women empowerment, do not neglect the opposite sex

Kauravas follow a Patriarchal structure.Nowhere do we see women in the Kaurava camp except Gandhari, who is always ignored and nobodylistens to whatever she says. No women in the decision making process. You dont hear many storiesabout Duryodhana's wife, Dusassana's wife or daugthers.Pandavas follow a matriarchal structure.

Kunti is the final decision maker and everyone listens to her, no questions asked.

Draupadi was a companion in whatever the Pandavas did. She had a big role in all the decisionmaking. It is Draupadi who bound all the Pandavas together for 14 years.

Hidimba, Bheema's wife, sends her son Ghatotkacha to war.

Uttara inspires Abhimanyu and prepares her mind for the battlefield. Abhimanyu was hesitant at firstbecause he is only 16 but it is Uttara who gives him inner strength.Any team which doesn't have women is unbalanced, for the Masculine traits of Aggression andDominance should be balanced by the Feminine traits of Harmony and Sustenance.Inference: Strike a balance, empower women.

Read my other answer -> What is the position of women in mahabharata?

You do not need the best man, you need the "right" man for theright job

On the Kaurava's side, nobody wanted the war except Duryodhana. So even if the Kaurava side wasmore heavy, their motive was distributed.

Bheesma - He won't kill the Pandavas, they are his grandchildren

Drona - He won't kill Pandavas (his students)

Shalya - He was the maternal uncle of Pandavas and secretly helped them by acting as a spy. He alsodemotivated Karna in the battlefield.

Karna: Promised not to kill any Pandava except Arjuna.So as you see, Kauravas are nothing but a directionless team of traitors. A team without any agenda,fighting cluelessly. No organization.

Pandavas had a common goal but they intelligently divided the responsibilities. They had an agendaand they picked the right man for the right job.

Dhratsadyumna - Drona.

Shikhandi: Bhisma.

Satayaki Bhurisrava.

Arjuna Karna.

Bhima Duryodhana and his brothers.

Sahadeva Shakuni and his sons.

Nakula Karna s sons.

Support system - Virat, Drupad, Chedi, Magadh, Kasi, Matsya and Naga king.


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Krishna - Crisis manager and advisor.

Inference: A great example of proper resource utilization. The right team is made by selecting theright Individuals. Get the right man for the right job.Finally,

Your Future Does not Depend on what you "plan", it howevertakes shape on what you do now. Karma is supreme and it doescome back in time : Krishna


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Lord Krishna talks about people centering their lives around one failure or a single disappointment. Hesays, when some incident shatters all the plans, hopes and aspirations, people start considering thatpain and hurt to be the center of their lives and continue to live their lives around it. He asks, Is the

future constructed based on the plans that we mortals make? Krishna uses a beautiful analogy: When a mountaineer climbs up to the peak of a mountain for the first time, was it the plans that hehad made at the bottom of the mountain that carried him to the top? No, it does not. In reality, as themountaineer keeps climbing up, he faces different challenges and obstacles. At every step, he makesthe decision for his next step. He has to change his plans at every step. The plan that worked for thelast step may fail him miserably on the next. Same is the fact with life, he goes on to say. When peoplestart considering one obstacle, challenge or misery to be the center of their life, and stops the verymomentum of life, they cannot become successful in life. Nor can they achieve happiness andcontentment. That means, rather than trying to make life worthy of one, making oneself worthy of lifeis the only way to success and happiness.You do your work, do not expect results or make plans aroundyour imagined results. Because you don't know what the results are and when the results will come,you cannot control the outcome. So do your karma.I made a SlideShare deck out of this whole thing.

Leadership and Life Lessons From MahabharataP.S: I spent an entire sunday writing this :D


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Answer 14

I can see only the eye of the bird said Arjuna, emphasizing on action (present) not on distraction(past) or outcome (future).


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A Hero can be anyone so change yourplans be a DIRECTOR

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