Values, Ethics & The Mahabharat

Presented by:Suprit

Values
Values( set of preferences) are said to be the cause and Ethics effect. If one operates in a given instance from a Value emotion within the outward action will tend to be Ethical.

Ethics
As per Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary, the word ethics is defined as moral principle that govern or influence a persons behavior. Ethics is thus a benchmark of human behavior. The conduct of human beings is influenced either by the emotions of life or the actions people perform in different situations. The coordination of action and emotions generates ethics.

Ethical Behaviour
Ethical behavior is characterized by honesty, fairness and equity in interpersonal, professional and academic relationships and in all other activities. Ethical behavior respects the dignity, diversity and rights of individuals and groups of people. This definition is not a denial of the existence of other ethical duties with respect to practice, professional service delivery, and research.

Indian Ethos
Indian ethos is drawn from the Vedas, the Ramayana, Mahabharat, the Bhagwadgita, and Upanishad's. Right from the Vedic age it has been discovered two basic universal truths of life. 1. The essential infinitude and divinity of all souls. 2. The essential oneness and solidarity of universe and all life.

Insights Into Indian Ethos:

Indian ethos demands subjective management system. 1. Management attitude. 2. Humanizing the organization. 3. Interior sing management 4. Self introspection 5. Brain stilling (decision making in silence) 6. Self dynamising meditation.

Teaching from scriptures and tradition

The Bhagavad-Gita follows the philosophy of Samadarsana (the unitive view of the Ultimate Reality) and Visamavarttana (differentiated behaviour in the empirical world) to the core. Referring to this devotion to duty, it has been remarked in the Bhagavad-Gita that one should prefer death, while performing ones own Dharma to a change of professional duty.

Kauravas Resources
Logistics = 11 Akshouhini 1 Akshouhini = 21,870 chariots, 21,870 elephants, 65,610 horses and 109,350 foot-soldiers (in a ratio of 1:1:3:5). Key Human Resources(Players) : Bhishma Drona Karna Shalya Kripacharya Ashwatthama Duryodhan

Pandavas Resources
Logistics :- 7 Akshouhini Key Human Resources(Players) : Arjuna Bhima Dhrshtadyumna Abhimanyu Ghatotkach Shikhandi Satyaki

SWOT of Pandavas
Strength :i) Krishna the Manager ii) Friends like Pancalas, The Yadavas, The Magadhas and The Chedis iii) Over confident Kauravas Weakness :i)Where out for the13 years ii)Total number of Manpower

Opportunities :i) To regain the Kingdom and degnity Threats :i) Human resource of Kauravas ii) Chakraview iii) Bhishm, Karna etc.

SWOT of Kauravas
Stengths i) Logistics & Human Resources ii) Chakraview iii) Bhism, Karna and other key players Weakness :i) Over-confidence & Ego ii) Lack of same ideology iii) Affection for Pandavas in major player

Opportunities :i) To make their kingdom free from threats of Pandavas Threats :i) Krishna ii) Unity of Pandavas

Motivation
Kauravas : Without war, will concede not a needle-prick of earth. - Duryodhna

Pandavas : We fight over a Kingdom, as dogs over a piece of meat.-Yudhisthira

Preparation
Kauravas : Karna went on a country-wide military mission, subdued the different kingdoms and acquired wealth. But it meant a loss in terms of both men and money and creation of new enemies.

Pandavas : Though in exile they turned their attention to improving over their weakness Arjuna set out on a mission to acquires Divyastras. Bhima met his brother Hanuman and got a blessing of enhanced strength. Yudhisthira acquired teachings from the various wise rishis, and also learnt the Game of Dice from Gandharava Chtrasena, lest he was challenged to yet another dice game. Its said that he had become undefeatable in Dice.

Allies
Kauravas : Centralized power system. The greatest empire of the time. But not many powerful allies, except from old relations from far off places like Gandhara(Shakuni), Sindhu(Jayadrath) and Kambodia(Camboja Bhagadutt)

Pandavas : No wealth. No power of their own. But powerful allies all over India. Panchala through Marriage with Darupadi. Dwarka through marriage with Arjuna and Subhadra. Magadh through marriage of Shadeva 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.

Leadership
Kauravas : Centralized leadership. One Head of Army at a time, who has supreme authority of 11 akshouhini of army. Bhishma, Drona, Karna, Shalya and Ashwatthama.

Pandavas : Distributed leadership. Seven commanders for the seven divisions.(1 man command 1 akshouhini each). Virat (King of Matsya). Drupad (King of Pancala). Sahadeva(King of Magadha). Dhrshtaketu (King of Chedi). Satyaki (Only warrior from Dwarka). Shikhandi (Prince of Pancala). Dhrshtadymna Commander in Chief. Arjuna Supreme Commander. Krishna Arjunas charioteer and counselor.

Team Spirit
Kauravas : No team spirit. They all fought their individual wars. Bhishma : For his Vow to protect the throne Hastinapur. Drona and Kripa : They owed allegiance to the throne. Shalya : Simply cheated by Duryodhana to be there. Was originally a Pandava ally. Karna : To prove his mantle against Arjuna. Friendship for Duryodhana. They didnt gel well with each other. Bhishma and Karna. Bhisma and Shakuni. Karna nd Shakuni. Karna and Shalya. Shalya and Bhishma. It was like a bees, hornets and mosquitoes put together in a jar.

 Pandavas : One team. One Goal. As men, they all had huge respect for Krishna and Yudhisthira. While as warriors they were in complete awe of Bhima and Arjuna. Most of them were close relatives cousins, brotherin-laws, father-in-laws. More than that they all were part of the decision-making process. It was their common war.

Individual Motives
Kauravas : Except for Duryodhana nobody wanted the War. All the 4 main generals had strong ties with the Pandavas. Bhishma(grandchildern) Wont kill the panadavas. Will kill a thousand soldiers each day. Drona (students) Wont kill the Pandavas. Will capture them only. Shalya (Nakula-Shadevas maternal uncle) : Loved the Pandavas and covertly helped them by humiliating Karna Karna (brother to the Pandavas) : Promised not to kill any of the other Pandavas save Arjuna. A Team of Traitors.

Pandavas : Common goal. But the individuals had their individual targets. Their own agenda, which just became one with the teams agenda. Dhratsadyumna : Drona. Shikhandi : Bhisma. Satayaki Bhurisravas. Arjuna Karna. Bhima Duryodhana and his brothers. Sahadeva Shakuni and his sons. Nakula Karnas sons.

Commitment
Kauravas : Already said the Big 4 had big emotional attachment with the 5 Pandavas. Looking further on their commitment. Bhisma himself gave away the secret of killing him to the Pandavas.He prolonged the War by killing only inconsequential soldiers. He did not fight a warrior like Shikhandi because of his personal bias. Drona too indirectly gave away his secret, by saying he was invulnerable as long as he held a weapon. Moreover he abandoned weapons as soon as he knew his son had died. Karna did not kill Yudhisthira and BHima when he got the chance. He gave away his Kavac and Kundala prior to his War. Karna fled innumerous times from the War when he was hurt. He didnt save Duhsasana when Bhima was killing him. Shalya kept on insulting Karna while in Battle.

Pandavas : Abhimanyu , a 16 year old kid. Ventured beyond enemy lines alone. This was suicide mission but he still went in and took a great part of the army down with him. It took the combined effort of 7 Maharathis to take him down. Ghatotkach even in death, took with him almost half the army. Yudhisthira, he knew he couldnt face Karna in War, but still went in to set an example. Yudhitshira didn't hesitate to tell a lie or a twisted truth when faced with the decision of whether to stick to his personal integrity or welfare of the team. Krishna took up arms twice and almost entered the War, inspite of his promise, only to be stopped by Arjuna.

Right Managers
Krishna : The Greatest Crisis Manager the world has seen. Yudhisthira : Low-key strategist. On the first day of the War, he played a Master game. Went over to the Enemy side to seek blessings from Elders. In reality he made a covert deal with them, wherein all of them agreed to help him and unfolded the secrets of defeating them. While coming back, he took a calculated risk. He made an offer to all the assembled people to change sides if they wanted to. He knew well of the lack of cohesiveness among the Kauravas. Yuyutsu, son of Dhrtarashtra crossed over to the Pandavas. This exposed the weakness of the Kauravas for all to see.

The Roots
Kauravas : Princes brought up in the comfort of the Royal Palace, matured on romanticized ideals of Power, Fame, Courage and Valor. No experience of ground reality.

Pandavas : Spent the greater part of their lives in Poverty. Childhood in the Himalayan foothills among Rishis. One year exile among the poor people of Kuru-Panchala. 12 years of Vanvas and 1 year of Agyatvas. Experinced with the ground reality. Contact with people from various strata of the society. Sannyasis (celibate monks), Acharyas(Householders, teachers), poor Brahmanas, lower-class Potter. Different races of people. Rakshasas, Gandharavas, Apsaras, Nagas. People from different regions Uttarkuru, Bengal etc. A Sense of Sharing. A sense of Brotherhood.

Women Empowerment
Kauravas : Patriarchal structure. Bhishma, Drona, Kripa, Dhratarashtra, Vidur, Shakuni, Duryodhana, Karna, Duhsasana. No women in the decision making process. Gandhari retreated to the Inner Chambers. Nobody listened to her.

Pandavas : Matriarchal Structure. Kunti was the authority supreme for the Pandavas. Whatever my mother says is Dharma to me : Yudhisthira. Draupadi was a companion in whatever the Pandavas did. She had a big role in all the decision making. Without her the Pandavas would have most probably reclined to the forests. Even the younger Pandavas : Ghatotkach, Abhimnanyu and Iravan were brought up by their mothers. So the female influence was huge.

Recap
Turn your weaknesses into strengths. Turn enemies into allies. Share your responsibilities. Teamwork scores over Individual Effort. Right Team = Right set of Individuals. The right man for the right job. Commitment scores over Competence. Team interests over Individual interests.. Know your enemy/challenges. Exploit its weaknesses. Take calculated risks. The Right Managers : To inspire, invigorate, counsel in crisis . Know Ground realities. Accept different ideologies. Cooperate. Empower Women. The Gender Balance is required for stability and administration.

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