Traits of a Leader from Mahabharata
Mahabharata is a mighty book on all counts. The complexity of the plot, the morals it teaches, the linguistic acrobatics, size of the book and many more - almost everything in the world pales against it. For example, consider the below sloka.
देशः कालस तथायुक्तॊ न हि नार्हति केशवः
मंस्यत्य अधॊक्षजॊ राजन भयाद अर्चति माम इति ||3||
अवमानश च यत्र सयात कषत्रियस्य विशां पते
न तत कुर्याद बुधः कार्यम इति मे निश्चिता मतिः ||4||
न तु तस्मिन परदेयं सयात तथा कार्यगतिः परभॊ
विग्रहः समुपारब्धॊ न हि शाम्यत्य अविग्रहात ||6||
When Lord Krishna was about to come to Hastinapura and when the Kuru court was deliberating how to receive him, Duryodhana in no mean words says, Krishna shouldn’t be accorded the honour he deserves – it’s not because he doesn’t deserve it(rather, he deserves much more than what we can give him) but because he is firmly in the enemy camp. Acting as if there is no war will not bring peace.
This sloka is a hidden gem and not commonly known. The message is simple - Acting as if there is no war will not stop war. Diplomatic niceties, personal and family relationships - none of them will stop a war if everyone has decided to embark upon one.
Digressions apart, back to the topic on hand. A pleasant thread hit my timeline on twitter. BORI, one of the preeminent historical research institutes in India and the world posted a thread over how a leader should be. These are sourced from Mahabharata’s Santi Parva and follows the traditional Sanskrit practice of Dharmavakyas.
न कोशः परमो ह्यन्यो राज्ञां पुरुषसंचयात् | - 56.34
The Rulers' best treasure is the accumulation of competent persons in several spheres.
तस्मान्नैव मृदुर्नित्यं तीक्ष्णो वापि भवेन्नृपः I वसन्तेऽर्क इव श्रीमान्न शीतो न च घर्मदः | - 56.40
The Ruler should neither always be mild nor always be severe. They should be attractive like the sun in the springtime: neither cold nor causing perspiration.
उत्थानधीरः पुरुषो वाग्धीरानधितिष्ठति | - 58.15
A person proficient in actual achievements stands far superior to someone who is only skilled in words and schemes.
आत्मा जेयः सदा राज्ञा ततो जेयाश्र्च शत्रवः | - 69.4
The Ruler should first conquer and control their own Self and only after that should proceed to conquer their opponents.
अलब्धलिप्सा लब्धस्य तथैव च विवर्धनं I प्रदानं च विवृद्धस्य पात्रेभ्यो विधिवत्तथा | - 59.57
Acquiring what has not been acquired, augmenting what has been obtained, and donating what has been augmented for worthy objects and with necessary planning.
Summarizing, a leader should have the following traits.
Eye for talent
Dispassionate, patient and astute behavior
Focus on accomplished actions
Self-awareness and self-control
Proactive and prudent planning