The Nine Lessons from Maryada Purushottam
- Vulnerability is Strength
- Duty Bound / Dharma is Divine
- In the Present (Now & Here)
- Harnessing the Potential
- Beyond the Comfort Zone
- Compassion to Accommodate
- Devoted to Commitments
- Self-Aware
- Empathy over Equity
Vulnerability is Strength (It does not make you any less of a hero)
In the Aranya Kand when Lord Ram loses Sita, many scholars have written very vividly how heartbroken Lord Ram was and how he wept for his beloved partner. The lesser or milder version of this vulnerability is exhibited in other instances in Sundar Kand during his interactions with his fellow travelers.
Some may interpret this vulnerability displayed by Lord Ram as a weakness while others may appreciate the same as a trait of a loving affection towards his spouse. In either case, it does not make him any less of a hero/leader. In fact, it galvanized his followers towards the singular goal of bringing back Sita Maa.
In today’s world we have this false notion of ‘Machoism’ (Mard ko dard nehi hota – A man is never afraid). And this notion is applied to all Leaders irrespective of their biological gender and this ‘Toxic Masculinism’ engulfs all of us even more so as we get closer to the Boardrooms/CXO cabins. However, in recent times the tide has been changing and, Leaders who are comfortable potraying a gentle persona are more likely to attract loyal followers who will not only achieve their goals, but also stick with them during good & bad times.
By K. Srini