Gopesh
By Ananta Gauranga Das
When Alexander the Great lead his men through the Gedrosian Desert, the loss of life was colossal. He sent phalanxes of his army in search of water. After many hours they came back with just enough to fill a helmet. The parched army handed over the precious liquid to their commander. He clasped the helmet in both hands and to the dismay of his troops, poured its contents onto the sand. Alexander proclaimed, “If the men don’t drink, then I don’t drink”. This selfless act forever forged an impenetrable bond between the commander-in-chief and his men. He inspired them to live and die for him, not by what he said, rather, by what he did.
Alexander lived and lead with integrity and honour. This got me thinking of current political leadership, locally and globally. It turned out to be a depressing thought.
The Vedic paradigm explains that, us common folk are influenced and affected by the actions and behaviours of distinguished persons. If the masses bear witness to gross lawlessness by the powers that be, then they too will emulate such atrocities. The converse is also true. If the monarchs, prime ministers, and presidents inculcate spiritual practices, their activities and consciousness become purified. This is enhanced by consultation with sacred texts and individuals who have realised spiritual wisdom. In so doing, they relinquish their lower natures and govern themselves and others by divine principles. There is power in divine sound and intelligent leaders know how to harness it. Saintly leaders armed with spiritual science expand their vision of leadership, resulting in a moral and harmonious society. In this way leaders also empower others righteously and not simply beget a blind following.
A leader should be like salt. The quantity of salt in a dish needs to be just right, too little or too much, results in culinary disaster. Like salt in a preparation, leaders should be balanced. They should have a balanced approach to work, spiritual practice, and recreation. Balance is crucial when dealing with challenges. When one is equipoised, he is neither disturbed by elation or distress. This state of mind allows for decisions grounded in stability.
