Hi,
However learned you are, there will be times when you need other’s guidance to make decisions in your life. It has to be from right people. It is important to approach right people so that you get the right piece of advice. The wisdom to find those right people makes a lot of impact on one’s life. While wrong counsel could lead to a disaster, the right one could put you on the road to success. These examples from the Mahabharata clearly illustrate the care we ought to take in times of need for others’ counsel.
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Whose counsel do you seek? Beware! It makes a lot of difference.
Once Duryodhana returned home after attending the pandava’s rajasuya sacrifice and seeing their wealth and prosperity, he became very jealous. He sought counsel from his evil genius Sakuni who gave him the idea of inviting Yudhishthira for playing the game of dice so that he could be defeated in it through mischievous tricks and his kingdom could be taken over. Though Duryodhana won a lot of wealth through this idea, ultimately it led to disastrous consequences of Kurukshetra battle and ended with his death.
On the other hand at the end of the war, pandavas regained their kingdom and Yudhishthira became the king. The great saint Vyasa instructed Yudhishthira to go to the oldest of the Kuru race 'Bhishma' and learn from him about the rules of dharma and governance suggesting that he was the most learned person of all and that there was no matter that he hadn’t known about. At that time Bhishma, having the power of choosing his death at his free will, was lying on the bed of arrows, meditating on Krishna, and waiting for the auspicious ekadashi day to breathe his last. Krishna, who was with Yudhishthira and other pandavas at this time, too suddenly felt Bhishma and turned his mind towards him. Seeing Krishna suddenly becoming silent, Yudhishthira asked him, “Krishna, you seem to have been lost in some thoughts. What are you thinking about so deeply?" Then Krishna told him, “Bhishma knows about all the vedas, the divine scriptures, the use of all the divine weapons, and also the past, the present, and the future. He is a beloved devotee of mine. He is meditating on me even now by lying on the bed of arrows. Once, he leaves the world, there will be no one who could teach you like him. Hence, you must go to him right now and seek his guidance on the rules of dharma and governance. “
Accordingly, Yudhishthira went to Bhishma and sought his guidance. Bhishma’s discourse to Yudhishthira on governance, work, and life is a treatise containing principles, values, and ethics of good governance and righteous living. It is during this counselling Bhishma also revealed to Yudhishthira the Vishnu Sahasra Nama Stotram – the 1000 names of Vishnu. Thus Bhishma’s suggestions and revelations became a guiding light to Yudhishthira then and for many generations later to us even now.
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It is important to take inputs and suggestions from elders who had the benefit of experience with them. You need not wait to learn from your own mistakes. In today’s world, suggestions may come from several quarters. As the wrong counsel seems to be more tempting and attractive, it becomes critical to judge for oneself to filter the right from the wrong. The best thing is to be able to judge correctly and choose for you a right mentor yourself. The students may look for capable teachers, the patients for expert doctors, the keen learners for their gurus and mentors in their field of interest. It is a must. With a right mentor, you can win greatness. And without, you may lose out a lot.
However learned you are, there will be times when you need other’s guidance to make decisions in your life. It has to be from right people. It is important to approach right people so that you get the right piece of advice. The wisdom to find those right people makes a lot of impact on one’s life. While wrong counsel could lead to a disaster, the right one could put you on the road to success. These examples from the Mahabharata clearly illustrate the care we ought to take in times of need for others’ counsel.
--------------------------------------------------------
Whose counsel do you seek? Beware! It makes a lot of difference.
Once Duryodhana returned home after attending the pandava’s rajasuya sacrifice and seeing their wealth and prosperity, he became very jealous. He sought counsel from his evil genius Sakuni who gave him the idea of inviting Yudhishthira for playing the game of dice so that he could be defeated in it through mischievous tricks and his kingdom could be taken over. Though Duryodhana won a lot of wealth through this idea, ultimately it led to disastrous consequences of Kurukshetra battle and ended with his death.
On the other hand at the end of the war, pandavas regained their kingdom and Yudhishthira became the king. The great saint Vyasa instructed Yudhishthira to go to the oldest of the Kuru race 'Bhishma' and learn from him about the rules of dharma and governance suggesting that he was the most learned person of all and that there was no matter that he hadn’t known about. At that time Bhishma, having the power of choosing his death at his free will, was lying on the bed of arrows, meditating on Krishna, and waiting for the auspicious ekadashi day to breathe his last. Krishna, who was with Yudhishthira and other pandavas at this time, too suddenly felt Bhishma and turned his mind towards him. Seeing Krishna suddenly becoming silent, Yudhishthira asked him, “Krishna, you seem to have been lost in some thoughts. What are you thinking about so deeply?" Then Krishna told him, “Bhishma knows about all the vedas, the divine scriptures, the use of all the divine weapons, and also the past, the present, and the future. He is a beloved devotee of mine. He is meditating on me even now by lying on the bed of arrows. Once, he leaves the world, there will be no one who could teach you like him. Hence, you must go to him right now and seek his guidance on the rules of dharma and governance. “
Accordingly, Yudhishthira went to Bhishma and sought his guidance. Bhishma’s discourse to Yudhishthira on governance, work, and life is a treatise containing principles, values, and ethics of good governance and righteous living. It is during this counselling Bhishma also revealed to Yudhishthira the Vishnu Sahasra Nama Stotram – the 1000 names of Vishnu. Thus Bhishma’s suggestions and revelations became a guiding light to Yudhishthira then and for many generations later to us even now.
--------------------------------------------------------
It is important to take inputs and suggestions from elders who had the benefit of experience with them. You need not wait to learn from your own mistakes. In today’s world, suggestions may come from several quarters. As the wrong counsel seems to be more tempting and attractive, it becomes critical to judge for oneself to filter the right from the wrong. The best thing is to be able to judge correctly and choose for you a right mentor yourself. The students may look for capable teachers, the patients for expert doctors, the keen learners for their gurus and mentors in their field of interest. It is a must. With a right mentor, you can win greatness. And without, you may lose out a lot.
With love and regards,
Siva
B. Sivaprasad
Corporate Trainer and Motivational Speaker
value4value@gmail.com
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