Decision making!
 
Nārada said to Yudhisthira-When I met your father Pāndu at Yamarāj’s assembly hall, he asked me to convey message to you-If you & your brothers conquer all other rulers of earth & then perform Rājsuya sacrifice, it will enable him to be promoted to the planet of Indra
 
Yudhisthira, if you like I can convey your reply to your father, said Nārada. My advice is that you endeavor to fulfill his wish. If you do so, you’ll also obtain exalted destination after death, as will your ancestors. However, there are obstacles to perform Rājsuya sacrifice. There are Brahma-Rāksasas who look for even the slightest fault in sacrificial performance & finding one, cause a great war to even destroy earth. Nārada then left with his associates to go to Dvārka to see Sri Krsna
 
Pāndavās after listening to above, could only think about Rājsuya Yagya and nothing else, & lost all peace of mind. They discussed with their ministers the possibility of performing the Yagya. The more they considered the proposal, the more inclined they became to conduct it. Still Yudhisthira (also known as Ajātshatru-one who is loved by all & whose enemy doesn’t exist), always thought about the welfare of everyone & just not his own aggrandizement
 
Yudhisthira believed in principles to let each person receive what is their due & treated all his subjects with kindness of a father. There was no one within his kingdom that harbored malice towards him. His brothers, Bhima, Arjun, Nakula & Sahadev also treated their subjects fairly, with humility & administered justice impartially. Due to Pāndavās exalted qualities, entire kingdom was free from fear & quarrel, and everyone was attentive to perform their occupational duties. As a result of King’s piety, rain came in abundance at proper times so that the entire kingdom was prosperous
 
Being very concerned for the welfare of his subjects, Yudhisthira once again consulted his ministers & priests and begged them to tell him frankly, whether they considered him qualified to perform the great sacrifice or not. He was assured that he had qualifications of a great & pious emperor & was encouraged to begin preparations for the Rājsuya sacrifice. Yudhisthira also got assurance from sage Dhaumya & Vyāsadev to go ahead
 
Being cautious however, King Yudhisthira repeatedly calculated his strengths and assets, for he knew that those who are wise never come to grief because of acting only after long deliberation. Since any mistake in the sacrificial performance could have very grave consequences, Yudhisthira didn’t like the weight of decision to rest entirely upon his shoulders. He wanted ample guidance from proper authorities, so that he would not make a mistake & thus jeopardize the welfare of his subjects
 
Huge lessons for people in position of power, before they take any decision which has consequence for a larger group. Position should make one more thoughtful about his decisions & not careless. Evaluation of options should be done by larger group of people who are qualified to investigate each & every aspect and the end impact of actions. Whims & fancies of one individual brings huge risks. Scriptural wisdom guides us in laying the broad foundation of taking decisions which are just & fair
 
Thoughts? #gameoflife


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