The Leadership Sutra by Pattanaik Devdutt

Author:Pattanaik, Devdutt [Pattanaik, Devdutt]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
ISBN: 9789384067717
Publisher: Aleph Book Company
Published: 2016-04-01T16:00:00+00:00

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Domestication can be voluntary and involuntary

arud was born a slave. His mother, Vinata, had lost a wager with her sister, Kadru, as a result of which she and her offspring were obliged to serve Kadru and her children, the nagas. “If you want to be free,” say the nagas to Garud, “fetch amrit for us.”

Garud immediately flies to Amravati and finds the pot of amrit there, guarded by the devas. He spreads his mighty wings, extends his sharp talons and swoops down on them. Indra and the devas are no match for Garud. He shoves them aside and claims the pot with the nectar of immortality.

On the way back, he encounters Vishnu. Vishnu says, “There is a way by which you can get your freedom without giving the nagas the amrit. If I tell you how, what will you give me in exchange?” Garud swears to serve him for the rest of his life.

Vishnu then says, “After you give the pot of nectar and secure your freedom, tell the nagas they must bathe before drinking it. They will leave the pot with you, assuming you will safeguard it until their return. Allow Indra to reclaim the pot while the nagas are away. When the nagas question your actions, remind them that you stopped being their slave as soon as you gave them the pot of nectar and were thus under no obligation to stop Indra from stealing what anyway belongs to the devas.” Garud does as he is told: he gets his freedom, Indra gets back the amrit and the nagas get nothing. Indra is so pleased with Garud that he makes nagas the natural food for Garud. Garud then goes to Vaikuntha and serves Vishnu.

In this story, Garud resents serving the nagas while he willingly serves Vishnu. The former is involuntary domestication. The latter is voluntary domestication. In involuntary domestication, we are compelled to work according to other people’s rules. In voluntary domestication, we choose to work according to other people’s rules.

We voluntarily give up our rules and agree to follow other people’s rules, if they grant unto us something that we value. The contract we sign when joining an organization is voluntary domestication.

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