LESSONS IN STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT

FROM THE MAHABHARATA

LOGISTICS:

• Kauravas had 11 Akshouni

• Pandavas had 7 Akshouni
Where 1 Akshouni consisted of:
21870 chariots and 21780 elephants (1: 1)
65610 horses and 109350 foot soldiers (3: 5)

ARMY GENERALS:

Kauravas Pandavas
Bhishma Arjuna
Dronacharya Bhima
Karna Dhrishtadyumana
Shalay Abhimanyu
Kripacharya Ghatotkach
Ashwatthama Shikhandi
Duryodhana Satyaki

BACKGROUND:

Kauravas: Were in power for 13 years. Duryodhana was a benevolent king and
subjects did not miss Pandavas

They had wealth and power of Hastinapur and of Indraprastha (Pandavas labored to
build and had surpassed Hastinapur in many respects).

Pandavas: Exiled for 13 years and had no kingdom though they were the rightful heir
to Hastinapur, annexed by Duryodhana.

Their main strength was friends and relatives and allies like the Panchals, the Yadavas,
the Magadhas and the Chedis.

MOTIVATION:
Kauravas: “Without war, will concede not a needle-prick of earth.”
- Duryodhana

Duryodhana was completely focused on the War. It was his moment of truth. He had
usurped a kingdom, and he meant to keep it. He had resorted to any means, foul or fair, to get
the kingdom, which he believed to be rightfully his, and he was in no mood to give it up.
 Pandavas: “We fight over a Kingdom, as dogs over a piece of meat”.
Yudhishtira

The Pandavas had been humiliated, their wife insulted, their kingdom taken. But still
they wanted to avoid the War. The three elder Pandavas were against the War. They even went
as far as making an offer that they will stop the War in exchange for five villages.

RESULT:

War lasted: 18 days

10 days (Bhishma), 3 days (Drona), 1 ½ days (Karna), ½ day (No General),
1 day (Shalya), 1 Night (Ashwatthama)

HOW DID THE PANDAVAS WIN THE WAR?

Kauravas: Karna went on a country-wide military mission, subdued the different

kingdoms and acquired wealth. But it meant a loss in terms of both men and money
and creation of new enemies.

Pandavas: Though in exile they turned their attention to improving over their
weakness.

• Arjuna set out on a mission to acquire Divyastras.

• Bhima met his brother Hanuman and got a blessing of enhanced strength.
• Yudhishthira acquired teachings from the various wise Rishis, and also learnt the
Game of Dice from Gandharva Chitrasena, lest he was challenged to yet another dice
game. It is said that he had become undefeatable in Dice.

MORAL: PANDAVAS TURN WEAKNESS INTO STRENGTH

ALLIES:
Kauravas: Centralised power system. And the greatest empire of the time. But not
many powerful allies, except from old relations from far off places like Gandhara
(Shakuni), Sindhu (Jayadrath) and Cambodia (Camboja – Bhagadutt).

Pandavas: No wealth. No power of their own. But powerful allies all over India.

• Panchala through Marriage with Draupadi

• Dwarka through marriage with Arjuna and Subhadra
• Magadh through marriage of Sahadeva and Vijaya
• Chedi through marriage of Nakula and Karenmayi
• Kasi through marriage of Bhima and Bulandhara
• Kekaya through marriage of Yudhishthira
• Matsaya through marriage of Abhimanyu and Uttara

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 • The Rakshasas through marriage of Bhima and Hidimba
• The Nagas through marriage

MORAL: MAKE POWERFUL ALLIES

LEADERSHIP:
Kauravas: Centralised leadership. One head of Army at a time, who has supreme
authority of 11 akshouni of army; Bhishma, Drona, Karna, Shalya and Ashwatthama.

Pandavas: Distributed leadership; seven commanders for the seven divisions, ie.,
(I man commands 1 akshouni each)

• Virat (King of Matsya)

• Drupad (King of Pancala)
• Sahadeva (King of Magadha)
• Dhrishtaketu (King of Chedi)
• Satyaki (Only warrior from Dwarka)
• Shikhandi (Prince of Pancala)
• Dhrshtadymna (Commander in Chief)
• Arjuna (Supreme Commander)
• Krishna (Arjuna’s charioteer and counselor)

MORAL: SHARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES

TEAM SPIRIT:

Kauravas: No team spirit. They all fought their individual wars.

• Bhishma: For his Vow to protect the throne of Hastinapur

• Drona and Kripa: They owed allegiance to the throne
• Shalya: Simply cheated by Duryodhana to be there. Was originally a Pandavas ally
• Karna; To prove his mantle against Arjuna. Friendship for Duryodhana

They did not gel well with each other. Bhishma and Karna, Bhishma and Shakuni,
Karna and Shakuni, Karna and Shalya, Shalya and Bhishma were like bees, hornets
and mosquitoes put together in a jar.

Pandavas: One team. One Goal. As men, they all had huge respect for Krishna and
Yudhishthira. While as warriors they were in complete awe of Bhima and Arjuna. Most
of them were close relatives – cousins, brothers – in – law, fathers – in – law. More
than that they were all part of the decision making process. It was their “common” war.

MORAL: TEAMWORK SUCCEEDS WHERE INDIVIDUAL EFFORT FAILS

INDIVIDUAL MOTIVE:

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 Kauravas: Except for Duryodhana nobody wanted the War. All the four main
Generals had strong ties with the Pandavas.

• Bhishma - Won’t kill the Pandavas (grandchildren). Will kill a thousand soldiers
each day
• .Drona - Won’t kill the Pandavas (students). Will capture them only.
• Shalya (Nakul-Sahadeva’s maternal uncle) – Loved the Pandavas and covertly helped
them by humiliating Karna
• Karna (brother to the Pandavas) - Promised not to kill any of the other Pandavas save
Arjuna.

A team of Traitors

Pandavas: Common Goal. But the individuals had their individual targets. Their own
agenda which just became one with the team’s agenda.

• Dhratsadyumna _ Drona
• Shikhandi - Bhishma
• Satayaki - Bhurisravas
• Arjuna - Karna
• Bhima - Duryodhana and his brothers
• Sahadeva - Shakuni and his sons
• Nakula - Karna’s sons

THE RIGHT TEAM IS MADE BY SELECTING THE RIGHT COMMITMENT:

Kauravas: As already stated, the BIG 4 had big emotional attachment with the 5
Pandavas. Their commitment faltered.

• Bhishma himself gave away the secret of killing him to the Pandavas. He
prolonged the War by killing only insignificant soldiers. He did not fight a warrior like
Shikhandi because of his personal bias.
• Drona too indirectly gave away his secret; by saying he was invulnerable as long as
He held a weapon. Moreover, he abandoned weapons as soon as he knew his son
had died.
• Karna did not kill Yudhisthira and Bhima when he got the chance. He gave away his
Kavach and Kundala prior to his War. Karna fled innumerous times from the War
when he was hurt. He did not save Duhsasana when Bhima was killing him.
• Shalya kept on insulting Karna while in battle.

Pandavas:
• Abhimanyu, a 16-year old kid ventured beyond enemy lines alone. This was a suicide
Mission, but he still went in and took a great part of the enemy down with him. It took
the combined efforts of 7 Maharthis to take him down.
• Ghatotkach, even in death, took with him almost half the army.
• Yudhisthira knew he could not face Karna in War, but still went in to set an example.
Yudhisthira did not hesitate to tell a lie or a twisted truth when faced with the decision
of whether to stick to his personal integrity or welfare of the team.

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 • Krishna took up arms twice and almost entered the War, despite his promise, only to
be stopped by Arjuna

MORAL: THE INTERESTS OF THE INDIVIDUAL SHOULD NEVER EXCEED

THE TEAM INTEREST. THE BEST MAN FOR A JOB IS NOT THE ONE WITH THE
BEST CAPABILITIES BUT ONE WITH THE GREATEST COMMITMENT.

RIGHT MANAGERS:

Krishna: The Greatest Crisis Manager the world has seen.

Yudhisthira: Low-key strategist.
• On the first day of the War, he played a Master Game. Went over to the Enemy
side to seek blessings from Elders. In reality, he made a covert deal with them,
wherein all of them agreed to help him and unfolded the secrets of defeating them.
• While coming back, he took a calculated risk. He made an offer to all the assembled
people to change sides if they wanted to. He knew well of the lack of cohesiveness
among the Kauravas. Yuyutsu, son of Dhritrashtra crossed over to the Pandavas.
This exposed the weakness of the Kauravas for all to see.

MORAL: KNOW YOUR ENEMY’S WEAKNESSES AND EXPLOIT THEM. TAKE

CALCULATED RISKS. INSPIRE, INVIGORATE AND COUNSEL YOUR OWN TEAM
IN MOMENTS OF NEED.

THE ROOTS:

Kauravas: Princes brought up in the comfort of the Royal Palace, matured on

romanticized ideals of Power, Fame, Courage and Valour. No experience of ground
reality.

Pandavas:
• Spent the greater part of their lives in poverty. Childhood in the Himalayan foothills
among Rishis. One year exile among the poor people of Kuru-Panchala. 12 years of
Vanvas and 1 year of Agyatvas.
• Experienced with ground reality. Contact with people from various strata of the
society. Sanyasis (celibate monks), Acharyas (householders, teachers), poor
Brahmanas, lower-class potter.
• Different races of people. Rakshasas, Gandharvas, Apsaras, Nagas. People from
Different regions Uttarkuru, Bengal, etc,

A sense of Sharing. A sense of Brotherhood.

MORAL: KNOW GROUND REALITIES.

KNOW DIRRERENT IDEOLOGIES
SHARE

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT:

Kauravas: Patriarchal structure. Bhishma, Drone, Kripa, Dhritarashtra, Vidur,

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 Shakuni, Duryodhana, Karna, Duhsasana. No women in the decision making
process.

Gandhari retreated to the Inner Chambers. Nobody listened to her.

Pandavas: Matriarchal Structure.

• Kunti was the supreme authority for the Pandavas.

“Whatever my mother says is Dharma to me”: Yudhishthira.

• Draupadi was a companion in whatever the Pandavas did. She had a big role
in the entire decision making. Without her the Pandavas would have most probably
reclined to the forests.

• Even the younger Pandavas: Ghatotkach, Abhimanyu and Iravan were brought up by
their mothers. So the female influence was huge.

MORAL: WOMAN = BETTER HALF. ANY TEAM WHICH DOES NOT HAVE
WOMEN IS UNBALANCED, FOR THE MASCULINE TRAITS OF AGGRESSION AND
DOMINANCE SHOULD BE BALANCED BY THE FEMININE TRAITS OF HARMONY
AND SUSTENANCE.

RECAP:

• Turn your weaknesses into strengths

• Turn your enemies into allies
• Share your responsibilities
• Teamwork scores over Individual Effort
• Right Team = Right set of Individuals. The right man for the right job.
• Commitment scores over Competence
• Team interests over Individual interests
• Know your enemy/challenges. Exploit his weaknesses. Take calculated risks.
• The Right Managers to inspire, invigorate, counsel in crises
• Know Ground Realities. Accept different ideologies. Cooperate
• Empower Women. The Gender Balance is required for stability and
administration.