The soul of the mahabharata lies in this conversation.Many accept Krishna consciousness as the sole dharma of achieving peace and serenity.But Krishna also showed that Power and dharma are highly compatible.When Yudishtira wanted to give up power ;krishna taunts him.He convinces even arjuna that achieving the seat of power;Hastinapura is their Dharma.If we look at nature,Nature has three kinds of powers:creation,Sustainance and destruction.this forms part of natures dharma of evolution.
The concept of dharma has many meanings in Mahabharata but the closest meaning compatible with power is birth right.It was a known fact that both duryodhana and Yudhisthira were both destined for the throne because of their blood.But who was dharmic.I think both were right in their places.Durydhana was doing his dharma of fulfilling his fathers wishes and his own claims from legacy.yudhishthira too was the eldest and doing his dharma of fulfiling the elders wishes.But what set them apart and made Duryodhana a sub altern to Yudhisthira was their acceptance of power.Duryodhana wanted a totalitarian control where the kauravas wanted to uproot whereas the pandavas were more benevlent and wanted to delegate.
Power as explained in mahabharata can be thought of in many realms.
Ownership:If I own something then I can also use it in any way I like. If I own a chair I can set fire to it, which I couldn't do if I had borrowed it from you. If I own money, I can spend it any way I choose.
Position:Where you occupy a recognized position, then I will obey the rules regarding that position (rather than obeying you, per se).y well have formal authority vested in them by the company or the country.I think all the greatest warriors had the confidence of power from position.
Access control:Another form of ownership is where you are the gatekeeper to something that is desired.Personal assistants control access to the managers they serve. Librarians control access to knowledge.Bheeshma,Vidura and karna had this type of power in hand.
Knowledge:Knowledge is power, as they say. If I know something, then I can use it to my advantage. Knowledge may come in several forms:The power of knowledge has been multifaceted in mahabharata.Technical knowledge came from drona,balarama and parashurama and spritual motivation was given by krishna.
Skill:Skill is closely related to knowledge, but is the ability to do something rather than just know it.This power goes beyond contention of discussion in mahabharata.
Trust:If you earn my respect then I will trust you and this gives you far greater power to ask me for things, as I will not need to wonder whether you may take advantage of me.I think this was one lack of power responsible for the downfall of kauravas.The greates warriors Bheeshma and drona had everything except trust from duryodhana camp and were ailing.
Self determination:The entire credit goes to krishna for bringing out the true realism of dharma through consciousness and power of karma in the minds of arjuna and the rest of the pandava camp.
This are the attributes of power.
But power manifest in six ways or modes in every management scheme:
a)Coercive—meaning ones who compel team members to follow their decisions:Duryodhana and Dritharashtra suffered from this complexion of power.
b)Authoritative—the ‘come with me’ type:The authority can be segregated between two factions of dharma and adharma and how all the warriors find themselves torn between the two.
c)Affiliating—ones who work through close association;Bheeshma,Shakuni and karna and the entire pandava clan worked for it.
d)Democratic—those who believe in building consensus;yudhisithira tries doing this althrough...
e) Coaching—the ones who believe in mentoring.No one better than krishna.
It is astounding the type of complex relations that have been potrayed in mahabaharata between power and dharma and complex set of power and attachments they follow.
Need further discussions need to elaborate...............
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