An Employee with Five Bosses

In the Mahabharata, Draupati had five husbands, the Pandavas. Arjun, one of the Pandavas, won the hands of Draupati in the competition of archery. Draupati`s exaltation had not bound, because she was going to be the wife of the most valiant and vigor archer and warrior in the world at that time. Later, she realized that she is not the wife of one husband but five husbands, the Pandavas. She was aghast, and in this indignation, she remonstrated lord Krishna. Lord Krishna pacified her, saying, do not blame anyone, if you want to blame someone…., blame yourself. You got exactly what you wanted to get. 

Lord Krishna elucidated …. In your previous life, you did a severe penance to lord Shiva and had asked for a husband with fourteen distinct qualities. Getting those fourteen qualities, what you had asked for, in a man in this mortal world is not possible at all. That`s why, you got five husbands, who, all together, possess those fourteen qualities. 

She understood, and as dictated by lord Krishna, she provided her services with diligence, honestly, chastity and equally to all her husbands. Each and every Pandavas had different expectations from Draupati. By her effort, loyalty and integrity, she met their expectations; she made them happy and satisfied. She had unflagging faith and trust on her husbands. Nevertheless, they were incomparable, unraveled and unparalleled. 

Once, Yuddhisthir, the elder of the Pandavas, wager Draupati out in the game of dice. She was gambled out even without her consent! She was dragged out in the court of Duryodhan, the elder of the Kauravas. Dussasan, the younger brother of Duryodhan, started disrobing her, started humiliating her in the front of Pandavas and other great personage. She was crying, screaming, grudging, beseeching for help, whining and, requesting to save her modesty. She looked for the help from each and every Pandavas, but they turned their faces away from her. She requested Bhishma, Dronacharya, Kripacharya and Vidura, but of not use. All were bounded by their own words, vows, oaths, promises and pledges. They had delineated the confinement for themselves. They could not muster the audacity to cross that confinement. The flagrant injustice and heinous crime was taking place in the court, but no one broke his reticence. In distraught, she cursed everyone there.

At last, she remembered and prayed lord Krishna, and lord Krishna appeared in disguise and saved the modesty of Draupati. 

Our position as an employee in an organization is not better than Draupati. We pass through tough competition, we join some organization, and we think that we will have one boss. But later, we realize that we are not reporting to one boss but multiple bosses. In the language of management, an employee does not have less than five bosses. These five bosses are … de-facto boss, de-jure boss, direct boss, doted boss and reporting boss. Each and every boss has different expectation from us. We as an employee work with diligence, honesty, integrity, we put extra effort, we extend our time, and we take arduous task and work assiduously for its execution to meet their expectations, to make them happy and satisfied.

If something goes wrong, might be market is not good, the business model is not successful, the business is not thriving, financial precipice, the organization is sinking in losses etc … In that situation we become the victim. The ordain come from the board of director, in order to save the organization, we need to fire some of the employees; we need to cut down head counts. In this tough situation, we become the victim like Draupati, and like Pandavas, our bosses turn away their faces. They care only about their positions and jobs.

In the similar situation, the modestly of Draupati was saved by lord Krishna. But who is going to save you….. ?  Lord Krishna ….?

This is a symbolic story, here lord Krishna signifies….. Your skill, knowledge, knack, niche, prowess, intelligence, intellectuality, wisdom, expertise, mastery, determination, dedication, devotion, honesty and purity.

If you become sycophantic, obsequious or flattering to your bosses, and forgot to work on your skill development and knowledge enhancement, in your dire need, no one can save you. Only your skill, knowledge …..etc are the best savior of yours. This is also mentioned in Bhagawat Geeta chapter 4 verse 38 ---- “there is no more sublime than knowledge”.