Qualities of a Leader

Question: Swami! Kindly tell us how to achieve greatness in life?

Bhagavan: Never allow this sort of idea to get into your head. You are mistaken if you think that you have achieved something very special and unique by becoming great. No, not at all. Becoming great in life should not be your aim. There are several great people in society. I don’t think this is important or that this matters most. Goodness is superior to greatness. Instead of aiming to be great, try to be good. It is far more important to be a good man than a great man.

What is the difference between the two? A great man sees man in God, while a good man sees God in man. Ravana, as portrayed in the Ramayana, was undoubtedly a great man. He considered Rama, the Lord, a mere man. But, Rama was an ideal good man. Rama saw divinity in a bird like Jatayu, in squirrels, and even in rakshasas [demons] like Vibhishana. Women like Sabari, illiterate people like Guha, as well as saints, appear to Rama like his own reflections. So, Rama was good. You should try to get the reputation that you are a good man and not a great man.

Question: Swami! What is essential for us now?

Bhagavan: If you have love, it is enough. Everything will be added unto you. Service, sacrifice, humility, devotion, discipline, etc. are contained within love. It is only love that prompts and promotes all virtues. Where there is love, there will be no ego, hatred, jealousy, and such other low mean, animal qualities.

There was a lady in Paris. She led her life with the little money she had. One day she saw some helpless footpath dwellers shivering in the cold. She was deeply moved by this sight. Everyday she used to take a few blankets along with her and offer them to those poor, needy, and forlorn people. This had gone to the notice of the elders and finally the government. They decided to honor her. A few youngsters came to her to congratulate her. She said that she was not happy since she could not help everyone, when the compassionate almighty God was helping everyone always. She further added that she felt ashamed and frustrated, as her help could not be extended to everyone.

I will tell you another story. There was in an army a soldier who lost both his legs in a war and had to move with the help of crutches. Since his service was relatively short, he was not eligible for all the retirement benefits. The Major of his unit gave him some money and asked him to return home. The soldier, on his way back home, had to stop in a village and take shelter in a choultry as it was raining heavily. The money on hand also was exhausted. Next morning, a schoolgirl happened to pass the same street, saw this soldier, and made enquiries. The girl was deeply moved by his plight. Since then, she used to go to school an hour early everyday, collect some fruits on the way, sell them, and purchase a few chapatis [Indian flat bread] for the soldier.

After a couple of weeks, the Major happened to pass the same way and noticed the soldier. The major was surprised to see him, for even after a long time he had not yet reached home due to paucity of funds. The Major found out how the soldier was managing himself all these days. In the meantime, the girl came and served chapatis to the soldier. The Major followed her and went to her house. On seeing him her parents thought that their daughter must have done something wrong and therefore he had come to make an enquiry. When they were about to punish her, the Major intervened and said to her parents, “You are indeed very lucky! How many of us have such children with magnanimity, love, concern for the needy, and the spirit of service?” He was about to give some gold coins to her parents who said “Sir! We don’t want all this. We can live with our hard earned money. Who can guard these gold coins at home? Please leave us alone, Sir!” The Major felt happy and left for his native place where he found an eligible bridegroom for this girl and performed her marriage. This is the true wealth of love. ‘Expansion of love is life. Contraction of love is death.’

Question: Swami, what are the qualities of a leader?

Bhagavan: There are mainly two qualities that every leader must possess. Since these are missing, we don’t have good and ideal leaders today. Eventually, it leads to disturbances, agitations, and tensions everywhere.

The two qualities that every leader must have are ‘individual character’ and ‘national character.’ In the past, this country had leaders such as Tilak, Netaji, Patel, and others who possessed these two qualities. You can’t just call anyone a leader unless he possesses ‘individual character.’ A leader should lead, but not push from behind. Indeed, a true follower becomes a good leader later on. Without having been a servant, you can’t be an ideal master. Every leader must always remember this, ‘first be,’ ‘then do,’ and ‘then tell.’ First, you must ‘be’ what you ‘profess,’ and ‘do’ what you ‘profess.’ Then you will have the right to ‘tell.’ By doing good, an ideal leader tells others to be good. This is why I often tell my students, “Be good, do good, and see good.”

Source: Satyopanishad, Vol. 1