The Mahabharata on Privilege, Nepotism and Changing the Rules | Devdutt Pattanaik | Mukul Deora | E35

Why do people follow certain rules, question others and make exceptions when circumstances change?Devdutt Pattanaik revisits the Mahabharata and Bhagavad Gita to explore privilege, nepotism, responsibility and human relationships. Through the lives of Krishna, Arjuna, Karna, Ekalavya, Dronacharya, Bhishma and other central characters, the conversation connects ancient conflicts with modern questions around family loyalty, authority, opportunity, leadership and personal choice.He examines how people create boundaries between “us” and “them,” why rules are often shaped by context, and how dharma asks us to remain aware of both ourselves and others.The discussion covers:• The Mahabharata as a study of human relationships• Privilege, inheritance and access to opportunity• Rules, traditions and changing circumstances• The meaning of dharma, karma and responsibility• How fear, loyalty and attachment influence judgement• Why seeing another person clearly can deepen self-understandingWatch till the end to understand why dharma begins when we move beyond asking only what we want and start considering how our choices affect others.Subscribe to The Secret Sauce Podcast for more conversations on ideas, culture, leadership and modern life.