In God’s Company (humour)

Recently I came across an interesting story a friend forwarded to me; a story about a tailor who fell in love with a princess. Let us call him Sawant. He was smitten so badly that he would not eat properly and he could not sleep well. He shared his desire and desperation with his friend who was a chariot maker.

He suggested a way out. The chariot maker built a chariot that looks like the chariot used by Vishnu the God. Then Sawant dressed up like Vishnu and landed up at the private garden of the princess. Innocent girl that she was, she fell for the story and believed that Vishnu was in love with her. There started a relationship which they continued for many days. Gradually, one of the maids came across some signs of this secret affair. They informed the king. The king accosted the princess. She told him the truth of her affair with Vishnu.

The king was sceptical and hopeful. Next time when Vishnu visited, the princess was not alone; the king was there too. He wanted proof. So he asked the Vishnu for to help him defeat the Chakravarty (the king of kings). Sawant was in a fix. He realised that he is dead either way. If he tells the truth the king will kill him and if he goes to fight the war, he will be killed. He decided to die in the war.

He took a small army from the king and proceeded to a war with the chakravarty dressed up like Vishnu on his chariot. The story of this Vishnu had also reached the heaven. The gods met up with Vishnu and discussed about the public relations disaster of the duplicate Vishnu losing the war. So they decided to support the tailor boy.

With the support from heaven, the Sawant won the war. The king was happy and the princess was happy. Then our hero shared his desire to take human form and live with the princess. He warned the king that as he had taken the human form he might not be able to perform such miracles anymore. The king agreed happily and our hero and the princess lived happily ever after. (May be the tailor needs more appreciation for the ‘ever after’ bit more than the war that he won!!)

The fairy tale has an interesting lesson. This lesson is almost universal and is applicable in politics, in corporate, in religion and in bureaucracy. The rule is that when we attempt some crazy or ambitious ideas make sure that the interest of some ‘powerful gods’ are aligned with ours! How well this alignment is and how powerful our god is will determine the extent and strength of the support we can garner. The corollary is that when you and I compete and both of us have our gods supporting us then what matters become which god is more powerful.

“Success is about actively shaping the game you play, not just playing the game you find.” Adam Brandenburger & Barry Nalebuff