Introduction The story of Nachiketa from the Katha Upanishad is one of the most profound lessons in focus, sincerity, and determination. Though deeply spiritual, its relevance extends far beyond — offering timeless wisdom for leaders, professionals, and anyone navigating today’s fast-paced corporate world. Nachiketa was a young boy whose father once undertook a yagna (sacred ritual) where everything one owned was to be given away in charity for spiritual merit. But instead of giving away his best possessions, Nachiketa’s father chose only the old and useless things. The boy, though only five years old, recognized the lack of integrity in his father’s actions. Courageously, he questioned his father: "If you truly vowed to give away everything, why are you keeping the valuable possessions back? Whom will you give me to?" Irritated, his father angrily retorted: “I give you to Yama, the Lord of Death.” Taking this seriously, Nachiketa set out to meet Yama. When he arrived, Yama ...
Socrates was a great philosopher of his time. Let us learn self-management from one of his life events. Socrates used to spend hours in philosophical discussions with his friends in the evening hours. During one such occasion, his wife, who was by nature quarrelsome, shouted at him in front of all his friends about her usual chores of the imagined problems. Socrates continued discussions with a cool head while his friends were a little taken over by anxiety. When Socrates observed that his fellow mates are getting disturbed due to the rash behavior of his wife, he suggested to them that they all better proceed to some park to continue the discussion. As soon as they came out of the house, all of a sudden there was a downpour of bulk quantity of water from the top right on the head and body of Socrates. Everyone was stunned to notice that it was Socrates's wife who went to the first floor to pour a bucket of water on his head as a display of her anger. No one could steal the cal...