Live your Values
I have just been to Rajasthan for a week & got inspired by this story. This week’s story is about the oldest serving dynasty in the world till date.
This story begins with Bappa Raval (Prince Kalbhoj) who did not get his due in Indian history.
Let’s go back to the 8th century; Bappa Raval’s father Nagaditya and all other male members of his family were killed in a battle with the Bhils of Idar. He remained in disguise, accompanied by his two loyal Bhil attendants. He was brought up by a Brahmin lady of Nagda, who employed him as a caretaker of cows.
One day, he met the sage Harit Rashi. The sage agreed to initiate him into a Shaivite order. After the initiation and completion of teachings; once the young Bappa Raval was ready, Maharishi Harit Rashi bestowed him with Custodianship of the Mewar Region on behalf of Lord Ekling Ji (Manifestation of Lord Shiva). Maharishi Harit Rashi guided Bappa to re-create & rule the Kingdom of Mewar as a Custodian of Ekling adhering to these 3 core values; Freedom, Self-respect & Self-reliance.
To begin with, he first defeated his father’s killers and established the Mewar Kingdom in CE 728.
In a very short time Bappa Raval played an important role in the Battles of Rajasthan, a series of wars fought in the 8th century AD between the regional rulers of North-Western India and the Arabs of Sindh, in which the regional Indian rulers inflicted a resounding defeat on the invading Arabs. In the 8th century, Arabs started attacking India. In order to ward off these Arab invasions across the borders of Rajputana, Bappa united the smaller states of Ajmer and Jaisalmer to stop the attacks. Bappa Rawal fought and defeated the Arabs in the country and turned the tide against them. Bin Qasim who had captured Sindh was stopped by Bappa Raval. Bappa defeated and pursued Bin Qasim through Saurashtra and back to the western banks of the Sindhu current day Baluchistan. He then marched on to Ghazni and defeated the local ruler Salim and after nominating a representative returned to Mewar. Bappa Raval and his armies invaded various kingdoms including Kandahar, Khorasan, Turan, Ispahan, Iran and made them vassals of his kingdom. Thus he not only defended India’s frontiers but was able to expand them. Rawalpindi in today’s Pakistan is named after Bappa Raval, he served from 728-753.
Even after Bappa Raval, his descendents carried his great custodianship forward by adhering to the core values set by their forefathers. Bappa Ravals descendents include brave warriors like
Rana Kumbha- (1433-68)
Rana Sanga (1509-28) including the great
Maharana Pratap- (1572-97).
Existing descendants of Bappa Raval decided to merge with Free India after the independence in 1949 again in line with their value of Freedom.
Even when they lost their privy purse (monthly sum agreed to be given to rulers who decided to merge with India) in 1971, they stood by their values of self-reliance and rearranged the way they managed and governed their custodianship.
Today’s descendant of Bappa Raval Shriji Arvind Singh Mewar still lives Royal life with his family and is able to carry the title of Maharana & still doing custodianship work through various Initiatives, Trusts and NGO’s.
House of Mewar is considered as the world’s oldest serving dynasties.
You can get more information about this @ www.eternalmewar.in
Learning from the story
1.Those who do not change become extinct; those who change with the change Succeed. Adapting to the prevailing times help build a sustainable business.
2. Be true to your Values. Never compromise on your values. One can never be happy by compromising one’s values.
3. As Business Owners; run your business as Trustees (custodians) of the Business; you will not be attached to it & take the right decisions & actions with this perspective.
Questions to ask ourselves
1. What are my Values & how do I build a business true to my Values?
2. What changes are happening around us now & how do we at least change with the change?
3. What is Trusteeship (custodianship) in business?
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