Yudhishthira`s Dilemma and the Game of Dice: The Role of Strategy, Power, Politics, Decision Making and Ethics

Case Code: BECG195 Case Length: 4 Pages Period: - Pub Date: 2025 Teaching Note: Available

Price: Rs.300 Organization: - Industry: Education Countries: India Themes: Ethical Decision Making, Ethics and Morality,Leadership & Values,Organizational Behaviour

Abstract Case Intro 1 Case Intro 2 Excerpts

Abstract

This case tells the story behind the famous game of dice in the Indian epic, the Mahabharata. It begins with Duryodhana’s visit to Indraprastha, the grand capital built by the Pandavas after their rise to power, especially after the Rajasuya Yagya. Seeing their wealth and success, Duryodhana becomes jealous and feels deeply insulted. Angry and hurt, he first thinks about going to war with the Pandavas. But his uncle, Shakuni, suggests a different plan — to defeat them through a game of dice, using trickery instead of battle. Duryodhana agrees and convinces his father, King Dhritarashtra, to invite Yudhishthira to participate in a game of dice. Despite warnings from the wise Vidura, Dhritarashtra acquiesces and Yudhishthira, though hesitant, accepts the invitation. This game ends in disaster for the Pandavas, who lose their kingdom and are forced into exile. It eventually leads to the great war of Kurukshetra.

This case is useful in understanding how leaders make decisions, the ethical problems they face, and how power and politics affect their actions. It also shows how important good advice is in leadership. It highlights the struggle leaders often face between personal goals and doing what is right. It also reveals how official rules or systems — like organizing the dice game — can be misused by those in power for their own benefit.

The case is suitable for courses in Leadership, Business Ethics, Strategic Management, Organizational Behavior, Corporate Governance, and Public Administration, and can also be adapted for modules on Indic Knowledge Systems and Indian Epics in Management Education.

Issues

The case is structured to achieve the following teaching objectives:

• Discuss the dynamics of power and politics in organizations by examining how different actors use power, authority, and influence to further their interests.
• Distinguish between types of political behavior and understand the gray areas.
• Analyze how cognitive limitations and behavioral biases affect strategic and ethical decision-making using the Bounded Rationality and Heuristics and Biases models.
• Evaluate the political behavior of the key characters using Robbins’ theory and assess whether their actions were legitimate or illegitimate.

Contents

Introduction
Background
Strategic Planning and Manipulation
Court Politics and Vidura’s Counsel
Yudhishthira’s dilemma: honor, duty, or weakness?
Epilogue

Keywords

Power, Authority, and Influence; Ethical Decision Making; Strategic Choice; Moral Conflict; Ethical Leadership; Political Behavior,Personal biases; Egotism, Prejudices; Duryodhana; Yudhishtira; Vidura; Shakuni; Dhritarashtra; Mahabharata

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