UdyamGita

Arjuna uses an interesting word, Atatayi, for Duryodhana and his team.

Atatayi refers to a person who has set fire to property, tried to poison others, conspired to murder, looted wealth, kidnapped or dishonored women, or seized a kingdom.

This clearly shows that Duryodhana was a serial offender, and the Pandavas kept ignoring his actions and continued to pardon him. In fact, committing sin became a habit for Duryodhana, and pardoning him became a habit for the Pandavas. The Pandavas believed they were following the highest form of Dharma by repeatedly forgiving the Kauravas. If the Pandavas had taken a firm stand when the Kauravas committed their first mistake, there would have been no need for the Mahabharata. Immediate correction is always better than a complete course correction after things have reached the lowest point.

Founders face similar dilemmas in business. When people around them make mistakes, founders may ignore them to avoid the effort of communication, confrontation, or correction. If a founder goes easy repeatedly, those individuals may become serial offenders by habit. Over time, this behaviour can spread and turn into an organizational habit and culture, eventually leading to catastrophic failures.

Therefore, as a founder, one must keep a close eye on such mistakes and address them gracefully from the very beginning. Fear of losing people who are making mistakes should not become the deciding factor in handling such situations. Proactive correction can save organizations from cascading disasters in the future. People should not be afraid to point out mistakes, provided it is done positively and proactively. When a safe environment is created for raising gaps in the system, this behaviour gradually becomes part of the culture.

Still gripped by moral anguish, Arjuna tells Krishna that even though the sons of Dhritarashtra are aggressors, killing them would bring sin and suffering rather than happiness.

In doing so, Arjuna uses a powerful word—Ātatāyī—to describe Duryodhana and his side. An ātatāyī is not a casual wrongdoer, but a serial offender: one who repeatedly commits grave acts such as attempted murder, arson, theft, conspiracy, or dishonor of women.

This word reveals something crucial—Arjuna knows the Kauravas are guilty. Yet he remains conflicted about acting against them.

Business Insight

This verse exposes a dangerous misconception: confusing tolerance with righteousness.

Duryodhana’s misconduct was not accidental—it was habitual. And that habit was silently enabled. The Pandavas repeatedly pardoned him, believing forgiveness alone was the highest form of Dharma. Over time, wrongdoing became normalized on one side, and silent tolerance became normalized on the other.

In business, founders often fall into the same trap. To avoid discomfort—difficult conversations, corrections, or fear of losing people—they let early mistakes slide. What begins as empathy slowly becomes permission. Occasional lapses turn into patterns. Patterns harden into culture.

By the time leadership is forced to act, the cost is no longer correction—it is crisis.

Leadership Lesson

The most compassionate leadership is often early, firm correction.

Had boundaries been enforced at the first serious transgression, escalation could have been prevented. Immediate correction is always less painful than complete course correction after damage compounds.

Founders must distinguish between:

• One-time mistakes that need guidance, and
• Repeated violations that demand firm action.

Fear of losing people should never override fear of losing values. When leaders tolerate repeated misconduct, they don’t protect the organization—they weaken it.

Equally important is psychological safety. Teams must feel empowered to point out gaps, risks, and mistakes—upward and sideways—without fear. When proactive correction becomes cultural, organizations stay resilient. When silence becomes cultural, failure becomes inevitable.

Key Takeaways

• Tolerance can enable misconduct: Repeated forgiveness without correction breeds serial offenders.
• Early correction prevents escalation: Small interventions avert large crises.
• Don’t confuse compassion with avoidance: True care includes accountability.
• Culture is shaped by what leaders ignore: Silence signals approval.
• Create safety for raising gaps: Proactive feedback must be encouraged and protected.