From My Vantage Point "Timeless Poetic Wisdom of Kannadasan" Leadership Lessons - Part 2 - Know Yourself

The second ?song which I am going to explore is ?"Unnai Arindhal" (????? ?????????) is indeed a remarkable song that resonates deeply with themes of self-awareness and leadership. Written by the Kannadasan for the 1964 Tamil film "Vettaikkaran," it truly embodies the essence of an aspiring leader.

Interestingly enough, the film's hero M.G.R., later became a well-known political leader, reflecting the aspirational qualities highlighted in the song. It emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, dignity, and confidence—values that are timeless and relevant to leaders in any era.

Let’s delve into some of the song's key meanings that can inspire aspiring leaders in any era.

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"If you know yourself... You can fight in the world if you know yourself."

This phrase emphasizes the power of self-awareness and understanding. The 21st century places heavy emphasis on the importance of emotional intelligence for effective leadership, alongside intellectual abilities. The core of emotional intelligence is self-awareness. Without understanding who you are, your strengths, weaknesses, and mindset, you cannot effectively lead yourself, let alone others. To successfully lead others, you must first lead yourself, and that begins with self-awareness. This is precisely what Kannadasan conveyed in his song: if you know yourself, you can take on any challenge in the world.

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"Whether you rise or fall, you can live without bowing your head."

In this line, the song emphasizes that once you deeply understand yourself and begin tackling life's challenges, you'll experience both highs and lows. Since you are fully aware of who you are, you will handle these situations, whether good or bad, with efficiency and composure, allowing you to live with your head held high.

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"Would those who understand themselves and guide others using their lessons in self-awareness not become leaders?"

In this part, the song emphasizes that once you understand yourself and begin navigating the competitive world, you gain even more self-awareness. If you take these lessons and share them with others or the community, it can elevate you to a leadership position. Mahatma Gandhi is a prime example of this. He spent significant time understanding himself and learning about non-violence through personal experiences, then shared this knowledge with people and led them in the fight for freedom. Ultimately, he became one of the greatest leaders in human history, all starting from his journey of self-awareness, which he detailed in his famous book, "My Experiments with Truth." Kannadasan encapsulated this complex philosophical idea in simple Tamil through this song

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"When you walk in the grand assembly - garlands should fall on your shoulders."

In this line, the song takes us to the next level by emphasizing that we should not just aim to be ordinary leaders through self-awareness but aspire to be grand leaders who automatically earn respect regardless of the grand assembly of leaders they enter because of their impactful leadership. We are encouraged to dream big from the very beginning of our self-awareness journey, as this foundation allows us to achieve great feats.

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"He should be praised and celebrated as an unchanging and flawless king."

In this final line, Kannadasan elevates the message by conveying that when you are a righteous leader who always does the right thing, regardless of opposition, and takes care of your people, you will earn the utmost respect. This respect will manifest as garlands on your shoulders in any grand assembly. This line captures the qualities of great leaders in a powerful way.

Kannadasan's ability to convey such profound philosophy in simple Tamil is truly remarkable, earning him the title Kaviyarasu (King of Poets).?

The song's relevance aligns well with modern-day concepts discussed in books like "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People" and "Emotional Intelligence." Its message remains impactful and inspirational, serving as a guide for those on the path of leadership.