Would Love to take you through a beautiful story of two monks who were crossing the river. 

While they reached the bank of the river, they were met with a “devadasi”. This beautiful “devadasi” was looking like an “apsara”, adorned with artistic mehndi details & her feet were with “aalta”. To add to her beauty was the ornaments that she wore over her flowing silk robe.

The monks reached the banks to witness the hesitation of  the “devadasi” was having to cross the river. There was no boat or boatman in site. If she waded, she would ruin her looks, the looks that gets her attention & was means to her livelihood & performance.

The monks were, on the other hand, taught the lessons of detachments, renunciation & to be celibate. This also was with the rule to never come close or touch the opposite gender.

There were two monks, the older one was called on by the young “devadasi” for help. The older monk looked at her & politely offered her to climb on his shoulders, so that her feet could be spared from getting wet in the water. The younger monk’s face turned ashen. He was completely shaken up by this act of the senior monk.

As the ‘devadasi” climbed on the shoulders of the senior monk, the senior monk stayed stoic in his expressions & slowly he stepped inside the river. While he was wading though the currents & braving them, he did not flinch even once with the weight of the “devadasi”, her profession or her gender.

Once they crossed the river, the “devadasi” climbed down from the senior monk’s shoulder & thanked them. She offered to give the monks a part of her ornament as a gesture of her gratitude. The old monk refused. Both bowed down to each other & their journey continued.

All this while the senior monk noticed that the young monk’s behavior had turned strange. 

By now it was mid-day & the sun was at its zenith. The heat was exhausting , so the two decided to rest it out under a tree. 

Seeing this as a chance to strike a conversation, the old monk asked the young monk_ what is troubling your mind?”

Hesitatingly the young monk reminded the old monk of the oath that they took on the today they embraced monkhood. 

The young monk said, “Master, we took a sacred oath—to never touch a woman, to remain detached from worldly pleasures. Yet, you carried that beautiful devadasi on your shoulders. How could you break your vow so easily?”

The older monk smiled gently, his eyes calm. He replied:

“Brother, I carried her only across the river and left her there. But it seems you are still carrying her.”

The young monk sat silently, struck by the profound meaning behind those words.

The lessons that can be learnt are

1. Let Go After the Right Decision is Made

• The senior monk acted out of compassion and clarity. Once his decision was made, he let go of the incident completely.
• Managers must also learn to move on after making the best possible decision in a given situation.
• Dwelling on the past is the real burden—not the decision itself.

“A wise leader does not carry yesterday into today.”

2. Clarity of Purpose Over Rigidity of Rules

• The monk’s vow was meant to cultivate detachment—not to prevent him from helping others.
• Similarly, in management, policies are guidelines, not barriers to humanity.
• A rigid mindset can lead to missed opportunities or unethical inaction.

Sometimes leadership requires breaking rules to uphold values.

3. Judging vs. Understanding

• The young monk judged the act without understanding the intent behind it.
• In teams, judgments often create friction. Instead, seek understanding before opinion.
• Mature leadership is non-reactive and seeks context before critique.

“Do not confuse silence with approval, or action with impulse.”

4. Presence of Mind and Emotional Control

• The senior monk remained unaffected by the external beauty, the emotional weight, or the discomfort.
• Leaders, too, must practice emotional intelligence—to stay centered in emotionally charged situations.

A calm mind sees clearly. A disturbed mind sees distortion.

5. Detachment Is Mental, Not Physical

• The act of carrying the devadasi was physical, but the senior monk remained detached mentally.
• The younger monk, though untouched physically, carried the mental and emotional burden.
• Great leaders learn to act without emotional baggage.

“True detachment is when you do what is right without being shaken by what others may think.”

Modern Corporate Parallel

Imagine a situation where a manager bends a rule to help a team member in distress—maybe approves emergency leave outside policy, or steps in to assist a junior during a crisis even if it’s not part of their role. The intention is pure, the action ethical, and the decision rooted in empathy.

Yet, others might question or gossip about that decision without seeing the full context. The manager, like the old monk, must act with courage, clarity, and then move forward—without holding guilt, shame, or doubt.

Conclusion

This simple tale of two monks crossing a river is a metaphor for leadership in action. Decisions often carry weight, but what truly burdens us is not the decision—but the mental baggage we carry afterward.

In life and leadership, it's not just about what you do—but how and why you do it… and whether you can let go when it's time to move on.