Uneasy Lies the Head That Wears a Crown

OK… So just like thousands out there, I too was waiting for the next season of The Crown. Frankly 2 years back, after much resistance, I took up a Netflix subscription just to watch the series. This also means, unlike others, I did not have anyone who could give me access to her/ his subscription.

4 days back, when the new season was UP… I could not stop myself from watching it as and when possible. One thing which caught my attention was how the Queen (now the late Queen) was time and again blamed for the screw-up of many lives in her family. Often this happened because she was more inclined towards performing her “job” – being the Queen – The Sovereign. Even before the Netflix series, I had the opportunity to do some research and read a few books about one of the most famous royal families in the world. Not to forget, the inheritance of being born in a country that was once a British Colony, and then majoring in English Language and Literature did make a fair contribution to my interest in everything British.

As I was saying, most of the decisions – if not all the decisions – made by the Queen were very much to save the “sovereignty”. One can perhaps even conclude that to hold such a position is no less than being a mere puppet. Back home, we have often seen the senior members of a political party often doing things just to maintain power. Maybe their conscience does not allow it, maybe as a layman they might be quite critical of those very decisions – but being placed in a scheme of things or “system” (as mentioned in The Crown) makes it rather difficult to make decisions freely.

The fact that all this arises from the sense of attachment – often to something symbolic – makes it even harder to digest how power comes with its own set of shackles. But this predicament also highlights how very few of us are actually ready to take on the responsibilities which come with so much power… so much authority. While most of us are more than happy to enjoy the perks of being in such a “position”, the amount of dedication and sincerity such a high-status position call for hardly makes headlines. Perhaps this is the reason why even those who manage to get into the system of power, find it hard to sustain it. It takes a toll – often mental, visibly physical.

This made me think that are we not designed to make the most of our capabilities. To move beyond the obvious? To explore possibilities that many times we think are beyond us? Does not any kind of progress ask for a fair amount of obsession, dedication, and single-minded focus?

And what happens when we fail in spite of giving it our all? How do we navigate once we are in the “system”? What is it that will guide our moral compass?

If history is to be referred to, often the happiest of people are also the most detached ones. They enjoy the power they hold, they are competitive enough to squash their opponents and brave enough to sail through criticism. Yet they are detached enough for things to not bother them, to not get over their heads, to lose their peace of mind. While this might seem a paradox to many, I think when we remove the element of the “personal” from all that we pursue, we sign up for a life with fewer heartaches and more clarity.

Another interesting observation I made is that there is a difference between being detached and not taking up one’s responsibilities. Being detached rather means to keep doing one’s duty and fulfilling one’s responsibilities without being bothered by the results. As Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, verse 47

“Your right is in action only, never to the fruits; let not the fruit of action be your motive nor let your attachment be to inaction.”

Once we realize the beauty and joy of just doing our job/ our duty – the anxiety of the result or after effects dissolve.

Of course, it is not easy to reach this stage. Diligent action, mindfulness, and regular studies of the Vedanta are required to reach this stage.

It might take days, weeks, months, and perhaps years. But even the journey towards doing one’s work with detachment and dedication is a rather beautiful one. You might end up feeling at ease even with the Crown on your head… and carry all the responsibilities which come with your authority. 

Onwards we go!!