When Puru Met Alexander: Ancient Pride, Modern Truth
Introduction
History has a curious way of whispering timeless truths to us—not through dusty scrolls, but through moments etched in fire. One such moment came when Alexander the Great stood before an Indian king named Puru. Not "Porus," as history books record with their Greek-tinted accents, but Puru—a name light on the tongue, but heavy with dignity.
Alexander had crossed continents, conquered empires, and bent kingdoms to his will. But in Puru, he met not just a warrior, but a man of unshakable self-respect. Captured, chained, and cornered, Puru did not flinch, beg, or bow.
When Alexander asked, "How should I treat you?" Puru replied, "Treat me as one king would treat another."
No aggression. No flattery. Just truth wrapped in pride.
And that’s where history turned on its heel. Because even the world’s most powerful conqueror recognized royalty in humility.
The Pronunciation of Power
We often forget: Puru's name wasn’t even correctly spoken. Alexander, unable to pronounce it, adapted it into "Porus."
A small detail? Perhaps. But isn't that how the world works even today? We mispronounce not just names, but identities, cultures, values—and in doing so, we often miss the true weight they carry.
Respect begins with effort—to know the other person as they are, not as we’d rather label them.
From Kingdoms to Boardrooms
Puru and Alexander weren't just two men from ancient history. They were a living metaphor.
Today, we see this dynamic play out in boardrooms and startups, classrooms and corridors:
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The CEO who forgets to thank the coder.
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The producer who takes credit for the writer’s words.
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The employer who forgets that talent is a kingdom in itself.
Being in power doesn't give you the license to diminish. It gives you the opportunity to uplift.
There’s a recent mindset floating around some professional circles: “If a young employee doesn’t pick up skills in one year, throw them out.” But perhaps the question we need to ask is: who trained them, and how? If a sapling doesn’t grow in a year, do we blame the soil—or the gardener?
Maybe, before we discard the learner, we need to examine the leader. Maybe the trainer needs retraining.
Because every person—whether new or seasoned—deserves to be treated with dignity. Especially in a world where pressure often replaces mentorship.
And beyond all positions and pay grades, a fundamental truth echoes as a human should treat another. Aham Brahmasmi. The divine lives in all. Sometimes, the most powerful act of leadership is simply respect.
Ego vs Self-Respect
There’s a line between ego and self-respect.
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Ego shouts to be heard.
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Self-respect waits to be understood.
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Ego demands the throne.
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Self-respect holds it without needing to prove a thing.
When Puru spoke, he didn’t bark orders or cry injustice. He simply said: “Treat me as one king would treat another.”
No arrogance. No fear. Just the calm weight of a man who knew his worth wasn’t in his chains—but in his character.
If You're a King, Act Like One
To all those who lead—in offices, homes, institutions, or teams:
"Treat those around you not as subjects beneath you, but as kings and queens in their own right."
Because greatness isn't in conquest. It's in conduct.
Puru proved that. Alexander acknowledged that.
And maybe, just maybe, we need to remember that—
in a world still fighting for thrones, without learning how to bow to each other.
Modern leadership, ancient wisdom. Same battlefield. Different weapons.
A Memory Etched in Chai and Celluloid
As a child in Grade 3, I watched the film Sikandar—directed by Sohrab Modi, with Prithviraj Kapoor playing Alexander—and something shifted in me. The heroism, the pride, the confrontation—it wasn’t just a film, it was a philosophy lesson told through cinema.
There is hardly a grand mansion in our history books for King Puru, but in my heart—and perhaps in the hearts of every child who watched that film—he stands tall.
“Chains did not define him.
His words did.
A king without a crown,
But never without courage.
Forgotten by pages,
But remembered in poetry.”
Because sometimes, it’s not about being remembered by history— It’s about leaving a story that never stops teaching.
And Puru's story? It still whispers to us… if we care to listen.
#Puru #Alexander #Leadership #Respect #AncientWisdom #ModernContext #AnamBrahmasmi #ShephaliWrites
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