Dharma-based charismatic leadership and its effects on followers – A study of king Yudhisthira of the Mahabharata

Studies on charismatic leadership have generally attributed charisma to leaders based on their looks, speeches, etc. Studies which explore whether followers attribute charisma to leaders based on leaders’ moral behaviours are scant. To address this gap, this study involved a thorough reading of the Mahabharata and explored the charismatic leadership of king Yudhisthira, who is well known for his steadfast adherence to dharma . A conceptual model of charismatic leadership called dharma-based charismatic leadership (DBCL) is developed and propositions are formulated. The paper concludes with the proposed implications of DBCL for today’s leadership and organisations, and some suggestions for future research.