Journal of Human Values

http://jhv.sagepub.com Corporate Gita: Lessons for Management, Administration and Leadership

Subhash Sharma Journal of Human Values 1999; 5; 103 DOI: 10.1177/097168589900500203 The online version of this article can be found at: http://jhv.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/5/2/103

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: Lessons for Management, Corporate Gita

Administration and

Leadership*

SUBHASH SHARMA

This paper expounds the model of a sacro-civic society, drawing upon psycho-spiritual insights of the Gita. Four major management themes of common interest in the East and the West have been selected. Then the relevant verses of the Gita have been used to elaborate on their respective deeper imports. These four broad themes have later again been decomposed into 20 specific subthemes, and verses connected with each of them are presented. The author offers simple rhymed English translations of these verses using some of the well-known renderings by earlier masters of the Gita. The reader is invited to reflect upon and assimilate the spirit of these verses for application in the field of daily management practice and in the wider arena of social reconstruction.

Whatever a great person does is followed by others, People go by the standards set up by the others.

(Gita 3-21 )

provides us an insight into a theory of self-development that is useful for holistic living and social improvement. During recent years the relevance and importance of the Gita in social
The Gita
and corporate contexts has received the attention of management gurus, management scholars,

management teachers, management practitioners and social scientists. Literature in this respect has
been growing. Renewed scholarly attention has also been facilitated because of the new realisation

for spirituality in society and at the workplace. This is leading us to a new appreciation of ancient texts in the corporate context. The Gitas spirituology is not only relevant for stress management at the individual level, but is also important for improving the psycho-spiritual environment at the workplace. In addition, it also offers lessons for enlightened leadership and ethical management. While Tilak, Aurobindo, Vivekananda and Gandhi demonstrated its importance and relevance in the social context during the freedom movement, many management scholars and corporate managers are now discovering its relevance in the

corporate

context.

Subash Sharma is Director, Indian Institute of Plantation

Management, Bangalore.

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104

Contribution ofIndian

in management

literature, walk the talk.

on

In the

Management
Indian Management as a distinctive branch of study has come into focus during recent years. The following represent the four areas of management theory and practice where ideas from Indian Management in general and the Gita in particular have found corporate applications both in the West and in the East:
1. stress management; 2. psycho-spiritual improvement in the work

the decision makers mental state during the moments of decision making. This can be contrasted with traditional literature on management, which focuses more on decision making rather than the mental state of the decision maker.

Gita the focus is

Theory of Society:

Towards a New Vision of a Sacro-civic Society

Is there any theory of society imbedded in the Gita? The following key ideas and expressions provide us a clue to a theory of society leading us to a new vision of a sacro-civic soci-

environment;
3. business ethics and human values; and
4.

enlightened leadership.

In fact, in these four areas the contribution ofIndian

Management has now been recognized by management scholars and management gurus from the
West and the East. In this article some of the important slokas (verses) from the Gita have been identified. These provide us lessons for management, administration and leadership issues in social and corporate contexts. Indeed, the Gita is regarded as perennial philosophy with universal appeal. It is a sacro-secular (as Chakraborty says) text for the entire humanity and does not belong to Indians alone. It provides us many ideas of importance to

ety :
1.

Enlightened collective interest or loksangraha (Gita 3-20 and 3-25): Loksangraha implies that actions should be performed keeping in view the welfare of the society as a whole. Thus, actions should be guided by enlightened collective interest and not by selfish interest or self-interest
alone. In the context of corporate organizations, it implies that corporate behaviour should be guided by larger social interest.

individuals, society and organizations, irrespective of the mode of production, nature of technology and structure of organizations. This is because the Gita deals with exploration of the self and

2.

provides us an understanding of self-development. It deals with modes of thinking and modes of action rather than with modes of production. According to the Gita, manas-vacchah-karma, that is, thought, words and deeds, and thereby modes of thinking and action, are common to
all events. The idea of manas-vacchah-karma indicates the thought and action connection, and is also expressed by the currently popular phrase

Mutuality and interdependence or parasparam bhavayantaha (Gita 3-11): Mutuality and interdependence are key to social living. As against the conflict model, in this idea we find the mutuality model. This can be achieved through mutual cooperation rather than through the intensification of conflicts between various segments of a society. Thus, various segments of society should interact on the basis of mutuality and cooperation rather than through conflict. This idea also provides a basis for harmony in organizational contexts.

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3. Positive action and the theory of nishkam karma (Gita 2-47 and 2-48): Emphasis on positive actions is an important lesson from the Gita. Nishkam karma or action without attachment to fruits of action is a key idea in the Gita. In todays corporate context positive action implies an emphasis on creating ethical organizations and on introducing the ethicality dimension in decision making. 4. Enlightened leadership (Gita 3-21): Whatever great persons do is followed by others. Thus, standards of actions are set by the leaders.
These four ideas, namely, enlightened collective interest, mutuality and interdependence, positive

the four stages of as follows:

self-development and growth

1. student or the learning phase; 2. secular phase; 3. sacro-secular phase; and 4. spiritual-phase.

During the student phase one is devoted to learning life skills and values; during the secular phase one engages in materialistic pursuits; during the sacrosecular phase one starts moving beyond purely materialistic pursuits; and during the spiritual phase the focus is entirely on self-discovery. This
framework of four stages, that is, student life, secular life, sacro-secular life and spiritual life, is nothing but the concept of four ashramas, namely, brahmacharya, grihastha, vanprastha and sannyasa. The only difference is that one need not go to the forest during the vanprastha stage because that is not feasible in todays context. However, one can pursue the sacro-secular and spiritual ways of life living in the city itself. It may be indicated that an individual can take a quantum jump from one phase to another. Swami Vivekananda is an inspiring example in this respect. Because of competitive pressures of modem day living, many may not be able to move beyond the second or third stage. Further, given the present day realities the four stages of growth cannot be neatly divided into four spans of 25 years each. While the first phase may be for 25 to 30 years, the second phase, that is, the phase of secular life, could be for 30 to 35 years. The other two phases could be for the duration of 10 to 15 years, considering the average lifespan of an individual to be 80 to 90 years. However, it is possible that an individuals development may not correspond to his or her age. An enlightenment experience may create a quantum jump from one stage to the next.

through nishkam karma, and enlightened leadership constitute the four pillars of an ideal society. Thus, the Gita provides us a conceptual framework for the theory of a good society. It may be indicated that this theory is not just a utopia but has a practical significance as it forms the foundation for a new vision of society wherein sattva guna dominates. In the expression sacro-civic, sacro implies dominance of sattva. Accordingly, a sacro-civic society is an evolved society, while a civic society is merely an evolving society. It may be mentioned that an economically developed society is not an evolved society if it is not moving towards the goal of being a sacro-civic society. It is indeed merely an evolving society.
action

Theory of Self-development:
The Four-S Model of

Self-development
and Growth
In the Gita we also find a four-S or four-stage model of self-development. In consonance with the requirements of todays society we can identify

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106

Business: Value Addition with Values Addition

A

Theory of

we can also envision a theory of business relevant in the modem context. This can be summed up as value addition with values addition. It indicates that performance of a corporate organization should be seen not merely in terms of value addition but also in terms of values addition. Value addition activities of an organization

From the Gita

and well-known work by Chakraborty provides us empirical information on corporate applications of several concepts from the Gita. He has tested the applicability of several ideas through OD (Organization Development) interventions based on his framework of Managerial Effectiveness and Quality of Work-life and Managerial Trans6 formation by Values.6

not in consonance with values addition contribute to social

Second Approach: Slokas

Corporate

degradation.

It

enterprises

must fulfil their social

implies that business responsibility.

The idea of value addition with values addition is also in consonance with the sacro-civic vision of society presented earlier. To what extent modem corporate organizations are doing values addition is a question worth exploring. Indeed, it would be useful if corporates provide a values addition statement in their annual report. Such a statement could be in qualitative format.

The Gita in the Corporate Context

It has been indicated earlier that the relevance of the Gita in the corporate context has received the attention of several scholars and practitioners. The impetus in this direction has been provided by many spiritual teachers, for example, Swami

Swami Jitatmananda,3 Swami Bodhananda4 and Swami Someshwarananda.1 In addition, scholars and practitioners have also contributed to this area. Published work by management scholars and practitioners can be classified in terms of the following four ap-

Rangnathanananda,l

This approach could be referred to as compilations and interpretations of the Gita slokas relevant for managers and other professionals. Many scholars and practitioners from diverse fields, such as corporate management, army and judiciary, have interpreted relevant slokas and ideas from the Gita, and shown their relevance in corporate and social contexts, for example, Narayana,7 M.B. Athreya,l Ajanta Chakravarty,9 Brig. NaibO and Justice Sundaram.&dquo; Such compilations are also available in other publications, for example, Ancient Indian Wisdom for Motivation and Ancient Indian Wisdom for Self Development of the Ahmedabad Management Association;2 Management Tips in the Geetha, Chinmaya Mission; 13 and Indian Ethos in Leadership, K.V.K. Raju International Leadership Academy.&dquo; Most of these slokas focus on self-development and decision making under stressful conditions. In addition, these scholars and practitioners emphasize the importance of karma-yoga at a normative level as well as in terms of their personal

experiences.
Third Approach: Revisioning the Gita
In the revisioning approach, concepts from the Gita have been revisited and reinterpreted in the contemporary context. For example, Ranchan in his work on the Gita provides interesting insights

proaches.
First Approach:
This

Empirical Testing

approach can be referred to as empirical applications of the Gitas concepts. The pioneering

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~
ideas and images for active imagination and highlights the importance of the Gita for psychotherapy, and considers Krishna as a psychoon

107

Analytical Models

of the Gita

therapist.I According to Ranchan, the Gita goes beyond psychotherapy, and provides us foundational premise for psycho-spiritual analysis and psychospiritual therapy. Ranchan provides us several psycho-spiritual concepts from the Gita in this
respect.

Having discussed the relevance of the Gita in providing a theory of society and in providing us ideas for corporate application, we may now focus on a few analytical models for social and organizational contexts.
1. the guna dynamics model; 2. the dharma-adharma dialectics model; and 3. the divine-like-demon-like classification of human beings.

Chattopadhyay also revisits the Gita from the viewpoint of decision making in work organizations, society and family. 16
Fourth

Approach: Management Models

New Age

us an

These three models combined together provide analytical framework for analysis of a so-

ciety, irrespective of its degree of technological

advancement. The first model, that is, the guna model, analyzes the dynamics of the three gunas-tamas, rajas and sattva. This dynamics is presented in sloka 14-10: Sattva asserts itself by predominating over rajas and tamas, rajas predominates over sattva and tamas, and tamas tries to dominate sattva and rajas. This dynamics can also be presented in the form of a matrix analysis of the three gunas and could be used for predictive purposes. When the intensity of tamas is higher than sattva and rajas, there is a lot of negative energy or negergy. When the intensity of sattva is higher than rajas and tamas, there is lot of synergy. Hence, the Gita suggests a transformation from tamas to rajas to sattva through increase in the intensity of sattva and reduction in the intensity of tamas. This model is useful not only for the analysis of the current status but also the future state of a society. As indicated above, if tamas dominates in a society and its institutions, it would lead to a lot of negergy thereby leading to disorders in society. Hence, social processes should be designed, organized and transformed in such a way that there is increase in rajas and sattva. This will lead to the establishment of a

This

approach aims at developing new management models with their orgins in the Gita. Sharma has developed a number of such models. He uses the idea of an East-West blend, and provides
management models which have direct relevance for corporate enterprises. The examples of these
models include the OSHA

model,&dquo; the negergy-

synergygrid,18the MBA (manas-buddhi-ahankar) model,&dquo; a four-step model of enlightened leadership,20 Total Quality of Management (TQOM),~ omnijective OD22 and so on. Some of these ideas have been tested in the organizational context and have been found useful by corporate managers in the analysis of causes for high negative energy or negergy in organizations. Banerjee has developed the model of Mother Leadership, which is also rooted in the ideas from the Gita and other Indian scriptures.23
All the above four approaches, namely, the empirical approach, the sloka compilation approach, the revisioning approach, and the model building or the new concepts development approach, have contributed significantly to the growing literature on corporate application of ideas from the Gita.

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108

good society taking us towards the vision of a sacro-civic society. Therefore, the criterion of analyzing social processes and social events is to monitor their negergy-generating or synergygenerating impact. Communism failed because it led to excessive negergy inherent in dictatorship.
Colonialism was defeated because it also resulted in lot of negergy as a result of its inherent nature of relationships based on extreme exploitation.
isms that are synergy-generating in their outlook and worldview will survive in the long

Only
run.

The second model, the dharma-adharma dialectics model, provides us insights into social processes. While ~A~wa refers to moral order, adharma refers to moral disarder. As adharma increases, the social system craves for reduction of adharma and restoration of dharma./1.dharma leads to greater disorder and higher entropy or negergy. Hence, for proper social order, enlightened leadership is required. This idea is expressed by the sloka 4-7 in the Gita, As and when goodness declines and wickedness shows its rise, O!Bharata in such situations I myself appear. The third model, a model of human typology in terms of the divine-like and the demon-like nature of human beings, explains the good or bad behaviour of individuals in society and organizations. As per slokas ( 16-2 and 3) divine-like human qualities include truthfulness, gentleness, modesty and steadiness, freedom from anger, forgiveness, and freedom from malice and excessive pride. As per slokas ( 16-4 and 10) the demonlike display arrogance, excessive pride, anger, harshness and manipulation. All individuals are guided by thoughts and action. Divine-like thoughts lead to divine-like actions, and demonlike thoughts to demon-like actions. Divine-like
persons act as facilitators, provide positive support and create positive forces in society and organizations. Demonic types create obstacles, act negatively and create negative force in society

and organizations. Thus, this classification can also be viewed in terms of positive action and negative action types of individuals, or simply as positive and negative types. The metaphors of grabbing gene and giving gene can be considered correlates of demon-like and divine-like individuals. The three models, namely, the guna dynamics, the dharma-adharma dialectics and the model of human beings in terms of divine-demonic nature, when integrated together provide us with many insights into the happenings in society and organizations. Indeed, for sacro-civic society to be a reality, transition towards sattva is needed. This is facilitated by dharma driven artha-kama (that is, material ends) and through the enlightened leadership of divine-like persons.

Management Concepts
and Ideas
In the discussion below I have followed the third and fourth approaches discussed earlier, namely, the sloka compilation and new concepts development. It may be indicated that in my approach to sloka compilation, poetic liberty has been taken while retaining the essence of the slokas. While a

summary of key management concepts is provided in Appendix I, our discussion is structured around the following ideas: 1. the nature of mind and the

analysis

of

mind;
2. the nature of humans: divine and demonic

types;
3. the nature of nature or the guna theory; 4. the nature of self; 5. mutuality and interdependence; 6. positive action and the theory of nishkam-

karma ;
7.

perfection in action: yoga;

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109

8. guide to action and decision making; 9. the perfect person or the enlightened one; 10. peace and equanimity; 11. hierarchy of consciousness; 12. typology of gifts, knowledge, deeds, human agency and intellect; 13. karmaphal or fruits of action; 14. root, shoot and fruit metaphor; 15. swadharma and role responsibility; 16. the battle of righteousness; 17. arrival of the best; 18. law of action; 19. freedom of choice; and 20. skill-values combination.

In the presentation below relevant slokas have been adapted and compiled under the aforementioned headings. It may be indicated that the Gita has been translated into English by several

This has been referred to as the Atlas complexKrishna carrying the weight of the world.2s While ideas and images of the Gita have importance for psychotherapy, we take a managerial perspective of some of the ideas and images for active imagination in the organizational context. These are presented in Appendix II, and include metaphors such as many branching and endless diversions that lead to lack of focus-the tortoise withdrawing its limbs with ease and spontaneity to face an adverse situation, the wind pushing a rudderless ship, the revolving wheel, unstable fire of desire, the lotus leaf unaffected by water, a non-flickering lamp, a row of gems strung on a string, a luminous lamp, the sun illuminating the whole world and so on. These metaphors have interesting learning value for managers, administrators and leaders.

renowned personalities. Of particular interest are the translations by Swami Chidbhavananda, Swami Chinmayanananda and Acharya Prabhupada as they provide explanations in simple and lucid language. As indicated earlier, in my adaptation of slokas, I have taken poetic liberty from these sources particularly, from the Bhagvad Gita by Swami Chidbhavananda. While drawing from these sources, the objective has been to retain the essence of the slokas and to reinforce their present day importance and relevance. The inspiration for rhythmic resonance has come from Sri Hari Gita, published in Hindi (Manavdharma Karyalaya, Delhi, 1937). Indeed the rhythms of Sri Hari Gita flow silently in the verses presented here. The Gita is rich in metaphors and images. Ranchan provides us some of the master images which perhaps have never been visualized in other cultures. For this he cites the master image of sthithaprajna, Who is tortoise in introversion and dynamic eagle in extroversion ... a solar dynamo in action.24 He also cites another master image: Krishna works even though he does not have to.

The Nature of Mind and the Analysis of Mind

The mind is the starting point for human thought and action. Hence, in Indian psycho-philosopy it occupies a centrestage for any analysis of human behaviour. In the Gita we find several slokas dealing with the nature of mind. They could form a basis for developing psycho-spiritual analysis of the causes leading to wandering and wavering of mind. The imagery of wind turning a ship off its course provides a powerful image for understanding the nature of mind. When the mind is carried away
senses,

fully by

the

Even persons striving for perfection lose their excellences.

(2-60)
When mind yields to roving senses, in discrimination it fails, Just like the boat in the water gets pushed by the gale.

(2-67)

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110

That deluded person is said to be a hypocrite, Who pretends to control the senses but whose mind is on sense sites.

types. Characterization of such persons has been elaborated in detail. Further, a person is essenviewed in terms of the mind stuff or the mentalities he or she is made of. Divine-like individuals display a positive mental orientation and demonic types display a negative mental orientation. Hence, the divine-like are synergy generators while the demonic types are negergy generators. In management theory we find the theory X, or the authoritarian style, and theory Y, or the democratic style, and, accordingly, X and Y types of individuals. A comparison of the X and Y typology with the Gitas classification provides us interesting insights. Sharma combines the two ideas to get a management styles grid. He refers to this as negergy-synergy grid.26 This managerial grid provides us with a better understanding of human behaviour in the corporate context. It also provides us with a framework for enlightened leadership in corporate and social contexts. In the Gita an individual is thought in terms of mind stuff. This provides us a theory of personality which, according to Swami Vivekananda, can be stated as, I am the sum total of my thoughts and actions.&dquo; Indeed we can put it in a mathematical form:

tially

(3-6)

Arjuna, directing organs of action and restraining senses by the mind, Always excel in the path of action being beyond
O its bind.
_

(3-7)
Senses, mind, intellect and self are ordered in
a

hierarchy,
unravel it

Self is the most

superior, knowledges key.

through
(3-42)

Set the intellect in its firrnness, attain the quietude, Fix the mind on the self and develop this atti-

tude.
,

(6-25)

whatever cause the wavering mind tends wander away, Control the same with self-control and remove the effect of its sway.

By

to

(6-26) Hey Krishna, the

mind is

verily restless,

tur-

bulent and obstinate, Like controlling the wind is difficult, it is difficult to control its state.

I=f TA
where I is the individuals personality, TA is the thought-action function and the symbol f is the mathematical symbol for integration or summation. Interestingly, this theory of personality answers the question-Who am I? I am the sum total of my thoughts and actions. Hence, I am what I think. A divine-like person thinks divinelike and therefore acts divine-like. A demonic type person thinks demon-like and therefore acts demon-like. Fearless with

(6-34)
Doubtless 0 mighty armed, the mind is restless and hard to control, Though practice and non-attachment control the minds stroll.

(6-35)
The Nature of Humans: Divine and Demonic Types
we find a two-way classification of humans in terms of the divine and the demonic

In the Gita

purity of heart knowledge,

and steadfast in

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111

Straightforward, austere, inner voice of self the divine types acknowledge. (16-1)

The Nature of Nature Guna Theory

The guna

or

the

Non-injury, truth, absence of anger and absence

of crookedness,

Compassion, gentleness, modesty

of divineness.
..

are

aspects

( 16-2)

Vigour, forgiveness, fortitude and absence of hate, These are qualities of humans belonging to
divine state.

(16-3)
The demonic dont know what to do and refrain

from,

Purity and truth is not there in them in any form. ( 16-7)

For the demonic this world exists without any moral basis, From the lust it is bom, this is their main thesis.

(16-8)
Filled with insatiable desires and full of hypo-

crisy,
Pride, arrogance and evil, they make this world
crazy.

(16-10)

Egoism, greed,

power,

violence, lust,

anger and

Malicious is their intent, hate is part of this creed.

,

(16-18)

theory is an analytical framework for natures nature. This framework finds analyzing its wide appeal not only in social and corporate contexts but also in making a social analysis of the events happening in a society. In corporate contexts the guna theory can be considered a fundamental management theory because it informs us about the long-term negative consequences of tamas-driven management styles. As per the guna theory, management styles could be tamas-driven, rajas-driven or sattva-driven. Because the tamas-driven management style ultimately leads to disaster, the emphasis is on a shift towards rajas plus sattva, or, preferably, pure sattva-driven management styles. These management styles emphasize the ethical dimension of management. The following slokas provide the key aspects of the guna theory. The guna theory not only provides us a theory of personality, but is also useful in psycho-spiritual analysis of the three ego states, namely, the tamasik, rajasik and sattvik. When these three ego states in an individual interact with each other and interact with ego states of another individual, we get interesting insights into human behaviour. The guna theory provides us insights into the nature of nature. In nature, tamas leads to gloom, rajas to boom, and sattva creates the bloom. Tamas creates the vicious cycle, while sattva creates the virtuous cycle. Hence, freedom from delusion is considered essential for self-development as well as for creating virtuous cycles.
Bom out of prakriti are sattva, rajas and tamas, Through their interplay the three gunas bind us.

A person

essentially

is his/her minds repre-

sentation,
Mind stuff reveals what is ones natural inclination.
.

(14-5)
Sattva is pure, health

( 17-3 )

improving

and

com-

pletely luminous,

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112

It leads to
ness.

self-knowledge

and creates

happi( 14-6)

Rajas

creates
us to

passion

and desires for attach-

The senses, the mind and the intellect are rooted in desire, Desires through temptation consume wisdom in its fire.

ment,
It binds
ment.

(3-40)
Therefore, 0 Arjuna, slay them mastering first
the senses,
Because

actions and fruits for achieve-

(14-7)
Tamas is born out of nescience and it makes

and its

temptations, Through heedlessness and indulgence it shows its passions. ( 14-8)

Between sattva,

they are destroyer of self-knowledge preference. (3~ 1 )

Even if you are the most sinful of all sinners, Through the raft of self-knowledge you become
a

winner.

rajas and

tamas there

is

(4-36)
Like the blazing fire reduces fuel to the ashes, So the self-knowledge finishes all the karmas lashes.

dynamic interplay,
Each shows its dominance for
sway.

having its own

(14-10)

From sattva arises wisdom, from rajas greed, For the ignorance and error, know tamas as

(4-37)
There is no better purifier than the self-knowl-

seed.

edge,
(14-17) By

Balanced in censure-praise, pleasure-pain, and in loss and gain, Enlightened one is beyond all the gunas stains.

perfect acknowledged.
persons

in yoga, this is

always
(4-38)

(14-24)
in honour and dishonour, the same to friend and foe, Unaffected by the gunas, enlightened one is above gunas arrows.

The

same

Self is the friend and self is the foe, Raise oneself by the own self, this one should know.

principle
(6-5)

When the lower me is conquered by the higher

me,

(14-25)
The Nature of Self
The Gita provides us with a deep understanding of the nature of self. Indeed, it is a foundational book for self-knowledge and, thereby, provides us a theory for self-development.

Self becomes the friend, otherwise it is

enemy.

an

(6-6)

Mutuality and Interdependence

The ideas of mutuality and interdependence are key concepts recognized in the Gita. These ideas

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113

implications for designing systems to procooperation between different segments of society and between different stakeholders in case of corporate organizations. Further, for teamwork and team spirit, mutuality and interdependence need to be recognized.
have
mote

What is action what is inaction, this is

a com-

plex question, By knowing this you and its passion.

.

become free from evil

(4-16)

Cherish the mutuality and interdependence, Reap the goodness through mutual dependence. (3-11 )

When selfless actions are performed for sacrifice alone, Entire karma melts away, let this knowledge be known.

(4-23)
Perfection in Action:

Positive Action and the Theory of Nishkam Karma

Yoga

Karmayoga represents the essence of the Gita through the principle of nishkam karma, that is, action without attachment to the fruits of action. Karmayoga is the theory of positive action as well as a theory of detached action. Its correlate, karmavada, suggests that intentionality of action is crucial to the moral result of actions. Bad intentions lead to bad results and good intentions create conditions for good results. It may be mentioned that karma is not to be confused with fate. This popular misconception needs to be corrected.

The definition of yoga as perfection in action provides us a guide to decision making as well as holistic living. Perfection in action also leads to excellence motivation. Evenmindedness in success or failure, yoga is this equilibrium, Perform actions, renounce attachments and practise this equilibrium.

(2-48)
With the evenness of the mind comes freedom from virtue and vice, Skill in action is the yoga, devote yourself to this choice.

Always seek to perform the actions, without longing for the fruit, Dont lean towards inaction, follow this action
route.

(2-50)
When the intellect is tossed around by whatever you have heard, But is not disturbed and is poised, it follows yogas word.
.

(2-47)
Motivated karma is inferior to the

sacrificing
an un-

kind,

Hankering after fruits of action creates even mind.

Continue to

(2-53)
one

When

is moderate in
all the

eating, sleeping and

as one

(2-49)

recreation,

perform your karma with full detachment, And become a better human being with nonattachment.

Yoga destroys
in actions.

pain

is balanced

(6-17)

(3-19)

Disconnecting self from yoga by name,

the

pain,

know it

as

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Practise this yoga with determination with mind fully tamed.

These

are

the five influences

on

the decision

vector.

(6-23)
Guide to Action and
Decision

(18-14)
The Perfect Person
or

the

Making

Enlightened One
Who is an enlightened individual or sthithprajna? The Gita provides us not only a definition but also a path to become enlightened individuals. An enlightened one achieves three types of freedom, namely, (a) freedom from pair of opposites; (b) freedom from fear; and (c) freedom from delusion. As indicated earlier, the master image of the enlightened one or the sthithprajna is unique to Indian culture.28
Know that person as the enlightened one and stable in wisdom, Who has achieved from desires, a total and complete freedom.

The Gita suggests that unnecessary details could lead to getting out of focus and therefore decisions to go wrong. Hence, it is necessary to concentrate on proper choices and alternatives. While drawing up decision trees may be an useful exercise, one should not get lost in many branching and endless extensions of a decision tree. The mental state of the decision maker is critical to decision making. Anger is considered as the root cause for delusion, leading to confusion in decision making (Gita 2-63). Hence, it is suggested that critical decisions should be made in an anger free mental state. Further, in the Gita five factors have been identified as influencing the results of decision making. These are, the seat (body) or the right place, the doer (ego) or the competency, organs of perceptions or the instruments, functions of various organs of action or the effort, and the presiding deity or the chance factor.

(2-55)
Mind is not perturbed by adversity and not exalted by happiness, The perfect one shows the freedom from fear, anger and fondness.

(2-56)
Like the tortoise shows poise, withdrawing limbs with tact, An enlightened one draws the senses from the
sense

Many branching and endless are decisions of the infirm mind, In one pointed determination, firm decision you

always find.
.

objects. (2-58)

(2-41)

From anger

proceeds delusion, from delusion more confusion, Leading to ruin of reason and creating condition for destruction.

Free from attractions and aversions with senses under control, The enlightened one gains tranquillity which is the final goal.

(2-63)

(2-64)
Within feel the

Right place, competency, instruments, effort

and the chance factor,

happiness,

within feel the de-

light,

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With the illumination within, and sight.

gain

beatitude

(5-24)
.

Peace and

Equanimity

Indeed, these chapters also provide a foundational basis for an integral theory of pscho-spiritual analysis going beyond the horizons of psychoanalysis. Hence, the Gitas relevance to stress management and psychological healing through psycho-spiritual therapy has been widely acknowl-

Peace of mind is essential for not only making decisions but also for peaceful living. Hence, the emphasis on peace and equanimity, and its usefulness for self-development.

edged.
Sharma provides the OSHA model as a basis for understanding the question of kaun-tvam.29 In OSHA, 0 stands for oneness, S for spiritual, H for humanistic and A for animalistic tendencies corresponding to the gunatit, sattvik, rajasik and tamasik levels. This is a model of hierarchy of consciousness in contrast to Maslows hierarchy of needs. It sums up the essence of the Gita in the form of a management model. It also suggests the need to move beyond the selfish gene syndrome .3

Unsteady mind cant meditate, lacking wisdom

it feels stress, Without meditation there is peace
no

no

peace, without

happiness.
(2-66)

That person feels peace in whom all desires

merge,

Like rivers flow into ocean for quenching their inner urge.

(2-70)
That person attains peace who is devoid of

Typology of Gifts, Knowledge, Deeds, Human Agency

and Intellect
The guna theory provides us a basis for a typology of gifts, knowledge, deeds, human agency and intellect. They are classified as sattvik, rajasik and tamasik in nature, and their characteristics are discussed to provide us a guide for holistic

longings,
Freed from all desires and I and mine feelings.

(2-71)
The poised one achieves peace abandoning fruits of action, Others are impelled by desires, in the fruits lie their attention.

living.
Gifts
Gifts made without expectation of any return. Know them as sattvik when given to a worthy
person.

(5-12)

Hierarchy of Consciousness
Arjuna asks Krishna, Kaun-tvam? (Who are you?). Krishna in return shows his cosmic form. This chapter along with chapters 7 and 10, provides deep insights to the fundamental question Who am I?. A reading of these chapters creates not only a healing effect but also enhances the selfconfidence of individuals in facing adversities.
In chapter 11

( 17-20)
Gifts made with expectations for something in return, Know them as rajasik as giver is waiting for his turn.

(17-21)

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116
-

Gifts
to

given without respect and with intention insult,

as

Deeds that

are

undertaken without sound ad-

Know them

tamasik as tamas is the result.

vice, Delusion, loss and injury result from this

tamasik vice.

(17-22)

( 18-25)

Knowledge
knowledge represents the nescience, rajasik knowledge is reductionist, and sattvik knowledge is holistic and leads to self-realisation. Nescience, science and conscience correspond to the tamasik, rajasik and sattvik knowledge. Interestingly, agyan, vigyan and gyan also represent
Tamasik
these three levels. The knowledge by which oneness is seen in all existence, Undivided in the divided, sattvik is its essence,

Human Agency

Free from attachment, firm and non-egoistic, Balanced in success and failure, know this person as sattvik.

(18-26)
Passionate, greedy, excessively attached to the fruits of action,

Easily

moved by such a person.

joy

and sorrow,

rajasik

is

(18-20)
The

( 18-27)

knowledge by which manifold is

seen

in

Vulgar, stubborn, deceitful,

nature

indolent and

by

Rajasik is

every scene, its essence in

scenes.

malicious,

viewing

the

varying
(18-21)

The tamasik person is vicious.

unsteady

and is very

(18-28)
Intellect
z

Knowledge that is trivial and is without reason,

Consider it tamasik tion.
~

as

truth is not its founda-

(18-22)

Intellect that differentiates

right

and wrong

actions,
Deeds
Deeds performed without attachment to the fruits of action, Know them as sattvik, this is a basic lesson. That intellect is sattvik, fit for liberation.

( 18-30)
Intellect that takes
a

distorted view of a situ-

ation,
Know it
as

(18-23) Deeds that are done with cravings for desires, Know them as rajasik as they arouse egoistic
fires.

rajasik, as it is clouded by passion. (18-31)

Intellect that views

ner,

things in a perverted man(18-32)

It is enveloped in darkness, tamasik is its banner.

(18-24)

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The importance of intellect is fundamental to human beings. In contrast to other animals, humans are endowed with intelligence and vivek or the power
to discriminate. This indicates that the mechan-

Lust, anger and greed, they all lead to hell, Abandon these three in order to feel well.

(16-21)

istic S-R (Stimulus--Response) model rooted in the action-reaction law needs a reformulation. We present the S-D-R model as a new model of human behaviour. This S-D-R model is as follows:

Root, Shoot and Fruit Metaphor

Karmanye vadhikarasthe ma phaleshu kadachana is the most famous and least understood sloka. Once we use the metaphor of the root, shoot and fruit we get a better understanding of this sloka. There is always a time gap between the planting, the emergence of roots, the emergence of shoots and the flowering of fruit. Such time gaps between cause and effect, action and reaction, effort and result, stimulus and response, and their non-simultaneity need to be appreciated. Further, if the quality of the planting material is good, the quality of the fruit will also be good. This is the essence of the karmanye vadhikarasthe. If due and proper attention is paid to the effort, the result is also good. In fact, if one is overconcemed with results this may create unnecessary anxiety, thereby affecting the quality of efforts. Hence, emphasis on the nishkam karma, that is, on performing actions without attachment to the fruits of action. This also helps in taking a long-term view of the effort-and-result linkage, like the time gap between the planting and the flowering of fruit.

Stimulus-Discrimination-Response
According to this model, human beings use their power to discriminate (or vivek) between good or bad before responding to a stimulus, as against pigeons and rats, whose response may be automatic and mechanistic. Since the loose English translation of vivek is intelligence and it refers to the use of intellect in discriminating the nature
of stimulus, we can also refer to the S-D-R model as an S-I-R model presented below:

Stimulus-Intellect-Response
This model can also be contrasted with Stephen Coveys model of gap between the stimulus and response.&dquo; Our model suggests that the gap between stimulus and response is filled by discrimination or vivek or intellect.

Karmaphal

or

the Fruit of Action

Always seek to perform longing for the fruit,

route.

the actions, without

The consequences of each type of action are identified. As you sow so you reap is an ancient way of expressing the same idea. Sattvik actions lead to purity,

Dont lean towards inaction, follow this action

(2-47)
... is also indicative on the process rather than result in Process-Result (P-R) dynamics. Excessive emphasis on result tends to take away our attention from the process. If due attention is paid to the process, results will follow. This is

rajasik create tlte

.

pain,
Know tamas
as a

Karmanye vadhikarasthe of the focus and emphasis

generator of the

ignorance
(14-16)

chain.

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the basic lesson from the Gita. The root, shoot and fruit metaphor presented here also provides us with a deeper understanding of the processresult dynamics in organizational and social contexts.

The atman in this body is eternal, though the body has an end, Therefore, 0 Arjuna, fight for righteousness, dont at all bend.

Swadharma and Role Responsibility

Swadharma is an important idea in the Gita. In general, it has been translated as performance of ones duty. It refers to ones inherent nature and mental orientation, and performance of duty as per ones nature and natural inclinations. In the organizational context it implies fulfilling ones role responsibility. It also implies that one should not overstep into roles of others because not performing ones role and overstepping into role boundaries of others could lead to conflict intensis fication. Hence, swadharma reminds one of ones role responsibility and effective performance. Devoted to ones own duty and role, one attains

(2-18) For the born death is certain, for the dead birth, Dont grieve on this inevitable, play your role
on

this earth.

(2-27)
Look
at your own

role and

duty,

dont at all

waver,

Fight the righteous war, Arjuna, with full spirit and vigour. (2-31)
Treating alike defeat and victory and pleasure and pain, Fight the battle with full spirit, victory you will gain. (2-38)
With the sword of

self-knowledge
0

cut

the

perfection,
How is this

done, discourse on this you listen. ( 18-45)

ignorance veil, Stand up and fight, victory trail.

Arjuna,

and get the

Better is performance of ones own role than the role of others, If one is driven by ones role, no negative effect would then occur.

(4-42)
Arrival of the Best: Sambhavami

( 18-47)
-The Battle of Righteousness
The essence of the Gita lies in fighting the battle of righteousness for ones dignity. Indeed, the Gita provides a foundational premise for dignity struggles. In this sense it is perhaps the first revolutionary book known to humankind centuries before any other revolutionary text was written. Indeed, its essence lies in freedom from fear in fighting a battle of righteousness and thereby overcoming fear of failure.

Yuge Yuge
Arrival of the best to lead the rest is a fundamental contribution of the Gita to human thought, sharply in contrast to Darwins survival of the fittest to eliminate the rest .32 The idea of arrival of the best is contained in the most popular verses of the Gita, namely, verses 4-7 and 4-8, which also provide us with an interesting view on history that is presented subsequently. Yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati bharata I abhyuthanam adharmasaya tadatamam srjamyaham II (4-7)

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Paritranaya sadhunam vinasaya ch duskrtam I dharma sansthaparanarthaya sambhavami

yuge yuge II

Freedom of Choice
The Gita gives the concept of freedom of choice a lot of importance. Yadhicchasi tatha kuru-do as you wish-says Krishna after his discourse and after presenting all the alternative solutions. O

(4-8)
As and when

goodness declines

and wicked-

ness shows its rise, O! Bharata, in such situations I

myself arise. (4-7)

Arjuna, from me you have heard wisdoms

voice,

For the protection of the good and destruction of the evil, I am bom in every age for establishing goodwill.

Reflect upon it fully and act according to your choice.

(18-63)
Skill-Values Combination
The last sloka of the Gita indicates that ones skill-values combination provides the necessary condition for success.
Whenever Arjunas skill is combined with Krishnas values, Victory is ensured, consider this as the final view.

(4-8)
Law of Action: The Will to Work
In

chapter three we find the law of action in con-

the law of inaction. The idea that Krishna works even though there is no need for him to work is not only fascinating but also has a deeper meaning. It implies that everything in this universe is in a state of motion or vibration. Quantum physics has come to a similar conclusion. Since everything in the universe is in a state of motion at every moment and there is nothing at s rest, the will to work is fundamental to natures
trast to

(18-78)
We
can

also

rephrase this idea as follows:

functioning.
The Gitas law of action indicates that the will to work is inherent in the universe and also in human beings, and is guided and moderated by ones guna mix.

If you have the will and the skill, You can make it to the top of the hill.

By the virtue of guanas everyone is driven to action,

None

Concluding Comment: A Values Struggle View of History

The Gita also provides us a theory of past and future. A theory of history is provided in slokas 4-7 and 4-8, which provide us an analytical framework for not only viewing the past but also predicting the future. We repeat these slokas again:
As and when goodness declines and wickedness shows its rise,

remain without action fraction.

can

even

for

(3-5)
For me there is nothing that has not been done, Nor anything to be attained, I still engage in

action.

(3-22)

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O!

Bharata,

in such situations I

myself arise. (4-7)

Aurobindo, Subhash Chandra Bose

source.

and

Gandhi,

had drawn their revolutionary inspiration from this

For the protection of the good and destruction of evil, I am bom in every age for establishing goodwill.

Thus, in the Gita we find not only a theory of

of history. In contrast other theories or views about history, this view has a claim to greater appeal because of its emphasis on humanistic values and on an optimistic future. In fact, this view of history is more progressive than many other views usually presented to us as progressive but which have turned out to be the myopia of utopia. Further, this view of history is not bound by mode of production or structures of organization but is driven by mode of thinking. Its ultimate aim is to establish a sacro-civic society wherein the sattvik mode of thinking dominates over other modes of thinking, leading to greater synergy generation in societies. This also implies spiritualization of modernity .33 Indeed, realising the vision of a sacro-civic society is a new challenge for the next millennium, and the Gita could serve as a foundation for the same. We conclude by quoting the well-known

society but also a theory

to many

(4-8)
Thus, history is viewed as a struggle between dharma or good values and adharma or evil values.
The Gita suggests and predicts that in this struggle the ultimate victory is in favour of humanistic values. Metaphorically, this is facilitated by Krishnas arrival in different forms in different

periods or space-time zones (sambhavami yuge yuge). Thus, in history we find Krishnas arrival
in the form of Buddha, Mahavir, Christ, Gandhi and so on to establish the yuga of the sattva, or the kingdom of goodness, through a voice of virtue. Further, we also find emergence of many prophets, saints and sages in different periods of history in different places on the globe. As per slokas 4-7 and 4-8 they could all be viewed as Krishnas various names and forms, and Krishnas various reincarnations in different space-time zones. Thus, there is no end of history or no finality in history because as and when in future wickedness and exploitation increase, a Krishnalike enlightened leader will emerge to correct the balance. This is a lesson from history and a prediction for the future. Hence, it represents a theory of the past and the future in the form of values struggle rather than class struggle. In this theory creation of a social revolution is based on struggle for values. Indias freedom movement is an illustration of the same and, indeed, should be referred to as Indian revolution as it goes far beyond the other revolutions usually discussed in history. In this liberation of a nation, the Gita served as a foundation book for initiation of the

Rigveda verse:
Let noble thoughts come to us from all directions and take the liberty of making a modification : Let noble thoughts go from us in all directions.

Thus, the following represents the combination

of these two ideas:
Let noble thoughts come to us from all directions And let noble thoughts go from us in all direc-

tions.

And, finally, we can say that GITA stands for Grand

liberation process

as

many,

including Tilak,

Integration of Thought and Action. Let this noble thought go from us in all directions.

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Appendix
A

I
Gita

Summary of Key Management Ideas from the

Appendix

11 1

Metaphors and Images from the Gita

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Appendix ff contd.

NOTES AND REFERENCES

*

This is a revised version of the paper presented in the National Workshop, Indian Ethos in Management, organized by the Chaitanya Bharathi Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, 6-7 November 1998. The ideas discussed in this paper were also presented in a talk at the Womens Institute for Studies in Development Oriented Management

3. Swami Jitatmananda, Indian Ethos in Management (Rajkot: Ramkrishna Mission, 1992). 4. Swami Bodhananda, Gita and Management (New Delhi: Sambodh Foundation, 1994). 5. Swami Someswarananda, Indian Wisdom for Management (Ahmedabad: Ahmedabad Management Associa-

(WISDOM), Banasthali, Rajasthan.

6. 7.

tion, 1996).

1. See books by S.K. Chakraborty, Managerial Effectiveness and Quality of Work Life (New Delhi: Tata McGraw Hill, 1987); Managerial Transformation by Values: A Corporate Pilgrimage (New Delhi: Sage Publications, 1993); and Values and Ethics for Organisations (New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1998). 2. Swami Rangnathananda, Human Values in Management (New Delhi: Punjab National Bank, 1982).

8.

Chakraborty (n. 1 above). Narayana, Responsible Leadership in the Gita (Bombay: Foundation for Integral Management,1992). M.B. Athreya, Ancient Wisdom for National Human Resource Management, in Ancient Indian Wisdom for Self Development (Ahmedabad: Ahmedabad Management Association, 1995), 55-75.

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Ajanta Chakraborty, The Geeta and the Art of Successful Management (New Delhi: Harper Collins Publishers, 1995). 10. V.P. Brig. Naib, The Bhagavad Geetha: As a Soldier Understands It (New Delhi: Lancer Publishers and Distributors, 1997). 11. Justice Nainar S. Sundaram, My Rapport with the Gita (Chennai: Sri Champalal Savansukha Public Charitable Trust, 1997). 12. Ancient Indian Wisdom for Motivation (Proceedings of
the Fourth National Conference
on

9. E.

ing Organisations through People: A Global Agenda (New Delhi: New Age International Publishers, 1995),
209-14. 21. Subhash Sharma, Total

Quality of Management (TQOM): An Endological Basis for Human Values in Corporate Management, Abhigyan, Summer 1996,

HRM in Daisanas

35-39. 22. Subhash Sharma, Towards an Omnijective Theory for New Organisational Development, Chinmaya Management Review, 1997, 1(1), 12-18. 23. R.P. Banerjee, Mother Leadership (Allahabad: Wheeler

held at Ahmedabad, 10-11September 1992) (Ahmedabad: Ahmedabad Management Association and Sankara

Publishing, 1998).
24. Ranchan, Revisioning Gita (n. 15 above), 145. 25. Ibid., 149. 26. Sharma, Management in New Age: Western Windows Eastern Doors (n. 18 above), 188. 27. This quote is from James Joseph, Self Development for Crisis Management, in Ancient Indian Wisdom for Self-Development (Ahmedabad: Ahmedabad Management

Vidya Kendra, 1993); and Ancient Indian Wisdom for Self Development: Selected Papers from the National Conferences on HRM in Daisanas (Ahmedabad: Ahmedabad Management Association and Sankara Vidya Kendra,
1995).
13.
14.

15. 16.

Chinmaya Mission, Management Tips in the Geetha (Bangalore: Chinmaya Mission, 1996). K.V.K. Raju International Leadership Academy, Indian Ethos in Leadership (Hyderabad: K.V.K. Raju International Leadership Academy, 1997). P. Som Ranchan, Revisioning Gita (New Delhi: Konark Publishers, 1991). Gouranga P. Chattopadhyay, Bhagavat Geeta: A Treatise on Managing Critical Decisions in Work Organisation, in Society, in Family (Calcutta: Eureka Publishers,
1997). Sharma, OSHA Model for Relationship Management, Abhigyan, Spring 1995, 29-40. Subhash Sharma, Management in New Age: Western Windows Eastern Doors (New Delhi: New Age International Publishers, 1996), 188.

Association, 1995), 5.

28. Ranchan, Revisioning Gita (n. 15 above), 149. 29. Subhash Sharma, Quantum Rope: Science, Mysticism and Management (New Delhi: New Age International

Publishers, 1999).
30. Subhash Sharma, From Self Actualisation to Self Realisation: Beyond the Selfish Gene Syndrome,

17. Subhash 18.

19. Ibid., 146-50. 20. Subhash Sharma, Towards Enlightened Leadership: A Framework of Leadership and Management, in K.B. Akhilesh, L. Prasad and P. Singh, eds, Evolving Perform-

Abhigyan, 25(4), 1997, 59-63. Stephen R. Covey, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1989). 32. Sharma, Management in New Age: Western Windows Eastern Doors (n. 18 above), 215. 33. The idea of spiritualizing modernity is the idea ofsacrocivic society presented in this paper. For the concept of spiritualizing modernity, see Avijit Pathak, Indian Modernity: Contradictions, Paradoxes and Possibilities (New Delhi: Gyan Publishing House, 1998), 225-29.
31.

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