MANAGEMENT LESSON THROUGH GITA

– A STUDY FROM III & IV CHAPTERS

Dr. Rakesh K

Abstract:

In this chapter, an endeavour has been made to audit the effect of most profound sense of

being spiritual on corporate administration. The ancient scriptures are veritable treasure

troves and continue to remain relevant even today. Hence, an attempt has been made to relate

The Gita’s wisdom to bear upon modern management principles. Section 1 deals with work

as worship, form of yagna and the types of attitudes people evince towards their job as well

as their needs. Section 2 deals with how being spiritually minded can be a win situation for

both the personnel and their bosses. Section 3 deals with how religious mindedness can

overcome trials and tribulations in the workplace

Spirituality has affected the presence of individuals as far back as the old civic

establishments. It significantly affects the everyday existence of individuals. Modernization

has gotten most recent innovation and strategies into human life, however it is vital to realize

that amidst every one of these improvements and change, a deep sense of being has its own

particular part to play. Outer extravagances, solaces give transitory or here and now outside

fulfillment to individuals. Human needs are satisfied in a steady progression, yet the

requirement for peace, satisfaction, serenity and adjusted presence is expanding. Occasionally

endeavours are made to satisfy this, however when it is peace and happiness and different

viewpoints, it is the impact from inside that outcome in all these change and modification. A

precise approach is basic in most profound sense of being to meet these ends.


Sr. Faculty
Department of Management Studies
MVGR College of Engineering
Vizianagaram
Ph: 0885115164
Email: rakeshkrishna.kv@gmail.com
The working environment is getting to be unpleasant because of the quick period of the

development and dynamism at the worldwide level. Neighborhood establishments began

contending with the global mammoths, the system in which they were working prior changed

to suit the multinational prerequisite. Because of this the speed and development made the

lop-sidedness at the working environment. The human touch among the workers began

decreasing while the mechanical relationship or automated approach started.

God speaks out through ‘I AM’ and the result is the whole universe. This creation is but a
crystal of the self-expression of the Lord, I AM. God comes down as the Creation of His own
Word. He lives in His creation when He is called the Lord. Thus He is said to descend upon
this Earth as His own matter. The descent of the Lord to this Earth is the sure prophecy of His
becoming as the living beings through His threefold word: Mind, Life and Body. The bud of
Mind blossoms into the five petalled flower of senses. All this is to enact the drama of
objectivity. This play mystifies the Lord himself to keep him as the living being, the actor and
the audience of the drama of objectivity. This is the play of the Lord. A play has no cause and
no result. It is an end in itself, so to say, an experience. 14 It has no place for a WHY. Every
part of it is THE HOW of it. The splendour of the Lord I AM is blinded by the layers of
‘mine’, my own, when a character is sent out as a blind king. A reporter and narrator is sent
out as second character. The Hero of the play comes down to the front of the stage in a
double role : The God in man, and the man in God. The God in man sings out it’s splendour
to recollect Himself in the man in God and the process is called God realisation. The
conditioning of the man in God is liberated through this recollection. Hence the culmination
is the grand liberation. This is the content of the Song of Eternity, The Bhagavad Gita.
Introduction:
Spirituality is amalgamated in Indian culture from the time of Indus valley civilization
which is reflected in Ancient Indian literatures and this treasure trove offers several tips for
the motivation of individuals in the workplace. Motivation plays an important role in an
organization and this is well defined in management. Leaders use many diverse techniques to
motivate employees. Nevertheless, self-motivation is more important than being motivated
through techniques evolved by other persons. Self-motivation and self-management will
always lead the individual to better enhancement. Spirituality will help the individuals in
getting self-motivated and this is being practised by many organizations today. Spiritual
practices like meditation, yoga, selfless service, spiritual discourses by renowned persons and
so on are in vogue. We want to draw some important lessons from ancient Indian literature
which includes The Bhagavad Gita, Baghavatam, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and the
Upanishads etc. which can be very useful in motivating individuals at the workplace. The
ancient Indian literature consists of Vedas, Upanishads, epics, Puranas, etc. which have dealt
with spirituality in great detail. These seem to be speaking of the regular chores, wars, and
relationships etc. of royal families and citizens of the then kingdoms. However, when studied
in detail, they are all pointed at invoking and realizing of one’s inner spirit, enhancing it and
finally achieving a state of a merger with the Super-Spirit called God. It has been emphasized
by scholars through the ages, that ancient Indian literature is a rich source of spiritual
practices, self-actualization, compassion for mankind and harmony with nature which have
great relevance to today’s quest for self-satisfaction, self-motivation, sustainable business,
Nature over self, Green initiatives, etc. Several verses from various Vedas, Epics,
Upanishads, etc. have been identified which enhance spirituality in individuals and enhance
their productivity through self-motivation and self-realization
The word motivation is derived from the Latin word “movere” which means ‘to move’. Post
2nd Word War, the term motivation has attracted both academicians and practitioners of
management alike. It is because the success of an organization depends largely on the human
resources working in it. Though many theories of motivations and techniques evolved during
the early 1940s, it is evident that motivational techniques and skills were very much in
practice from the early ages of mankind. The Ancient Indian Literatures, comprising of
Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas etc., have deliberated on several rituals, art, law, science,
economy, spirituality, mythology and so on. Though all of these were quite apparent and
visible outright, there were hidden lessons for the managers to be good motivators, mentors
and leaders. These aspects may be subscribed to ensure a sustainable business environment
and to achieve the organizational goals through human-nature harmony rather than resource
exploitation and nature depletion.
Spirituality has a great significance in man’s life. One would discover the true inner self
through spiritual enlightenment. Religion is a path to attain such spiritual enlightenment. All
religions in the world preach qualities like love, compassion, service, peace, etc. though in
different ways. For centuries, successful men have always tried to find their inner self and
entered spiritual paths in the final stages of their life, meaning which money, fame and other
riches earned by them for years haven’t given the true sense of satisfaction and realization of
ultimate happiness.
Business organizations are the backbone of any nation’s economy. The success of these
organizations reflects the welfare and development of the nation. A great need for highly
motivated employees arises from this motive. Integration of spiritual knowledge with
management techniques can empower managers to effectively handle issues of human
resource management today.
SECTION-1

Action is fundamental to life. The quality of the action is determined by the attitude, ethics,
behaviour and motivation. The employee knows what thinking is and what action is. He feels
clumsy about mixed values and priorities. So, he asks in order to select and decide which one
is desirable. The employer answers:
A) Right understanding leads to right action; hence, knowledge is the leading
principle. There is a difference between knowledge and understanding. The
application of knowledge is action.
B) Right action purifies and causes right understanding; hence, doing is the leading
principle. Right actions are to be chosen, justified and determined by accurate
understanding which pervades knowledge with power. -B.G3.3
Supposing that we proposed to stop doing the things, we cannot get out of a deed. If
we keep off from the action, we cannot enjoy inaction. Right action follows from its right
path. If we really need something to be done, then we find a good reason for the action.
We talk about in action, as no inaction is possible for a second. The reason behind this is
balancing thoughts and actions have always been a challenge for the people. If we never get
progress, then we stop them.
An action starts in the mind, stimulated by the environment. Starting from the mind,
the action is expressed through parts of the body. If you bind your limbs, the thought
of the act is as before. This process does not cause experience of inaction. Further, it
lands you in a self-deception.” - B.G 3.6
It is first duty to bring the senses down under control. Our brain, mixed with experiences and
our personality, acts upon the demand by the environment. In this situation, we need to
develop ourselves and accomplish the things. This can bring the senses under control and put
our body into action.
Lying to yourself and thinking that you are less capable in achieving the things that you want
to achieve, it leads to self-deception. One should not be in the state of self-deception. Start
creating some positive beliefs about your life which elevates to next level. Your capable of so
much more than what you have.
Being overwhelmed with many things to do and no sense of priority usually means nothing to
be done. It is better to do something instead of physical inaction. Therefore, we start doing
something which is controllable.
 Doing is of two types: doing for you and doing for others. Doing for you gives the
motivation which shapes its own results and leads to a chain of actions. Doing for
others involves a spirit of sacrifice, also called as an offering or worship. -B.G3.9
Doing is something that gives the ability, fulfilment and accomplishment. Doing anything
does not fulfil any want to him. By not doing anything, nothing is lost for him. From any of
the living beings there is nothing that he derives. Now do your lot without motive. Such an
act of detachment brings the highest realization. Now, about the alternatives of doing or not
doing, I advise you better to do than to stop doing. Doing brings you perfection. It is the only
practice for perfection.

Work as the offering is called Yagna. Working for oneself is Karma. Sri Krishna says
there is life without karma and Arjuna asks how karma is possible without keeping the
results of karma in mind.
The people should not think about the result, where the fruits of karma are not in the hands of
an employee.
So, in an organization, how does creation run as Yagna? Creation comes from its own nature,
as it is creative. We should not stop our working capacity or the prescribed duties. It has to be
created and filled with own creation. Hence, all the people will be blessed with Yagna.
Our desires are filled up only with Yagna. In this context, Krishna uses different
words to describe desire as the enemy. Trying to satisfy a desire is fulfilling which is
like trying to extinguish fire by adding fuel to it. Our desires are filled up only with
Yagna. –B.G 3.10
Employees feel anxious on entering an organization. They worry about how they perform in
the new job. An employer with his employee spends a few weeks to months on orientation
programs so that the new employees feel at home in a new environment.
Employees join the organization with different needs and expectations. Their values,
perceptions, attitudes are different. A motivated employee is generally more quality oriented.
Not only are the employees motivated to perform a specific task, they look for better ways to
do a job as well. The employees’ moods, feelings and overall emotions have an impact on job
performance, decision-making, teamwork, leadership and negotiations.

Various training methods are used to train employees. The future needs of employees will be
met through motivation and development programs. Motivation is a tool with which
managers can arrange job relationships in organization. Employers should inspire employee’s
abilities to get the job done and they should assign responsibilities and giving them the
chance to rise to challenge. Doing so, employees in the organization gives best in their work.

Employers must create opportunities for their employees to take on responsibility and show
creativity towards work. Efficient employees contribute to the growth of the organization.
Growth indicates prosperity which is reflected in increased profits from year to year.
Employers must move up the pyramid of needs to ensure that all the employees’ needs are
met. According to reference of Maslow’s hierarchy theory is an arrangement that ranks
people or concepts from lowest to highest. Individuals must meet the needs at the lower
levels of the pyramid before they can successfully be motivated to tackle the next levels. The
lowest four levels represent deficiency needs, and the upper three levels represent growth
needs. According to some interpretations of a few theories, an employee or individual will
not seek to satisfy higher-level needs until with lower level needs are fulfilled.
If an employer wants to appeal to the self-actualization needs, he has to develop an
employee’s potential and reward him with a promotion.
The performance of an employee is being measured as quality and quantity of output,
leadership abilities, versatility etc.

SECTION-2
This is about establishing an employer’s internal and external image, which is related to
understanding the necessities of both employee talents and the firm’s needs and wants.
Krishna says: Do a lot in Yagna, the Gods fulfil the requirement through Yagna. Sow
the seed; the germinated devas give you the plant and reap for you the fruit. Plough
the field; the gods of the clouds are there to rain. Honoured by your yagna, they give
you what you want.
We reap what we sow. An employer must sow a thought, a habit, and character, and thereby
reap a destiny. What we get depends on what we do and how we work. Do not expect success
without doing what needs to be done.
What we do, what we speak, what we act, what choices we make, sooner or later comes back
around. In an organization, whatever we do today is directly proportional to what we get
tomorrow.
An employer should be like a reflection to the employees of what he would like to see
in others. The Seed is to be planted with hope, love, respect, honesty, positive energy,
 good attitude, creativity and irrigated with faith, hard work towards the organization.
Good thoughts, words, empathy, emotions and performing good deeds are always
essential for any organization.
Suppose he doesn’t like what he reaps, he could better change the methods of sowing.
The employerneeds to be informed about the business and should demonstrate how to work.
He should have direct communication authority with the subordinates. An employer can use
management theories like the Goal-setting theory which is one of most effective theories and
it is the process of motivating employees and involving them in the decision-making process.
To motivate an employee towards organizational goals, it is necessary to find his or her
interests. Instead of pushing solutions on people with the force of an argument, the manager
should rather elicit solutions from them.
One essential element is that the goal should be specific. A specific goal leads to higher
output than the vague goals. Commitment towards the goal and its achievement will have an
effect on employee behaviour and their satisfaction. The employer can use the techniques to
influence employee’s behaviours like management by objective (MBO), flexible working
hours, wo-tier pay system, flexible benefits etc.
The design of an employee’s job has a significant effect. It includes both challenging and
interesting tasks for the employee.

By doing anything does not consummate any want to him. But by not doing anything,
nothing is disoriented for him. For human beings, there is nothing that they derive.
Always we have to learn to be ourselves and express, have faith in employees. A price must
be made paid to have confidence in yourself and others. Here, the price is trust.
Krishna says that actions start from the qualities of own personal nature. The ignorant
feelings are the causes of their actions.
This implies thatgenerally, people should have both character and competency; for example,
if they have the right skills but lack the integrity or vice-versa, then, the trust will be low.
You can’t be confident if you are not competent. If an employee in an organization lacks
skills and knowledge, he or she may not have enough confidence to achieve the goals.
Now, do your lot without motive. Such an act of detachment brings the highest
realization. Desireless action is an action which is performed without any expectation
of fruits or results.
An employee who is inherently strong enough in the allocated work without expectations or
motives about its outcomes generally makes an individual fit for a task.
Now, verbalizing about the alternatives of doing or not doing: It is better to do the work.
For example, there are two styles of management theories like Theory X (authoritarian) and
Theory Y (participative). These theories have a ignificant impact to motivate employees and
also explain the behaviour of an individual.
Theory X management avoids work, dislikes responsibility, and needs to be inherited in each
and every step. In recent times, it has fallen out of fashion and big organizations are avoiding
the Theory X management style. On the other hand, theory Y enjoys putting effort at work,
happy to work on their own initiative, seek and accept responsibility. Thus, this theory Y has
become popular among organizations.
Krishna says work that suits the qualities of your own nature is your actual work. Live
and die in your work. Fear is the result of doing the work foreign to your nature.
-B.G3.35
An employee should exactly know what areas they needed to improve on and have a clear
picture of what success in that area would look like. We must overcome difficulty by constant
practise .We must learn that nothing can happen to us unless we make ourselves susceptible
to it.

SECTION-3

When Krishna expressed that everyone does things according to the qualities of his or
her nature. Then Arjuna asked “What is that makes a man to commit sin?
A sin is any action performed by that person that is considered wrong. In an organization the
reasons for sinning are political behaviour, back talking, false accusing, jealousy and other
immoral actions etc.
Sometimes, the managers hire weak, under-skilled people. They either feel in secure or don’t
care or they can’t bear the thought of someone growing better than what they are.
In a process of creation, it emits a jet of force of activities. This activity causes strong
currents like radiation and convections. It is of two types Attraction and Repulsion. Attraction
causes desire while repulsion causes anger.
Here, the employer looks after the desire and anger which are like blood brothers. If the
desire is not satisfied, anger is the assured consequence.
You say that everyone does things according to the qualities of his own nature. Why do
people do wrong and sinful acts? Some commit horrible sins, even against their own nature,
as if attracted strongly by something else. What is that something? Wherefrom does sin
sprout?
The Lord answers:
The process of the whole creation is that of a combustion engine. It has its by-
products and excretes. The process of creation emits a jet of force which causes
activity of particles. This jet of activity causes strong currents like radiation and
convection. These currents are of two types, attraction and repulsion. Attraction
causes desire and repulsion causes anger. They are the two great poles of sin.
Remember that they are enemies of poise.
If you want fire, there is smoke. Similarly wherever there is the process of creation there is
the by-product termed sin. When you use a mirror for your own image, it accumulates dust at
the surface. The whole Creation is My mirror and hence the dust of sin is there only to be
removed again and again. If a child were to be conceived, layers of placenta are unavoidable.
They are to be pierced by the child with the co-operative pains of mother, the nature.
Krishna says, first we have to control our senses and then conquer our mind. If the
employees had done this, then they obey orders from their superiors.
Man has no idea about their strengths and their beliefs’. Outlandish ideas are especially
encouraged they may turn out to be creative. Openness to new ideas,friendly supervision,
team building, participative decision making and help to promote creative thinkers and if they
gained their confidence and put forward in an organization, everything becomes a matter of
course.
Here, the facts should be expressed in public so that misunderstandings between the groups
or teams can be removed.
The senses, mind and the will, are said to be the harbour of this by-product, the sin. It
pervades these layers. It encircles the faculty of knowing and confuses the personality
consciousness. It is your first duty to bring the senses under control before you can
conquer this killer of intelligence and intuition.
A strong organizational culture will have an influence on employee behaviour. It tends to
lead to groupthink and resistance to change and innovative. New employees are screened
carefully to ensure that they fit in with the culture. In recent times, organizations have
introduced groups or team systems of working thereby increasing empowerment. When the
employee understands the place as a part of a whole he/she can work more effectively. This
brings better understanding among members and towards work.
Conclusion:

Workers discover quiet and mollified ambience to some degree with this spiritual approach.

This new profound dispensation exemplifies the workers' quest for effortlessness, which

means, self-articulation, and interconnectedness to something higher otherworldly existence

likewise includes a feeling of the interconnectedness of all things and a capacity to rise above

the standard and to see the consecrated in regular daily existence. Most profound sense of

being as Spirituality is additionally reflected in the sentiments of peace, wonderment, quiet,

and connectedness, and it is a wellspring of unlimited confidence and determination.

Spirituality in the working environment covers an expansive scope of wonders, experienced

both inside and outside of a formal religious convention, which fixates on an individual affair

of the hallowed and one's association with it. Further, the association with others and to life

itself with regard to work environment gets progressed.