Request for Assistance

[Guest guest]

Dear friends in the Sangha,

In my role as a professor, I often write papers and

publish them in academic journals and present them at academic conferences. In

2005, I presented a paper on Krishna as a transformational servant leader (in the

context of Mahabharata and Bhgagavad Gita) at the Academy of Management. I was

able to get feedback from many of you before I put it up on my website.

Next week, August 10, 2008, I am planning to present

on the Bhagavad Gita again at the Academy of Management meetings in California,

Anaheim. The Academy of Management consists of managers, management

professors, and management Ph.D. students. I need your assistance to improve my

presentation, if you have the time. I am looking for examples from your

personal experiences of action, decision making, and how it lead to either success

and/or failure and how you handled it in the context of karma yoga as explained

in the Bhagavad Gita.

The fundamental theme of my talk will be that the

essential message of the Bhagavad Gita, unlike a modern management book or a

manual, is to ensure not just worldly success but true self-actualization that leads

to benefit of society as well as personal success of the highest level. I will

be giving examples of Indian executives or professionals (or anyone in a

decision making position in any field) who are influenced by Bhagavad Gita’s

philosophy of doing karma without being attached to fruits of actions. Of

course, I am not limiting myself to Indian nationals and everyone is welcome to

contribute.

Here is an example of what I am trying to do.

______________

The former Managing Director of Mckinsey, Rajat Gupta, is a celebrated

management strategist currently sits on the boards of Goldman Sachs,

Procter & Gamble, AMR Corporation and Genpact Ltd, besides being a special

adviser on management reforms to the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

He is also part of select group world's most admired board of directors.

 

Here

are some excerpts from an interview with Rajat Gupta in 2001 in which he

reveals the influence of Gita on his thinking.

 

Interview

by Jitendara V. Singh-Source is Academy of Managemenl Executive, 2001,

Vol. 15, No, 2

 

 

Rajat

Gupta: But I very much believe in the philosophical concept of karma yogi. You

just do what you think is the right thing, don't really get attached to the

fruits thereof, or don't worry about the results. Do it with the right

intentions, do the best you can, and the results will be whatever they will be.

It's a fundamentally, deeply held, philosophical thought.

 

Rajat

Gupta: " Well I did everything in my power to do, I did the best I could, I

had always the right intentions, and the outcome was not what it was. Well, so

be it! Try it another day. " It happens all the time; I serve clients in

the best way I can. Great client projects, but nothing happens afterward, no

relationship, no follow-on work. Well I did everything I could, but it didn't

happen. I think if we judge ourselves by results too much, we're always out of

balance. Either we are far happier than we should be, or far sadder. Sometimes

the results are not because of what you did, but because of circumstances.

Sometimes the results are in spite of the best you did.

 

Jitendara Singh: You were quoting, of course, Rajat, from the ancient

Hindu text, the Bhagavad-Gita, and you're talking about the concept of nishkama

karma, if I remember correctly. :

Rajat

Gupta: Absolutely. You know the most famous sloka that is:

 

Karmanye

vaditaras fe

ma

phaleshu kadachana

ma

karma-phala-hetur bhur

ma te

sango 'stva karmani'

______________

The above is a clear example of a top manager deeply

influenced by the idea of nishkama karma. I am looking for examples like that

from others that I can include in my paper.

The verses of interest I will be commenting on at

the Academy of Management presentation are given below (translation by Ramanand

Prasad).

You have Adhikaara over your respective duty only, but no control or claim

over the results. The fruits of work should not be your motive. You should

never be inactive. (2.47) (The word Adhikaara means ability and privilege,

prerogative, jurisdiction, discretion, right, preference, choice, rightful

claim, authority, control.)

Do your duty to the best of your ability, O Arjuna, with your mind attached

to the Lord, abandoning (worry and) attachment to the results, and remaining

calm in both success and failure. The equanimity of mind is called Karma-yoga.

(2.48)

Work done with selfish motives is inferior by far to the selfless service or

Karma-yoga. Therefore be a Karma-yogi, O Arjuna. Those who seek (to enjoy) the

fruits of their work are verily unhappy (because one has no control over the

results). (2.49)

As the ignorant work, O Arjuna, with attachment (to the fruits of work), so

the wise should work without attachment, for the welfare of the society. (3.25)

The wise should not unsettle the mind of the ignorant who is attached to the

fruits of work, but the enlightened one should inspire others by performing all

works efficiently without attachment. (See also 3.29) (3.26)

The true nature of action is very difficult to

understand. Therefore, one should know the nature of attached action, the

nature of detached action, and also the nature of forbidden action. (4.17)

Attached action is selfish work that produces Karmic

bondage, detached action is unselfish work or Seva that leads to nirvana, and

forbidden action is harmful to society. The one who sees inaction in action,

and action in inaction, is a wise person. Such a person is a yogi and has

accomplished everything. (See also 3.05, 3.27, 5.08 and 13.29) (4.18).

 

Any examples from your personal experiences are most

welcome. I do not have to use your actual name in the paper, if you do not wish

that. Thank you.

 

Namaste and love to all

Yours in Bhagavan

Harsha