Srimad Bhagavad Gita

Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Chapter 3

Professor B Mahadevan
October 19 December 6, 2010
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Main messages in the chapter
Why should we engage in action (work)*?
How to choose our domain of action?
How to free from bondage while in action?
Leading by example
B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore
Leading by example
How to avoid being a victim of situations?
Mutual dependence as an important element
of creating prosperity
* Action & work are interchangeably used here. It means TP
~lP( 4Jl6l Chapter 3
In a nutshell
3.1, 3.2 Arjunas Question
3.3 Krishnas reaction to Arjuna: Two fold path
3.4 3.8 Some axioms of work
3.9 3.31 How to attain freedom from work
3.11 3.12 Notion of mutual dependence
3.13 3.20 Sacrifice (Yajna) principle & relevance
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3.13 3.20 Sacrifice (Yajna) principle & relevance
3.21 3.25 Leading by example
3.27 3.29; 3.33 3.35 Ones own nature and its
relationship to work
3.36 Arjunaa question: How not to become victim of
situations
3.37 3.43: Krishnas reply to the question
3.37 Role of Kama and Krodha
3.38 3.43 Role of =l T- in this
Slokas 1 2
Arjuna seeks clarification
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6|tT TP|T l Pl |+4l=4|B TH4+
If knowledge is superior to action why are you
pushing me to engage into terrible action (of war)
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I am confused. Give me a considered advise.
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Slokas 4 5
Axioms on Karma
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By non-performance of action, none reaches the
state of inaction; By merely giving up action no one
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state of inaction; By merely giving up action no one
attains perfection
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No one can be without action even for a moment;
By our nature and guna we are made to act
Relevance of Gita
Developing right perspectives towards work
Active Physical Attachment and Emotional
Detachment to work liberates you from the
tyranny and boredom of work
Fundamental building blocks of sustainability
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Fundamental building blocks of sustainability
The concept of Yajna
The notion of mutual dependence
Understanding the deep relationship between
Nature & Man
Shunning away selfish behaviour
Slokas 8 9
Some more axioms of work
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Action is superior to inaction; perform obligatory
action
This is in contrast
with agency theory
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action
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All actions done with a sense of Yajna liberates from
the bondage (of work & results)
Slokas 10 11
Yajna and its relevance
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Prajapati created people & the concept of Yajna;
enabled them to milch the cow of desires using
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enabled them to milch the cow of desires using
Yajna
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Using Yajna attain prosperity by respecting the
principle of mutual dependence
Giving is one of our core values
Taittriya Upanishad
~&4l (4P Give with reverence
H~&4l5(4P Do not give with irreverence
|~4l (4P Give liberally
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|~4l (4P Give liberally
|(4l (4P Give with modesty
|4l (4P Give with fear
B|4(l (4P Give in friendliness
Yajna is everything in Life
Chamaka Prasna
Hl44+ T-96l - Life using the principle of Yajna
9lTl 4+ T-96l - Prana using the principle of Yajna
H9l+l 4+ T-96l - Apana using the principle of Yajna
-4l+l 4+ T-96l - Vyana using the principle of Yajna
4+ T-96l - Vision using the principle of Yajna
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4+ T-96l - Vision using the principle of Yajna
~l 4+ T-96l - Hearing using the principle of Yajna
P+l 4+ T-96l - Mind using the principle of Yajna
4l4+ T-96l - Speech using the principle of Yajna
HltPl 4+ T-96l - Soul using the principle of Yajna
4l 4+ T-96lP+- Sacrifice using the principle of Yajna
5 types of Yajna
9 4l-
HO 4- - Study of Vedas (F4l\4l4)
(4 4- - Worship of God, making offerings
|96 4- - Offerings to parents and ancestors
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|96 4- - Offerings to parents and ancestors
P+!4 4- - Offering to fellow human beings
6 4- - Offering to other living creatures
There is a larger principle of thanks giving, showing gratefulness
to the larger system of beings in existence
Taittriya Upanishad:
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Taitriya Upanishad
Nature & Man - Relationship
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HlTlHll4- Akash to Vayu (Sparsha)
4l4l|P- Vayu to Agni (Rupa)
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4l4l|P- Vayu to Agni (Rupa)
HPl9- Agni to Water (Rasa)
H- 9|4l Water to Earth (Gandha)
9|-4l Hl94- Earth to Plants
Hl9l-4l5P Plants to Food
Hlt969- Food to Progeny
Relevance of Gita
Leadership is a challenging proposition
Leadership is far more challenging
Very recently modern literature (servant leadership,
emotional leadership etc.) is peeping into this domain
Basic requirements of leadership
|6|6l
B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore
|6|6l (Chapter 2: Sloka 14)
A capability to give up everything even when all resources
are at ones disposal this is true empowerment
Engaging in action even when there is no fruit or need for
fruits of action
Walking the talk as a serious issue for practice
Relevance of Gita
Leadership lessons
Be aware of the challenges of being a leader
as others look upon the leaders
Working without a reference frame of
benefits, need for it etc.
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benefits, need for it etc.
lTB(P as the overarching objective
An intense effort towards
Walking the talk
Thereby demonstrating and motivating others to
imbibe right approaches & perspectives to work
Slokas 21 22
Leading by example
4H(l|6 ~U- 6(46l =+-
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Leading by example is the critical element of
leadership
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leadership
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I have nothing to achieve in the three worlds,
nothing left to be gained
With this frame
of mind one
can get into
holy laziness
The only (as well as a powerful) antidote is 4 l4-
Relevance of Gita
Work and Ones own nature
Every entity (including human beings) has some
inherent nature and that drives most of the activities
in the world and shapes outcomes
Detaching one-self from these (forces of nature, and
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outcomes) can indeed be the path to freedom from
work and mental stresses associated with them
One tool for this is the principle of surrender (take the ego
out of the work), it eases a lot of mental tension
Guna is a manifestation of the nature (Parkriti); Guna
leads to Karma; Karma is associated with Dharma
Slokas 27 28
Guna and Karma
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All actions are performed in all cases merely by
Gunas. He whose mind is deluded by egoism thinks
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Gunas. He whose mind is deluded by egoism thinks
I am the doer.
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One who has true insights into Guna and Karma
does not get attached.
Bhagavan Ramana Maharishis call
to enquire Who am I helps to achieve
this
Guna Forces of Nature
Mahanarayana Upanishad
I am not the doer
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B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore
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Nature impels us to do many
things. When we are spiritually
awakened we are able to regulate
these natures functions
Loka Samastat Sukhino Bhavantu
Stafford Beer (1994, Interfaces (24:4:83 93)
Output is a self-regulating black box function of input
variety
Managers often claim credit for the details of
outcomes that are actually products of the system,
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credit from which they are disqualified by Ashbys
Law of requisite variety
Self-determination of the system from its own
nature, of the implicit control which cybernetics
purports to discover in nature 5000 years too late to
count as original
Resource Based View (RBV) theory in Strategy talks about Path Dependence
Slokas 33 34
Everyone has their own nature
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9T|6 4l|-6 6l|+ |+(- |T T|!4|6+ 3.33.
Even a wise person acts in accordance with his/her
own nature; Beings follow nature; what can
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own nature; Beings follow nature; what can
suppression do?
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Attachment & Aversion of the sense organs for the
sense objects are natural. They are robbers. Let
none come under their sway
Sloka 35
Ones own dharma is supreme
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Better is ones own dharma, though imperfect than
the dharma of another well performed. Better is
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the dharma of another well performed. Better is
death in ones own dharma, another persons
dharma is fraught with fear.
Prakriti Guna Karma Dharma
All these are intrinsically related to one another.
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Relevance of Gita
Flawless work thru Mind management
How to avoid blunders in life?
Desire & Anger are the two causes
They are stemming from Rajo Guna
Buddhi Manas Sense Organs have a
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Buddhi Manas Sense Organs have a
hierarchical relationship Understanding this is
fundamental to managing this issue
Fighting the world of desires & anger is the true
war to be won
Slokas 42 43
Sense organs Master Vs Slave?
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Sense organs are superior to body mind is
superior to sense organs buddhi is superior to
Pancha Kosha
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superior to sense organs buddhi is superior to
mind Atman is superior to buddhi
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Thus knowing that reality which is beyond buddhi,
restraining the self by self, destroy the unseizable
army in the form of kama
Katha Upanishad
Yama to Nachiketa
Life is a journey towards fulfillment
Chariot Body
Horses Sensory System
(Motive power is in the horses and not in the chariot)
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(Motive power is in the horses and not in the chariot)
Reins to control horses - Manas
Charioteer (who holds the reins) Buddhi
King (the Adhikari) - Atman
4|&6 Bl|6 |4|&
World View Activities
Two contrasting processes
I (Ego)
Sense Objects
(Outside World)
Body Complex
Sensory System
Manas (Mind)
Buddhi (Intellect)
I (It)
Sense Objects
(Outside World)
Paramatman
Buddhi (Intellect)
Manas (Mind)
Sensory System
Body Complex
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B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore
I (Ego)
(Jeevatman)
I (It)
(Paramatman)
Maya The Delusion Viveka Enlightenment
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Taitrya Upanishad Chapter 2
Pancha Kosha concept
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People take steps to
maintain the body in shape
(fasting etc.)
A defective organ is
sacrificed to maintain peace
of mind
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Body is gross Five Pranas are more subtle Mind is even
subtler (thoughts are more pervading than sense organs)
Intellect is even better It can clarify to the mind issues
Bliss is powerful (but more evasive) and much more subtler
than intellect
of mind
To gain deep knowledge
people begin to endure pain
& difficulties
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