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From:
Swami Bodhananda Saraswati <swami_bodhananda@charter.net>
Friday, May 29, 2009 9:07:46 PM
Dear Narayanan,
My wish is to publish the book , Management in Mahabharata' by 2011
March. We will have release functions in Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bangalore
and Kochi, Mumbai, Pune, Chandigarh and Hyderabad.
I think the 'Amrita
mathan" motif would be fitting for the book. You may contrast it
with the disastrous yagna of Daksha.
Vishnu lying on
the couch of the serpent, assisted by a meager staff, cool and balanced,
managing the affairs of the world, springing to action only in crisis
situations could be the archetype manager/leader.
Swami Bodhananda.
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Date: Mon, 1 Jun 2009 10:11:59 -0400
From: Swami Bodhananda Saraswati <swami_bodhananda@charter.net>
To: Ramanathan Narayanan <narayanan.makham@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: story catalogue
Dear Narayanan,
Thank you for this mail. I am happy to know that you have made considerable
and valuable progress. Congratulations! Please send me full text of
those stories you find difficulty co-relating. Subramanian is a gold
mine of stories. My salutations goes to Subramanian too.
Now some thoughts:
(1) Cyclical vs Linear: The whole of Indian wisdom is based on
the cyclical concept of existence. Srishti-sthiti-laya: manifestation
- maturation - unmanifestation - hibernation - manifestation. All phenomena
go through this cycle. Total energy which constitute phenomena is given,
only modification takes place, from one state to other. (Refer the law
of conservation). Like day and night, like seasons, like plants.
The idea is that
progress is not linear, after a certain stage of growth energy depletes
and declines and death is inevitable. One plans for one's own death,
or an organization plans for its obsolescence. Unlearning and relearning.
The western ideal
of continuous uninterrupted linear growth is an idle dream and a myth.
Cyclicality should not be mistaken for repetitiveness. Every new cycle
brings new patterns and flavours. But that too shall end. This is called
the creative play of existence/consciousness. The key idea is that nothing
is permanent - all is 'maya'.
These changes happen
in different time-scales in different orders of existence. What a mosquito
takes six hours to complete a cycle, a human takes ninety years, a turtle
three hundred years, a star nine billion years, the creation 15 billion
years and so on. The same is true for the microworld of sub-atomic particles.
The lesson is we have to be innovative, anticipate change, and ready
to die so that memory lives and learning takes place.
Arjuna's gandhiva
loses its power and was unable to protect the ladies in his care from
Panchala desa thugs; Krishna was helpless in stopping Vrishnis/Yadava's
drunken fights and eventual end; Rama lost Sita and Lakshmana and finally
jumps into the Sarayu; Devas periodically lose battles with Asuras;
the rise and fall of Pax Britanica; and ancient civilizations are shining
examples for this cyclical principle.
(2) The fight between
Krishna and Arjuna over Jayanta may be an instance of disruptive
change.
The haughty Jayanta,
the only son of Indra, drives his newly acquired flying horse in mind-boggling
speed across the sky early in the morning. The exhausted horse frothed
in its mouth and the saliva falls on Krishna who was performing sandhya-vandanam
on the banks of Ganga. Krishna was appalled and vowed to get Jayanta's
head before he completed sandhya-vandan.
Krishna chased Jayanta
on mount garuda. The frightened jayanta ran to Indra, then, Vishnu,
Shiva and Brahma who all pleaded helplessness. Finally on Narada's advise
Jayanta approaches Arjuna and after getting prior promise of protection
reveals identity of the threat.
Arjuna was in a
quandary. Arjuna prepares to pay his valued friendship and even life
to keep his promise. Arjuna met Krishna in fierce combat. The sun wouldn't
rise because of fear of Krishna who had vowed that he will not complete
his predawn sandhya-vandanam without taking Jayanta's head. On top of
that the world was pierced with deadly arrows of Arjuna and Krishna.
Finally Trimurtis
appeared with an innovative formula - asked Arjuna to keep his eyes
shut, and they cut and offered Jayanta's head to Krishna to complete
his prayers. Then the sun appeared. Then Trimurtis begged Krishna for
Jayanta's severed head which Krishna happily gave back to Trimurtis
which they fixed on Jayanta's torso and when Ajuna opened his eyes he
was happy to see a beaming Jayanta.
(3) Story for complexity:
Arjuna was finding
it tough with Karna. Yudhushtira unable to withstand Karna's blistering
attacks withdrew from that day's battle. That night Yudhishtira in utter
frustration and despair mocked Arjuna and even questioned his so called
valour and prowess of his legendry gandiva. Arjuna had a vow that anybody
ridiculing his gandiva must be put to death.
The infuriated Arjuna
lunged onto Yudhishtira's jugular. Krishna was the witness. He has to
protect the honor of Arjuna and the life of Yudhistira in real time.
A complex problem.
Krishna found an innovative solution.
First he pleaded
both the parties to be calm and look for a win-win solution. The sastras
say that insult is worse than killing. So Arjuna could fullfil his vow
by severely insulting Yudhishtira; Which Arjuna found a satisfying solution
and did .
But now there is
another dilemma. The commission of killing one's elder brother incurs
the punishment of instant death. Arjuna prepared to kill himself. Krishna
interfered and said: 'self praise is equivalent to suicide' [ atma slaghanam
is equalent to atma hatya]. Arjuna found it logical and culturally approved
chastisement and indulged in self praise in the presence of elders.
Thus Krishna found an intuitive, out of the box solution to a complex
problem.
(4) Another story,
see if you can fit in.
The King of Kasi,
Yagna Deva, was a righteous ruler. He lived according to the
sastras, performed yagnas, served bramhins, protected the weak and women
and his country was prosperous. He had no external or internal enemies;
there was timely rain, abundant crops, cows and milk, no infantile mortality
or theft or murder - in all Yagna Deva was a ideal king and his subjects
enjoyed unprecedented peace and prosperity.
But there was one
problem. The king never accepted Shiva, the Patron Deity of Benares.
Many sages advised the king that he should submit to Shiva and not to
take credit for his good deeds. But Yagna Deva ignored all those counsels.
Shiva was furious.
First Shiva sent
Ganesha the Lord Of Obstacles to teach a lesson to the king by creating
disaffection and disruption in the kingdom. But the noble Ganesha couldn't
go beyond a limit. In spite of difficulties people stood by the king.
Now Shiva was wild. He tore his matted hair and thrashed it on the ground
and out emerged a deadly figure - Kalabhairava. 'Go and get this arrogant
king' shouted Shiva. Kalabhairava roared and flashed in lightening speed.
He recklessly pulled out and destroyed any this and any body that came
on his way. He set fire on yagna salas and poured blood in sacrificial
fire and dragged rishis by their beard - soon the people turned violently
against the helpless king and killed him in a mass upraising.
Now the cost of
this cultural revolution a la Mao or the Iraq invasion a la Bush.
The sin of destroying
deliberately a good king came to chase Kalabhairava. He ran to Shiva
for protection. But Shiva was nowhere to be seen. The Bhairava heard
a disembodied voice: "You are responsible for messing up the mission.
You alone have to pay the price."
(5) There are few
more stories that come to mind, the story of Bhagiratha, of Satyavan
and Savitri, Bhasmasura and Visvamitra related to Trisanku, Maneka and
Vasishta.
Swami Bodhananda.
- - - - - - - -
- - - - - - -
From: Swami Bodhananda Saraswati <swami_bodhananda@charter.net>
Sent: Tuesday, June 2, 2009 8:03:32 PM
Dear Narayanan,
I feel that you also have to take Krishna, Yudhishtira and Abhimanyu
for study in leadership.
Yudhishtira and
Bhishma are perfect examples of rule based leadership, caught up
in their vows, promises, moral postures, self doubt, lost in counting
individual trees and lost sight of the forest, yet a beckon of standard
for ethical behaviour. The only difference between them is that Bhishma
is weighed down by his past, while Yudhishtira has less baggage.
Krishna is a study in creative leadership, flexible, always finding
a way out of knotty situations. He has the big picture and has room
for maneuver and is comfortable in all situations and with all people.
He is ready to play
any role in the value chain and is detached from the fruits of his actions.
He owns up responsibility for his actions [gladly submits to Gandhari's
curse] and brave enough to pursue the truth of a matter [when accused
of stealing syamantaka gem he goes out of his way to find out the truth].
He empowers people
and a good team player, motivating Arjuna, Yudhishtira, Bhima and Kunti
[ encourages her to meet Karna]to play strategic roles.
Abhimanyu
is a study in heroism and courage, bold initiatives, start up venturing,
but without much forethought or after thought and a B plan. An example
of arrogance and innocence of inexperience.
Karna is
a complex character with complexes and inner conflict and misguided
by his unconscious ghosts. His lied his way to get what he wanted but
finally the consequences caught up with him. A perfect study in the
present day leadership, coming up from poor back grounds[ Ambanis and
Lalus] and on their way up what they do come back to haunt them when
they reach the top.
Drona is
another character with deep psychological hang-ups. He had a weakness
for his son because of the guilt about his inability to provide adequately
when son was growing up. In the name of milk he gave his son rice-water.
Drona had high ambitions, was super intelligent, from poor background
he had to scramble his way up, ingratiating to rich and powerful. He
had bad experience with Drupada. His energies were used up with his
revenge for Drupada and guilt of not doing enough for his son.
Draupadi
was the bravest of them all, intelligent, compassionate, seeking justice,
balancing the egos of five powerful husbands through the ups and downs
of life, winning the respect and love of Krishna she was behind the
fateful decision to go for war. A perfect role model for feminine charm,
courage, power, compassion and sense of justice. [Indra Nooyi says that
the secret of her leadership success is empathy for the work force and
camaraderie with top executives and their spouses].
SWAMI
BODHANANDA