6/15/2010

Srimad Bhagavad Gita

A personal journey through a Treasure
house
Professor B Mahadevan
June 14, 2010

Why Bhagavd Gita?

Primacy of this text in this country
Three dimensional perspective
Religious Angle
Spiritual Angle
Secular Angle

Direct & Relevant thoughts for us

Oct. 9, 2009

B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore

6/15/2010

Religious Angle or is it?

yda yda ih xmRSy Glain-Rvit -art,
A_yuTwanmxmRSy tdaTman< s&jaMyhm!. 4.7.
pira[ay saxUna< ivnazay c :ktam!,
xmRs<SwapnawaRy s<-vaim yuge yuge. 4.8.
When there is a deterioration of the Dharma and rise
of the evil forces, I incarnate and protect good
people, destroy evil forces and restore Dharma
Stability and long term sustainability of the system happens because there
are regenerative points in the system. When the system attains
disequilibrium and shows signs of being unstable and going out of control
corrective measures are taken to restore equilibrium in the system.
Oct. 9, 2009

B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore

Spiritual Angle or Is it?

vasa<is jI[aRin ywa ivhay
nvain g&ait nrae=prai[,
twa zrIrai[ ivhay jI[aRin
ANyain s<yait nvain dehI. 2.22.
Just as one discards a torn old shirt and wears a new
one, the soul also discards a old (& tired) body and
shifts to a new one
In order to be successful and sustainable organizations need to
continuously engage themselves in discarding old ideas (mind set!) &
embrace new ones. This is the essence of the notion of time & change
management
Oct. 9, 2009

B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore

6/15/2010

Relevant questions, thoughts

Aw ken yuKtae=y< pap< crit pU;>,
AinCDip va:[eRy blaidv inyaeijt>.

3.36.

What is happening behind all these bad things?

Although I am not interested it appears I am forcibly
involved into this.

maaSpzaRStu kaENtey zItae:[suo>oda>,

Aagmapaiynae=inTya> ta<iStit]Sv -art.

2.14.

You can not runway from the world of dualities.

Learn to handle them you will be a great leader
Oct. 9, 2009

B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore

Basic Framework in Gita

Axioms
Certain Governing
Principles
Sense of equanimity
Notion of time &
Notion of
changlessness of
quintessential
Need to appreciate
and ensure mututal
dependence for
sustainability &
success

There is no such
state as no work
or no action

Enjoy Complete
Degree of Freedom
and total joy while
engaging in work
Excellence in all
your pursuits is
automatic &
guaranteed

Oct. 9, 2009

Work or Action
Fruits of action
Source of the fruits
of action
Relationships among
these

Specific Tools
How do you deal with
yourself?
How do you relate to
things outside of you?
What traits you need to
develop
What behavioural patterns
need to be nurtured?
B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore

6/15/2010

My key take aways from Gita

Not a text with fancy ideas for those who have
given up the charm of life but a guide to
have a full life
Mind expanding ideas that has the potential
to trigger thought and progress
Profound thoughts on management

Oct. 9, 2009

B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore

Bhagavad Gita
Ultimate guide for management
Central issue in Gita is all about
Doing work
In the most efficient manner
Ensuring work results in good benefits
No other known source for extreme levels of motivation
How easy is it to shoot down all credible leaders of
the society in one go?
Vital clues for alternative paradigms of management
Logical explanation for how to do certain things in the
process of creating high performance entities
Oct. 9, 2009

B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore

6/15/2010

Mind expanding ideas

Can every company (entity)
define its Atman?
Identify what does not change what will not
change and what should not change in the next
say 100 years?
If people who have proven credibility and influence
are on the wrong side, what should the leader do?
Complicated problems can you broadbase them
and look at it? Is time one dimension for
broadbasing the problem at hand?
Oct. 9, 2009

B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore

Mind expanding ideas

Attachment to fruits have grater propensity to
generate evil
We have a freedom of choice to detach fruits
of action & work (we need nobodys
permission to do so)
Good work happens not by leaving the
sensory organs alone but to handle them (not
control them) during work & results happen

Oct. 9, 2009

B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore