bhagavad geeta & organizational behaviour

Bhagavad Geeta

&

Organizational Behaviour

Shubhada Jambhekar

I thank whatever gods may be,

For my unconquerable Soul.

(Lines from Invictus, a poem written by William Ernest Henley)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I extend my special thanks and gratitude towards all those who helped me with this project.

NIKHIL LANJEWAR: for his support.

GAURAV GUPTA: for his guidance & ideas.

ABHINEET SAXENA, ANANT NATH SHARMA: for their tips.

ALKA BHISE, SHALAKA SUTAR: for sharing their knowledge.

Table of Contents1 Objectives of Project…………………………………………………………............. 4

2 Scope of Project…………………………………………………………………….... 6

3 Research Methodology……………………………………………………………… 7

4 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………... 8

5 Findings………………………………………………………………………………. 14

6 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………......... 25

7 Suggestions/Recommendation……………………………………………………….. 26

8 Annexure…………………………………………………………………………….. 27

9 Bibliography………………………………………………………………………...... 28

Objectives of ProjectThe Bhagavad Geeta is a part of the magnanimous Hindu epic - Mahabharat. One of the most

widely read & followed texts, Bhagavad Geeta is considered as a very sacred book by Hindu

believers. But the most appealing thing about this book is that it is not restricted, to only a set of

people; there is something in it for everyone. The reason being that, it is not a story of a demi-

god, it is also not about principles which are applicable only in certain era. Bhagavad Geeta is

universal, it is applicable in all eras, it can be read by all kinds of people – believers/atheists,

professionals/students, children/adults, etc. Every person can have a different interpretation of

the Geeta’s verses- that is the beauty of it. Geeta is about how to live life in the ideal way; it does

not talk about superstitions or myths; it provides logical ways to succeed in life despite the

difficulties one faces. Some might call it a self-help book, but that would be belittling its true

worth. Reading the Bhagavad Geeta with an open mind can be a life changing experience; it can

make individuals think about more serious things – what is our objective in life, how to take

better decisions, how to be a better person, etc. It can make them reflect on their past decisions &

make them comprehend their real worth.

Organizational Behaviour is a very important science in the field of Human Resources. OB is a

study of human behaviour in organizations. It is a field of study that investigates the impact that

individuals, groups & structure have on behaviour within organizations, for the purpose of

applying such knowledge towards improving an organization’s effectives. This science is a

combination of Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology & other behavioural sciences. The

objective of OB is to analyze the behaviour of individuals in organizational settings & take

relevant steps to make them work better for the organization & also derive satisfaction from the

same.

The prime objective of this project is to interpret Geeta in terms of Organizational Behaviour.

Employees today face huge amount of stress trying to balance their work life & personal life.

Individuals turn to a form of faith when confronted with obstacles. The objective of this project

is to provide a more scientific approach to the principles of Geeta so that HR managers can

inculcate these in employees in a more logical & understandable way. Geeta & OB, both are

about ethics, attitudes, values, conflicts, politics, leadership, stress, motivation, learning,

communication & so on. Through this project I have attempted to understand & apply the

principles of Geeta for employee effectiveness in organizations, by using a very scientific

approach, hence making it usable for employees as well as managers.

This project is made to derive better ways of working & being successful in teams &

organizations. This project is my interpretation of Geeta in scientific or behavioural terms. It is

highly probable that other individuals might not agree to my interpretations since Geeta can be

interpreted in innumerable ways.

Scope of ProjectThis project uses the verses of Bhagavad Geeta & Organizational Behaviour concepts. This

project encompasses:

Intrapersonal Behaviour:

Intrapersonal Conflict

Attitude towards work

Ethics

Perception

Learning

Motivation

Job Satisfaction

Stress Management

Interpersonal Behaviour

Leadership

Assertive Communication

These concepts have been discussed further in the project; they can be used in organizations for

promoting integrity & working with ethics & motivation among employees.

Research MethodologyThis project utilized secondary method of research. It involved reading from books & internet sources & interpreting them in various ways.

The verses were studied from the following books:

Bhagavad Gita As It Is …by His Divine Grace AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Bhagavad Gita …by Sri Swami Sivananda

For a background study of war settings following book was used:

Jaya - An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata …by Devdutt Pattanaik

For Organizational Behaviour concepts the following books were studied:

Organisational Behaviour …by K. Aswathappa Working with Emotional Intelligence …by Daniel Goleman

After reading these books & interpreting them in behavioural terms, the verses of Geeta applicable in Organizational settings were selected & they were explained in terms of Organizational Behaviour.

IntroductionThe discourse of Bhagavad Geeta took place just before the onset of war, between the Kauravas – the hundred sons of Dhrithrashtra & Pandavas – the five sons of Pandu. Duryodhan, the eldest son of Dhrithrashtra, refused to give the kingdom of Pandavas back to them, after they returned from their exile. After trying various ways of negotiation, in fact, even reducing their demand to land enough to drive a pin, Duryodhan arrogantly refused. Due to the unethical behaviour of Duryodhan & depriving his cousins of what belonged to them, the war between the cousins was inevitable. Before the war, Arjun, the third Pandav asked Krishna, his good friend & charioteer to position the chariot from where he can see his opponents. After seeing all his friends & family members as his opponents, he was filled with sorrow & compassion & refused to fight. We will now discuss the Foundations of Arjun’s behaviour as introduction.

Foundations of Arjun’s Behaviour

Fig 1: Foundations of Arjun’s Behaviour

Out of the various factors which affect an individual’s behaviour, the factors that affected Arjun’s behaviour are mentioned in the above figure. Let’s look at each in detail.

Arjun’s Behaviour

Personal Factors

- Abilities

- Emotional Intelligence

Psychological Factors

- Personality

- Perception

- Attitudes

- Values

- Learning

Organizational Systems & Resources

- Leadership

Environmental Factors

- Social norms & cultural values

- Ethics & social responsibility

- Political

I. Personal Factors a. Abilities: Arjun was an accomplished archer. In fact, he was termed the Best Archer

of those times. With an expertise in all techniques, Arjun was extremely ambitious & confident. He was very goal-oriented & proactive. He had overcome all forms of laziness which is clear by the title ‘Gudakesha’ (= one who conquers sleep). He was also addressed as ‘Purusha-rishabha’ (= best among men). His abilities made him extremely powerful. During different crisis situations, he had proved that he was very adaptable & intelligent to tackle.

b. Emotional Intelligence: Emotional Intelligence helps monitor & shape one’s own individual responses & those of others. Emotional Management is a huge part of EI which means ensuring that the person’s emotions (joy, love or anger) do not overwhelm him or her & that they are appropriate to the situation. Capacity to weigh up emotional aspects of values & attitudes when confronting problems & making decisions is important to channelize emotions especially during crisis situations.Arjun was a ‘kshatriya’ (= men who rule & protect their masses). In crisis situations where his skills were required, he had outperformed.

“Tatraapashyat sthitaan paarthah pitrin atha pitaamahaan;Aachaaryaan maatulaan bhraatrun putraan pautraan sakheemstathaa.Shvashuraan suhridashchaiva senayorubhayorapi”

During the war of Mahabharat, Arjun saw within the midst of both parties - his fathers, grandfathers, uncles, teachers, brothers, grandsons, friends, also his fathers-in-law & well wishers. He lost control over his mind. He was overwhelmed with compassion & felt sorrow about killing his own family members & well-wishers. He failed at Emotional Management. Bhagavad Geeta was hence a form of enlightenment for Arjun to learn Emotional attainment, self-awareness & fight the battle like a kshatriya.

II. Psychological Factors a. Personality: The major contributors that shaped Arjun’s personality were

environment, contribution from the family and situational considerations.i. Environment: Arjun grew up in an environment where he was well aware of

the duties of a Kshatriya. The culture had seen some modifications, Bheeshm swore celibacy though his duty was to get married and have children who would carry on his responsibility later; Dronacharya – a Brahmin guru who became a warrior. The environment was, in all, undergoing certain major political changes. He lived in an environment where there was an apparent competition and ego clashes between the Pandav brothers and Kaurav brothers as well as people taking either sides; yet they always gave preference to family. For example: when Jayadhrat tried to kidnap Draupadi during their

exile, the law was to kill such a man, instead Yudishthir decided to leave him with a punishment. The reason was that Jayadhrat was the husband of their sister and they did not want her to become a widow. Thus, family was always given prime importance.

ii. Contribution from family: The major contributors to Arjun’s personality were his mother Kunti, his brothers Yudishthir, Bheem, Nakul, Sehdev and his guru Dronacharya. Apart from them, Bheeshm, Kaurav cousins, Dhritarashtra & Gandhari also played significant roles in shaping his personality.

iii. Situational considerations: The factors related to personality discussed above build overtime but the role of situations cannot be ignored. Certain situations are more relevant than others in influencing personality. According to Lee Sechrest, situations seem to differ substantially in the constraints they impose on behaviour. Arjun’s example is a classic case where in every other crisis, he rose to the occasion, but the situation he faced during the great war of Mahabharat made him behave in a way completely opposite to what he was conditioned. It was a war after all, but it was of epic proportions; he faced his cousins, friends, relatives in a situation where the opposite side would either win or die.

b. Perception: Perception is an important input in individual behaviour. Perception involves deciding which information to notice, how to categorize this information & how to interpret it within the framework of our knowledge. Bhagavad Geeta is all about changing perceptions.

“Na chaitad vidmah kataran no gareeyoYadwaa jayema yadi vaa no jayeyuh;Yaan eva hatwaa na jijeevishaamasTe’vasthitaah pramukhe dhaartaraashtraah.”

When Arjun asked Krishna to take his chariot from where he could see the opponent army, the first thing Arjun saw was his close relatives, friends & well-wishers. He became confused- should he fight like a kshatriya? Or should he quit the battle since he was facing his own family & friends? He found the situation very uncertain because firstly, victory was not guaranteed. Also, in either case, he felt that he would lose – i.e. if they win the battle, they would lose their family & if they lose the battle, they would lose their kingdom & face dejection throughout their life.

Perceptual organization becomes difficult when there are confusing stimuli in the external environment. When we look at an ambiguous figure, it confuses us, because

it looks different from different angles. (E.g.: the duck/rabbit figure) The situation that Arjun faced was very ambiguous for him.

Attibution Theory (Co-variation Model of Attribution): Attribution Theory seeks to explain why people behave the way they do. H. H. Kelley’s Covariation model is an attribution theory in which people make causal references to why people behave in a certain way. The covariation principle states that, "an effect is attributed to the one of its possible causes with which, over time, it covaries". The three causes which behaviour is attributed to are Person (actor), Object (action) and Context (situation), and attribution is made based on three criteria: Consensus, Distinctiveness and Consistency. Going by this model, Person = Arjun; Object = battle; Context = battle of Mahabharat. Let’s define Arjun’s behaviour as per this model:

i. Did all kshatriyas in the battlefield behave like Arjun? Answer: No => Low Consensus

ii. Did Arjun behave in this way in this particular battle?Answer: Yes =.> High Distinctiveness

iii. Did Arjun behave in this way every time he faced crisis situations?Answer: No => Low Consistency

Attribution Information PatternConsensus Distinctiveness Consistency

Object High High HighPerson Low Low HighContext Low High Low

Table 1: Attribution – Information Pattern table (Covariation Model)

Low consensus, high distinctiveness & low consistency imply that the context was responsible for Arjun’s behaviour. He faced such a unique situation first time in his life.

c. Attitudes: To study the attitude of Arjun, let’s use the ABC Model. In ABC Model, Affect, Behaviour & Cognition form the components of attitude.

STIMULI Reason for warMagnitude of warLeadership style

Probable outcomes of war

COGNITION Beliefs & Values “I am a Kshatriya, I should fight.”

“Killing brothers, friends & relatives is wrong.”

AFFECT Feelings & Emotions “I am confused – what is right?”

BEHAVIOUR Intended behaviour “I will not fight the war.”

Table 2: Components of Arjun’s Attitude using ABC Model

To thoroughly assess a person’s attitude, one must assess all three components associated to it – i.e. Affect, Behaviour & Cognition. The above figure comprehends the unusual behaviour of Arjun.

d. Values: Values are general beliefs about life while attitudes are directed towards specific objects, people or events. There are two types of values: terminal & instrumental.

i. Terminal Values: These are desired states of existence that we think are worth striving for. For example, beauty, equality, wisdom & a comfortable life are some terminal values. An individual’s terminal values finally differentiate him from another individual.

ii. Instrumental Values: These are desirable modes of behaviour that help us reach the objectives of terminal values. For example, being polite, courageous, logical, self-controlled & ambitious. In case of Arjun, instrumental values were mostly in place owing to his able education & family environment.

Arjun’s instrumental values were strong in most crises. Even in the war of Mahabharat, his instrumental values were intact. Through Bhagavad Geeta, Krishna modified Arjun’s terminal values. What is the war for? Why should Arjun fight even against his kin?

Bhagavad Geeta aims at modifying individual’s terminal values. Desirable instrumental values for a better life are generally overt but are our terminal values justified? What is our purpose in life?

e. Learning: Operant Conditioning can be used to explain the Learning pattern of Arjun. Operant Conditioning refers to the process of that our behaviour produces certain consequences & how we behave in the future depends on what those consequences are. If our actions have desirable or pleasant effects, then we will be more likely to repeat them in the future while if our actions have undesirable or unpleasant effects, we are less likely to repeat them in the future. All through his life, Arjun’s valiant archery techniques resulted in his victory & fame. He was conditioned to fight with all his efforts when it came to competitions or wars. In the war of Mahabharat, he realized that the results were undesirable in all possible cases.

III. Organizational Systems & Resources Leadership: Leadership is interpersonal influence, exercised in a situation and directed the activities of a group towards a shared goal. The leader figures in Mahabharat were

Bhishm – the most experienced & oldest in age, Yudishthir – as the eldest Pandav & Krishna – a natural leader. Throughout Arjun’s life, he was led by one of these three men but the influence of Krishna was most impactful. There is a huge difference between a leader & a manager. A leader sets a direction, thus creating a vision. He aligns the people to the vision. He motivates people by emphasizing on values & makes them prepared to face obstacles. This is a step ahead of what manager does – his role is mainly planning, implementing, directing, and organizing. Krishna led Arjun when he had completely fallen apart, he influenced him by enlightening him about the purpose of life, and he set a direction. He challenged the status quo. He was not a king, not a boss, his relationship with Arjun was that of a friend; a good leader is assertive – he leads his people in a friendly yet forthright manner.

IV. Environmental Factors These have been discussed in II. a. i.

Through an introduction on Arjun’s personality, we understand the various aspects of what forms the base of an individual’s personality & what are the reasons behind his reactions to crisis situations. Arjun’s personality is in many ways a representation of employees working in organizations, their mindset in various situations & their reactions.

FindingsAfter discussing the foundations of Arjun’s behaviour, let us come to the core of this project. The principles of Bhagavad Geeta in terms of Organizational Behaviour:-

1. Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – Observing the Armies: Verses 27 to 30

Taan sameekshya sa kaunteyah sarvaan bandhoon

avasthitaan.

Kripayaa parayaa’vishto visheedannidam abraveet;

Arjuna Uvaacha:

Drishtwemam swajanam krishna yuyutsum

samupasthitam.

Seedanti mama gaatraani mukham cha parishushyati;

Vepathushcha shareere me romaharshashcha jaayate.

Gaandeevam sramsate hastaat twak chaiva paridahyate;

Na cha shaknomyavasthaatum bhramateeva cha me

manah.

Nimittaani cha pashyaami vipareetaani keshava;

When Arjun saw all these different grades of friends &

relatives, he became overwhelmed with compassion &

spoke thus.

Arjun said, “My dear Krishna, seeing my friends &

relatives present before me in such a fighting spirit, I

feel the limbs of my body quivering & my mouth drying

up.

My whole body is trembling, my hair is standing on end,

my bow Gandiva is slipping from my hand, & my skin is

burning.

I am unable to stand any longer. I am forgetting myself

& my mind is reeling. I see only causes of misfortune,

Krishna.”

Table 3: Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – Observing the Armies: 27 to 30

Arjun, a great warrior, felt sudden compassion after seeing his friends & relatives as opponents.

He panicked, he felt confused about what is right. His mind was full of conflict.

Conflict is inevitable whether it is an individual’s personal life or professional life. We face

situations where taking decisions becomes difficult. When an employee suffers from Intra-

Individual Conflict, their decision-making, prioritizing ability & productivity reduces. Intra-

Individual Conflict refers to conflict within an individual. Intra-Individual Conflict arises due to

various reasons- frustration, numerous roles which demand equal attention but it is not always

possible to devote, goals having both negative & positive aspects, cognitive dissonances.

Intra-Individual Conflict arises in most walks of life where an individual has to make a decision

which is apparently right but there are too many conditions to weigh. Classic cases are

individuals working in positions of law & justice or positions which require taking harsh

decisions for teams or employees which are ethically right but might put the individual into bad

light. For example, a manager is notified about an employee performing badly even after giving

many chances. The employee also happens to be a very good personal friend of the manager. The

manager now has to take a tough decision but he is faced with conflict about the right thing to

do.

2. Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – Contents of the Geeta Summarized: Verse 6

Na chaitad vidmah kataran no gareeyoYadwaa jayema yadi vaa no jayeyuh;Yaan eva hatwaa na jijeevishaamasTe’vasthitaah pramukhe dhaartaraashtraah.

(Arjun said) “Nor do we know which is better – conquering them

or being conquered by them. If we killed the Kauravas, we should

not care to live. Yet they are now standing before us on the

battlefield.”

Table 4: Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – Contents of the Geeta Summarized: 6

Arjun is faced by the classic Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict, a type of Intra-Individual

Conflict. This occurs when an individual is forced to choose between two mutually exclusive

goals, each of which possesses unattractive qualities. Faced with avoidance-avoidance conflict,

most people will vacillate between the two options, without resolving the conflict; but there are

also some people who will attempt to leave the conflict situation. Theoretically, a person might

escape avoidance-avoidance conflict by running from it altogether. For example, a manager has

only two options – either lay off some employees or suffer losses for the company. For him

results of both situations are undesirable, laying off would reduce the company’s goodwill & he

would lose his friends while if he does not lay the employees off, the company would suffer

terrible losses. In such a situation, he would ideally like someone else to take the action i.e. he

himself would avoid the situation.

Fig 2: Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict

Arjun saw undesirable results in both cases i.e. victory or defeat. If they defeated the Kauravas,

then that would imply the death of his blood relatives & friends fighting against them; Arjun

could not accept that their victory would be at the cost of the death of family members. If the

Kauravas defeated them, then begging would be their only means of living, since they did not

have any kingdom of their own. He therefore, decided to quit the situation altogether.

3. Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – Contents of the Geeta Summarized: Verses 14, 15

Maatraasparshaastu kaunteya sheetoshnasukhaduhkhadaah;Aagamaapaayino’nityaas taamstitikshaswa

bhaarata.

Yam hi na vyathayantyete purusham purusharshabha;Samaduhkha sukham dheeram so’mritatwaaya

kalpate.

(Krishna said) “Arjun, the nonpermanent appearance of happiness

& distress & their disappearance in due course, are like the

appearance & disappearance of winter & summer seasons. They

arise from sense perception. One must learn to tolerate them

without being disturbed. The person who is not disturbed by

happiness & distress & is steady in both is certainly fit for

liberation.”

Table 5: Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – Contents of the Geeta Summarized: 14, 15

Krishna explained Arjun about the ideal perspective towards obstacles. In personal life as well as

work life, obstacles are a part of the process. Projects suffer setbacks due to various factors. The

teams & managers should try to avoid setbacks as far as possible to take projects to success.

Obstacles are inevitable, for example, unavailability of resources, team conflicts, bad quality of

work, etc; these obstacles can create setbacks if they are not tackled intelligently. The attitude of

team & manager should be tolerant. They should not get discouraged by obstacles & concentrate

towards solving the problems & taking the project towards successful completion. At the same

time, success should not make teams or employees over-confident. This kind of thinking is

indeed all about perception. Perception can change how we look at situations & tackle them.

4. Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – Contents of the Geeta Summarized: Verses 31 to 33

Swadharmam api chaavekshya na vikampitum arhasi;Dharmyaaddhi yuddhaacchreyo’nyat kshatriyasya na

vidyate.

Yadricchayaa chopapannam swargadwaaram apaavritam;Sukhinah kshatriyaah paartha labhante yuddham

eedrisham.

Atha chettwam imam dharmyam samgraamam na karishyasi;

(Krishna said) “Considering your specific duty as a

Kshatriya, you should know that there is no better

engagement for you than fighting on religious principles &

so there is no need for hesitation. Happy are the Kshatriyas

to whom such fighting opportunities come unsought,

opening for them doors of heavenly planets. If however,

you do not perform your religious duty of fighting, then

Tatah swadharmam keertim cha hitwaa paapam

avaapsyasi.

you will certainly incur sins for neglecting your duties &

thus lose your reputation as a fighter.”

Table 6: Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – Contents of the Geeta Summarized: 31 to 33

Krishna guided Arjun to not fear if he was fighting for principles & ethics. Performing the duty,

as per prescribed principles regardless of all conditions, is of prime importance. If employees

perform their tasks & justify their role in an organization or team, their efforts will surely be

recognized & rewarded. While if they do not perform their tasks, they will bear negative results.

Self-control is necessary to have integrity & sticking to ethics even if the result would be

undesirable; it is necessary to control the hesitations in mind. Here, Geeta speaks about

Trustworthiness & Conscientiousness. These qualities are a corollary to Self-control; they

imply maintaining Integrity & taking responsibility for personal performance. People, with the

quality of trustworthiness, act in an ethical manner & take principled decisions even if they are

tough & unpopular. People, with the quality of conscientiousness, are dutiful; they are highly

committed & keep their promises.


Sukhaduhkhe same kritwaa laabhaalaabhau jayaajayau;Tato yuddhaaya yujyaswa naivam

paapamavaapsyasi.

(Krishna said) “Do thou fight for the sake of fighting, without

considering happiness or distress, loss or gain, victory or defeat -

& by doing so you shall never incur sin.”


Krishna enlightens Arjun about the true motivation to fight. Every employee has a different

source of motivation or motivator. According to the Motivation-Hygiene Theory, job

satisfaction is affected by motivators & job dissatisfaction by hygiene factors. Motivators

include: achievement, recognition, work itself, responsibility, advancement or growth while

hygiene factors include: company policy & administration, supervision, interpersonal relations,

working conditions, salary, status & security. To achieve motivation for employees, managers

should cope with both motivators & hygiene factors.

According to Bhagavad Geeta, for doing a job, the motivation should be the job or the work

itself & nothing else. Because by doing so, justice will be done to the job. An employee should

give 100% efforts without the expectation of success or failure & do his job.

6. Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – Contents of the Geeta Summarized: Verses 40, 41

Nehaabhikramanaasho’sti pratyavaayo na vidyate;Swalpam apyasya dharmasya traayate mahato

bhayaat.

Vyavasaayaatmikaa buddhir ekeha kurunandana;Bahushaakhaa hyanantaashcha

buddhayo’vyavasaayinaam.

(Krishna said) “In this endeavour there is no loss or

diminution, & a little advancement on this path can protect

one from the most dangerous type of fear. Those who are

on this path are resolute in purpose, & their aim is one.

The intelligence of those who are irresolute is many-

branched.”

Table 8: Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – Contents of the Geeta Summarized: 40, 41

How can the approach explained previously help in focusing on the tasks? Today employees

have to multitask & face Role Conflict & Role Overload, focusing on a task at hand at a given

point of time is very difficult & employees are constantly worried about completion of their

tasks. With work itself as the motivator for work, employees can concentrate completely on the

task at hand, without anxiety for future results. Natural human tendency is to worry about the

success or failure of ongoing endeavours which leads to stress, health problems & eventually

leads to failure or breakdown. ‘Working for the sake of work only & thus avoiding all fears &

anxieities’ can be used as a base for Cognitive Restructuring. Cognitive Restructuring is a

process which involves removal of irrational thought processes & replacing them with rational

thinking. Following the thought process as prescribed in Geeta would not cause any loss &

would avoid fear, anxiety & stress. This logical approach also helps individuals to be resolute &

focused. Those who are filled with anxiety cannot concentrate & will have multiple thought-

processes running in their minds thereby hindering their productivity.


Karmanyevaadhikaaraste maa phaleshu kadaachana;Maa karmaphalahetur bhoor maa te

sango’stwakarmani.

(Krishna said) “You have a right to perform your prescribed duty, but

you are not entitled to the fruits of action. Never consider yourself the

cause of the results of your activities, & never be attached to not doing

your duty.”


Should the success or failure of a project be taken personally? There have been cases of suicides

when employees take failures personally especially when the superior slams the responsibility of

a failure on the employee. According to Bhagavad Geeta, an individual should put his full

potential in completion of a task, but he should be free from its results. If it is a success, it should

be accepted with humility while if it’s a failure, it should not be taken personally. Also, it is the

duty of every individual to complete assigned tasks & responsibilities; he should not escape from

doing his duty. Projects, organizations & economies suffer when employees do not fulfill their

prescribed roles & responsibilities.


Yatato hyapi kaunteya purushasya vipashchitah;Indriyaani pramaatheeni haranti prasabham

manah.

(Krishna said) “The senses are so strong & impetuous, that

they forcibly carry away the mind even of a man of

discrimination who is endeavouring to control them.”


Even individuals with rational thinking can be carried away by senses, especially during crisis

situation; scientific studies have proved this. The prefrontal area is the place of ‘working

memory’, which is vital for comprehension & understanding, planning & decision making.

When the amygdala i.e. brain’s emotional memory, signals panic to the brain, a hormone known

as CRF is released followed by stress hormones like Cortisol. Cortisol makes heart rate shoot up

so that blood is directed from brain’s higher cognitive centers to sites required for emergency

mobilization. Less important body functions slow down & body is prepared to fight or run. Thus,

Cortisol enforces the primitive strategy for survival – heightening the senses, dulling the mind &

doing what the brain generally does, i.e. freezing into panic.


Indriyaanaam hi charataam yanmano’nuvidheeyate;Tadasya harati prajnaam vaayur naavam

ivaambhasi.

(Krishna said) “As a strong mind sweeps away a boat of

water, even one of the roaming senses on which the mind

focuses can carry away a man’s intelligence.”


Cortisol takes away energy resources from working memory, i.e. the intellect & shunts them to

the senses. Hence, when Cortisol levels are high, people make more mistakes, are highly

distracted & cannot remember well. Irrelevant & illogical thought processes are natural in this

state & processing information becomes very difficult.

This is exactly what happened with Arjun. When individuals are under the control of impulse,

agitation & emotions, their ability to think & work suffers – something that is very common at

workplaces.


Tasmaad yasya mahaabaaho nigriheetaani sarvashah;

Indriyaaneendriyaarthebhyas tasya prajnaa

pratishthitaa.

(Krishna said) “Therefore, one whose senses are

restrained from their objects is certainly of steady

intelligence.”


Thereby, in situations where we are under high stress, emotional self-regulation helps. Emotional

self-regulation includes bringing down distress, intentionally eliciting emotions even the

unpleasant ones. This is highly applicable in situations like stressful meetings or when someone

has to break bad news to his team or family or being friendly even to non-cooperating customers.

Emotional self-control is not overcontrol i.e. individuals should not stifle their feelings especially

strong ones. In contrast, Emotional Competence means individuals have a choice of how they

want to express their feelings. To achieve Emotional Competence, Self-awareness needs to be

achieved first.

Individuals with Emotional Competence are people of steady intelligence, since they can reason

& make better decisions even during high stress situations.

11. Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – Karma-Yoga: Verse 8

Niyatam kuru karma twam karma jyaayo hyakarmanah;Shareerayaatraapi cha te na prasiddhyed

akarmanah.

(Krishna said) “Perform your prescribed duty, for doing so is

better than not working. One cannot even maintain one’s

physical body without work.”

Table 13: Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – Karma-Yoga: 8

Initially, Bhagavad Geeta preaches working with proper focus & later explains the disadvantages

of escaping from work or duties. Stress & Burnout is not only caused by work overload but also

by less or no work. Less or no work for long periods of time can cause a sense of worthlessness

& has a number of physical, emotional, mental & behavioural effects.

12. Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – Karma-Yoga: Verses 20, 21

Karmanaiva hi samsiddhim aasthitaa janakaadayah;Lokasangraham evaapi sampashyan kartum

arhasi.

Yadyad aacharati shreshthas tattadevetaro janah;Sa yat pramaanam kurute lokas tad

(Krishna said) “Kings such as Janak attained perfection solely by

performance of prescribed duties. Therefore, just for the sake of

educating people in general, you should perform your work.

Whatever action a great man performs, common men follow. And

whatever standards he sets by exemplary acts, the whole world

anuvartate. pursues.”

Table 14: Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – Karma-Yoga: 20, 21

When a sincere & dutiful leader heads an organization or team, he creates an example for others

to follow. Being a leader means ‘doing the right things’& creating an influence on others

through his actions. Leaders build trust by displaying reliability & authenticity; they are

organized & cautious in their work.

13. Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – The Three Modes of Material Nature: Verse 17

Sattwaat sanjaayate jnaanam rajaso lobha eva cha;Pramaadamohau tamaso bhavato’jnaanameva

cha.

(Krishna said) “From the mode of goodness, real knowledge

develops, from the mode of passion, greed develops; & from the

mode of ignorance develop foolishness, madness & illusion.”

Table 15: Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – The Three Modes of Material Nature: 17

A continuous state of Learning is essential for individuals, since it enlightens individuals about

what their strengths & talents are. Being ignorant & complacent leads to delusion & foolishness;

it stops the growth of an individual.

According to Maslow’s Need Hierarchy Theory, human needs in descending order of their

priority are Physiological Needs, Security, Affiliation, Esteem and Self-Actualization. If all

prior four level needs are satisfied, the need for self-actualization comes to fore. Maslow

characterized Self-Actualization as the desire to become everything that one is capable of

becoming. Self-actualization brings real satisfaction. In an organization, self-actualization can

mean excelling in the specified job role by gaining maximum experience & knowledge about the

field; applying knowledge to improve organizational processes; creating environment for other

employees to develop, etc. Individuals should aspire for self-actualization; job-security,

appraisals will automatically follow. People with both humble as well as rich backgrounds who

are successful in their fields have shown that the need for self-actualization can make a huge

difference. For example, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, Dr. Verghese Kurien, J. R. D. Tata, Narayan

Murthy, etc.

14. Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – The Divine & Demoniac Natures: Verses 1 to 3

Sri Bhagavaan Uvaacha:Abhayam sattwasamshuddhih jnaanayogavyavasthitih;Daanam damashcha yajnashcha swaadhyaayastapa

(Krishna said) “Fearlessness, purity of heart, steadfastness in Yoga & knowledge, alms-giving, self-control, sacrifice, study of scriptures, austerity, straightforwardness, harmlessness, truth, absence of

aarjavam.

Ahimsaa satyamakrodhas tyaagah shaantirapaishunam;Dayaa bhooteshvaloluptwam maardavam hreerachaapalam.Tejah kshamaa dhritih shauchamadroho naatimaanitaa;Bhavanti sampadam daiveem abhijaatasya bhaarata.

anger, renunciation, peacefulness, absence of crookedness, compassion towards beings, uncovetousness, gentleness, modesty, absence of fickleness, vigour, forgiveness, fortitude, purity, absence of pride, absence of hatred – these belong to one born in divine state.”

Table 16: Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – The Divine & Demoniac Natures: 1 to 3

Qualities such as fearlessness, self-control & straightforwardness are a prelude to being assertive.

Assertiveness is highly valued today in organizations since it helps in resolving conflicts & also

maintains a positive environment despite presence of disagreements & difference in opinions.

Absence of anger, peacefulness, absence of crookedness, compassion, vigour, are all a part of

Emotional Intelligence which is the most important thing to succeed in organization. Emotional

Intelligence comprises five elements – self-awareness, motivation, self-regulation, empathy &

adeptness in relationships. Individuals with high IQ fail when they are not emotionally intelligent

& do not know how to tackle difficult situations & how to maintain a healthy relationship with

peers & customers.

15. Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – The Divine & Demoniac Natures: Verse 4

Dambho darpo’bhimaanashcha krodhah paarushyameva cha;Ajnaanam chaabhijaatasya paartha

sampadamaasureem.

(Krishna said) “Pride, arrogance, conceit, anger,

harshness & ignorance – these qualities belong to those

in demoniac nature.”

Table 17: Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – The Divine & Demoniac Natures: 4

Employees with arrogance, conceit, anger, harshness & complacence are highly detrimental to

the growth of organization since they ruin the environment in organization. Such individuals

should be immediately brought under control. It is the responsibility of managers to observe their

employees & discourage such behaviour. Team work collapses if such behaviour persists &

finally projects suffer.

16. Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – The Divisions of Faith: Verse 15

Anudwegakaram vaakyam satyam priyahitam cha yat;Swaadhyaayaabhyasanam chaiva vaangmayam

tapa uchyate

(Krishna said) “Austerity of speech consists in speaking

words that are truthful, pleasing, beneficial & not agitating to

others, & also regularly reciting Vedic literature.”

Table 18: Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – The Divisions of Faith: 15

Assertiveness is being able to express feelings constructively; it means being open with others &

ourselves about our needs. Geeta encourages speech which is truthful, yet pleasing & beneficial.

Every day, employees face situations where they have to be strict or break bad news or express

difference in opinions or face arrogant customers. But this can be done in a polite way, to come

to a win-win conclusion. Assertiveness techniques are very powerful in resolving conflicts &

reducing negative political activity in teams & organizations.

According to John Powell - "The genius of communication is the ability to be both totally honest

and totally kind at the same time."

17. Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – The Perfection of Renunciation: Verse 30

Pravrittim cha nivrittim cha karyaakaarye bhayaabhaye;Bandhammoksham cha yaa vetti buddhih

saa paartha saattwikee.

(Krishna said) “That understanding by which one knows what ought

to be done & what ought not to be done, what is to be feared & what

is not to be feared, what is binding & what is liberating, is in the mode

of goodness.”

Table 19: Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – The Perfection of Renunciation: 30

What ought to be done & what ought not to be done; what is binding; what is not to be feared -

the understanding of all these is the base for good decision making.

Decision making is a problem-solving process. Hence, it is either a reasoning or an emotional

process which can be rational or irrational. Whether it is an employee or a manager, good

decision making is an essential requirement to get the best solution for problem. Knowledge of

all possible options & conditions, prescribed rules to adhere & ethics help an individual to take

right decisions.


Dhrityaa yayaa dhaarayate manah praanendriyakriyaah;Yogenaavyabhichaarinyaa dhritih saa paartha

saattwikee.

(Krishna said) “That determination which is unbreakable, which is

sustained with steadfastness by Yoga practice & which thus,

controls the activities of the mind, life & senses, is determination

in the mode of goodness.”


Public speaking, customer handling, team work, appraisal meetings, etc. – all these require

tremendous amount of Self-control. This area of Emotional Intelligence, which once mastered,

can have beneficial effects on professional as well as personal life. Determination is the key to

self-control. Professions with high amount of stress, for example, military personnel, police

personnel, sportspersons, need great determination to achieve self-control.

People with Self-control as competence, manage distressing emotions & impulsive feelings well.

They stay calm & composed even in trying situations. They have immense clarity & focus even

under pressure.


Arjuna Uvaacha:Nashto mohah smritirlabdhaa twatprasaadaanmayaachyuta;Sthito’smi gata sandehah karishye vachanam

tava.

(Arjun said) “My dear Krishna, my illusion is now gone. I have

regained my memory by your mercy. I am now firm & free

from doubt & am prepared to act according to your

instructions.”


Arjun is indebted to Krishna for guiding & enlightening him to do the right thing. The discourse

of Bhagavad Geeta is also a lesson on Transformational Leadership. Krishna’s role is that of a

friend, guide & leader. He was able to enlighten & convince Arjun; he changed Arjun’s

perceptions so that Arjun could fulfill his duty. Transformational Leadership implies a process

where an individual attempts to elevate his consciousness so that various conflicts & dualities

begin at higher level of synthesis. The ultimate aim of this style of leadership is raising the level

of human conduct & ethical aspirations of both leader & followers. The leader aims to elevate &

inspire his followers to higher things in life.

More transformational leaders in organizations & government is indeed the need of the hour. For

country to grow, we need leaders who bring their followers on the track of ethics & make them

perform better.

Conclusion of ProjectThe following conclusions are obtained from this project:

1. Attitude : The attitude of team & manager should be tolerant. They should not get

discouraged by obstacles & concentrate towards solving the problems & taking the

project towards successful completion.

2. Ethics : Performing the duty, as per prescribed principles regardless of all conditions, is

of prime importance. If employees perform their tasks & justify their role in an

organization or team, their efforts will surely be recognized & rewarded.

3. Motivation : According to Bhagavad Geeta, for doing a job, the motivation should be the

job or the work itself & nothing else. Because by doing so, justice will be done to the job.

An employee should give 100% efforts without the expectation of success or failure & do

his job.

4. Stress Management : ‘Working for the sake of work only & thus avoiding all fears &

anxieities’ can be used as a base for Cognitive Restructuring.

5. Self-Control : Emotional self-regulation includes bringing down distress, intentionally

eliciting emotions even the unpleasant ones. Individuals with Emotional Competence are

people of steady intelligence, since they can reason & make better decisions even during

high stress situations.

6. Learning : A continuous state of Learning is essential for individuals, since it enlightens

individuals about what their strengths & talents are. Being ignorant & complacent leads

to delusion & foolishness; it stops the growth of an individual.

7. Emotional Intelligence : Absence of anger, peacefulness, absence of crookedness,

compassion, vigour, are all a part of Emotional Intelligence which is the most important

thing to succeed in organization. Emotional Intelligence comprises five elements – self-

awareness, motivation, self-regulation, empathy & adeptness in relationships.

8. Communication : Assertiveness is being able to express feelings constructively; it means

being open with others & ourselves about our needs. Geeta encourages speech which is

truthful, yet pleasing & beneficial.

9. Leadership : Transformational Leadership implies a process where an individual attempts

to elevate his consciousness so that various conflicts & dualities begin at higher level of

synthesis. The ultimate aim of this style of leadership is raising the level of human

conduct & ethical aspirations of both leader & followers.

Suggestions/RecommendationThe principles prescribed in the Bhagavad Geeta for Organizational Behaviour are indeed very

useful for all professionals. These can be inculcated in organizations via trainings sessions,

knowledge sharing sessions or company forums. If these principles are rigorously imbibed by the

employees, work culture will certainly undergo positive change.

Treating an old scripture as too theoretical to apply is a common perception of many individuals.

This project attempts to refute this perception by giving a scientific perspective to Geeta.

This project has used limited verses of the Geeta though there is a huge scope for further

expansion. Reading the complete Bhagavad Geeta is certainly encouraged & inputs by

employees should be welcomed in training sessions or knowledge sharing sessions.

This project can be easily understood by Human Resources personnel due to the use of

Organizational Behaviour concepts. With some effort, all other professionals can also understand

this project & apply its concepts.

Annexure

FiguresFigure Label Page1 Foundations of Arjun’s Behaviour 82 Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict 15

TablesTable Label Page

1 Attribution – Information Pattern table (Covariation Model) 112 Components of Arjun’s Attitude using ABC Model 113 Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – Observing the Armies: 27 to 30 144 Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – Contents of the Geeta Summarized: 6 155 Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – Contents of the Geeta Summarized: 14, 15 166 Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – Contents of the Geeta Summarized: 31 to 33 167 Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – Contents of the Geeta Summarized: 38 178 Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – Contents of the Geeta Summarized: 40, 41 189 Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – Contents of the Geeta Summarized: 47 1810 Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – Contents of the Geeta Summarized: 60 1911 Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – Contents of the Geeta Summarized: 67 1912 Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – Contents of the Geeta Summarized: 68 2013 Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – Karma-Yoga: 8 2014 Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – Karma-Yoga: 20, 21 2015 Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – The Three Modes of Material Nature: 17 2116 Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – The Divine & Demoniac Natures: 1 to 3 2117 Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – The Divine & Demoniac Natures: 4 2218 Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – The Divisions of Faith: 15 2219 Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – The Perfection of Renunciation: 30 2320 Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – The Perfection of Renunciation: 33 2321 Bhagavad Geeta As It Is – The Perfection of Renunciation: 73 24

Bibliography

Books:1. Jaya - An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata --- Devdutt Pattanaik2. Bhagavad Gita As It Is --- His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada3. Bhagavad Gita --- Sri Swami Sivananda4. Organizational Behaviour --- K. Aswathappa5. Working with Emotional Intelligence --- Daniel Goleman

Websites:1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Covariation_model 2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflict_management#Substantive_Vs._Affective 3. http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/107024/chapters/Cognitive-Structures@-What-

They-Are-and-Why-They-Matter.aspx4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decision_making

http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/107024/chapters/[email protected]

http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/107024/chapters/[email protected]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflict_management#Substantive_Vs._Affective

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Covariation_model

bhagavad geeta & organizational behaviour

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