Bhagavadgeetha in Professional Life

Introduction

Since time immemorial, ancient philosophical texts have spiritually encouraged and enabled people to awaken from the delusions of life’s myriad circumstances. Today’s rapid advancement in applied science and technology has dramatically improved the quality of material life, in areas such as transportation, communication and information exchange. Despite such major benefits brought by technology, people report higher levels of stress and increasing struggle for success. As a result, people try to quickly achieve success by hook or crook leading to more failure and frustration. This article sheds light on ancient Hindu philosophy, namely the Bhagavadgeetha, and attempts to correlate certain strategic insights and guidelines derived from the ‘Gita’ to achieve holistic and sustainable success with the premise that the profound knowledge of the Gita applies not only to spiritual awakening but also equally to the modern-day crises.

It is well known that ancient religious and philosophical texts such as the Bhagavadgeetha (ancient Hindu philosophical and religious scripture) (Hee, 2007; Muniapan & Dass, 2008; Chakraborty & Chakraborty, 2008; Satpathy & Muniapan, 2008), the Mahabharata and the Ramayana (Hindu epics) (Muniapan & Dass, 2008), Upanishads (Hindu Vedic philosophy texts), the historical Chinese thinker Sun Tzu’s The Art of War in Business strategies (Lee & Ko, 2000; Lee, Roberts, Lau, & Bhattacharyya, 1998), and other references from several religions and cultures such as Christianity, Buddhism and Islam have been used as a guide to contemporary managerial issues and challenges. This article highlights the relevance of each of the 18 chapters of the Bhagavadgeetha to modern-day professional activities and professional ethics.

Analysis of the Gita Philosophy

The Bhagavadgeetha (or bhagavad-gītā in Sanskrit language means ‘The song of the Lord’), is an ancient philosophical text written by the Indian sage Veda Vyasa between the fifth and second century bce, ¹ and is considered as the most sacred of Hindu religious texts. The ‘Gita’ primarily provides two paths to realize the ultimate truth: Sankhyayoga (rational unison) and Karmayoga (path of unbiased action) (The Bhagavadgita or the Song of the Divine, 1991, p. 204).

Philosophically, the Gita clears the ambiguity between what is real from that what is presumed to be real. The latter situation occurs commonly in our day-to-day activities taking its firm roots into an unreal and fictitious loose ground in the form of I and mine. Unaware of the concept of loose foundation, we humans proceed to build our thoughts and plan further using countless possibilities that lead to nothing but failure, resulting in stress and anguish in the end. With repetitive tendencies, which is natural to the human brain functionality, the self-imposed stress continues to prevail, without leading to any solution. At least at that point, can the Bhagavadgeetha lend us a hand that leads to a solution?

The ‘Gita’ is a Yoga, which means unison with the Supreme or something which is considered to be ideal. It is the highlight of Hindu epic, the Mahabharata, since it summarizes the essence of the Vedas, Upanishads and spiritual knowledge for well-being. Oddly enough, of all places, this treatise serving as a philosophical guideline for human life, finds its origin in the middle of a battlefield where a war is about to begin between two armies. Or on the other hand, should we ponder that it is the war field that determines win or lose, good or bad, etc., then the time and place for the origin of such an esoteric text is naturally justified. However, war is a fight between two individuals or groups that believe opposing ideals or goals. Naturally, wars can break out between or among groups of individuals wherever there is a difference of opinion.

How about modern-day professional life? How can we apply the ‘Gita’ doctrines in our daily work lives to prevent ideological wars (disagreements) and promote harmony? The conversation between Krishna and Arjuna amidst the battleground could be seen as a psychological science case study rather than just a religious text. Since this sacred text stands on the fundamental human nature, its principles can be realized under the light of any professional routine. It is evident that the ‘Gita’ can be applied by all age groups in all times and situations, as there were stress, anxiety and tense situations even in the past, just as now. Times might have changed, but the underlying agonizing factors are still prevailing, though wrapped in a new fabric.

To see how the ‘Gita’ can help, first let us look into its gist spread into 18 chapters.

Gist of the Bhagavadgeetha

Arjuna asked Krishna to help him out of his agony that was caused by his need to fight his near and dear ones in the war. In reply, Krishna asked him to shake off his infatuation and fight.

klaibyam maa sma-gamah paartha naitat-tvayyupapadyate |

kshudram hrdaya dourbalyam tyaktvottishTa parantapa ||

Meaning: ‘Do not be timid Partha! This will not befit you; Renounce this petty weak-heartedness and rise, O destroyer of enemies!’

However, this did not console the former and hence he asked Krishna to bring him out of his deep depression systematically. The conversation follows beginning with Saankhya (rational) Yoga, wherein Krishna explains the ultimate reality of differentiating who is who and what is what—indicating that it was not Arjuna’s personal war, but a war fought for Dharma (righteousness) and fighting was his rightful duty at that hour.

Furthermore, Krishna had to dispel Arjuna’s wailing state of mind through the discourses on Karma (action), Jnana-karma and Karma Sanyasa (knowledge and/or action devoted to Krishna)—wherein Krishna says that the Karma route is a better alternative to the Jnaana (knowledge) route to attain salvation, because performing duty (Karma) without expecting its results is easier than the knowledge method. This can be achieved with an understanding of Aatma-Samyama (self-composure), Jnaana-Vijnaana (knowledge and science), Aksharabrahma (imperishable Supreme) and finally the Rajavidya-Rajaguhya (prime secretive knowledge of the Lord) yoga.

Then, He explains His divine potency in the Vibhoothi yoga, and when Arjuna asked the means to visualize Krishna’s divine potency, Krishna presents him the divine vision through which Arjuna could see the universal (cosmic) form of the Lord in his own eyes with surprise, fright and bewilderment. Then upon further insisting, Krishna explains about Bhakthi (devotion), the three modes of nature—goodness, passion and ignorance (3 gunas), indicating that He alone remains aloof of these modes of nature as Purushottama (best among the gentlemen). By then, Arjuna would be convinced and Krishna explains further about Divine and Evil qualities, types of faiths one can have and finally about salvation (Moksha).

After this systematic psychological treatment and advice from Krishna, Arjuna’s delusion was completely dissolved and he fought the war and won.

Today, although our daily chores have been eased by the rapidly advancing technology, we spend relatively more time in our professional life than personal, and yet whinge about not being comfortable. This could be because of the human tendency to mix up our personal life events/behaviour with our work lives. If we mix the two up, we could land in trouble; if we don’t, but try to handle both, we inflict stress on ourselves. This can be addressed by applying the ‘Gita’ principles with perseverance and patience at our workplace.

At the workplace, suppose we come across a colleague who may indulge in malpractices (bending rules) or with the tendency to do so. This could be more sensitive when that person is our superior. In most cases, we tend to ignore it thinking that any complaint that we might make against him will not only hurt them but also cost our friendship or job. Furthermore, we assume that complaining against someone in the team may cause problems for us in the future as well. At this point, we are clouding our minds with the consequences of our actions and personalize this situation, not focusing on what actually must be done. This is exactly similar to Arjuna’s situation, where Krishna says,

svadharmaapi chaavékshya na vikampitum arhasi |

Dharmyaaddhi yuddhaacchréyo anyatkshatriyasya na vidyate || 2–31 ||

Meaning: Arjuna must not feel sorry or mourn the deaths of his relatives in war; moreover, he must be considering his rightful duty of a Kshatriya to fight. That means our responsibilities must not be forsaken at all, irrespective of our friendly relations. Furthermore, we must escalate this concern to the rightful authorities without handling it personally. Nor should we be worried of the consequences or after-effects, as time decides the outcome.

Krishna says,

tasmaadasaktah satatam kaaryam karma samaachara |

asakthó hi aacharankarma paramaapnóti poorushah || 3–19 ||

Meaning: A man doing his work without attachment attains the Supreme ultimately; therefore, do your duty efficiently and do not dwell upon its returns. This could be an example from the teaching profession, where one may not be appreciated by their pupils, and also make them unpopular for being strict in their verdict about student-performance. But they must be bound to do their duty efficiently and leave their personal fame aside. Similar judgments apply for managers giving performance review feedback of their team members.

Workplace bullying is another common issue nowadays and most of us could have experienced/witnessed it. In such situations, Krishna quotes, Chapter 6 (verse 5): People should uplift themselves with full effort and must be confident about what they are doing, without degrading their self-esteem. But if they suppress themselves, they will become their own enemies because the mind can become one’s friend or enemy. Also in Chapter 2 (verse 34), He points it out to Arjuna that if he turns away from waging the war, he would be shunned by the people, which is shameful for a respectable man, and is worse than death. Throughout Chapter 2, Arjuna asks Krishna to help him out to relieve his stressful state of mind by asking various questions. Reading this conversation is no doubt a psychotherapy for any reader in similar situation who can be inspired to free themselves and be relieved.

Another common issue at this present age is work stress ad multitasking to acquire long-term achievements in short periods of time. To achieve this, we over-rev ourselves so much so that it throws all other aspects of life out of balance. This is because we are deluded by thinking our professional life is all we have. Krishna clears this confusion and provides the remedy by stating that through knowledge (Jnaana through Saankhya yoga), we must constantly remind ourselves about the delusion and its effect and stay away from the loose ground. If this seems impossible, then performing one’s rightful duty (Karma) alone can lead us to reality; if that could not be achieved either, then our rightful duties must be performed just for the sake of Krishna (through devotion, i.e., Bhakti); if that cannot be accomplished either, Krishna recommends us to try by practice. Even then, if we cannot attain our goal, he then suggests that we must do what we can do and not worry about the rewards (expecting nothing in return). By doing so, one can maintain the balance between work and personal lives promoting overall upliftment.

Applicability of the 18 Chapters of the Bhagavadgeetha

Here, an attempt is made to map common professional situations to appropriate ‘Gita’ chapters to benefit the readers. Table 1 should be treated as a guide only. Based on individual experiences, readers can apply their understanding in their professional scenarios.

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Table 1.

Applicable Yogas in professional situations

	Yoga in the ‘Gita’	Applicable Professional Scenarios
1	Arjuna vishaada	Problem definition/situation: Indecisiveness, unable to foresee a solution.
2	Saankhya (= Rational)	Establish the necessary elements for the solution by analysing the situation with an unbiased mindset.
3	Karma	Detailed drill down of resolution with pros and cons without being self-centred.
4	Jnaanakarma-sanyaasa	Solution methods evaluation; do only what is safe and beneficial.
5	Karma sanyaasa	Activity breakdown; sacrificing personal ego in actions.
6	Aatma samyama	Composure; patience; hard work; timely action with goal focus.
7	Jnaana-Vijnaana	Know-how, applied science/technology; seek expert advice.
8	Akshara-brahma	Solution arrives for autonomous and sincere efforts.
9	Raajavidyaa- Raajaguhya	99% perspiration; 1% inspiration.
10	Vibhoothi	Usage of smart resources.
11	Vishvaroopa-darshana	Holistic project overview: Analysing whole system of beliefs characterized by the view that a whole system of beliefs must be analysed rather than simply its individual components.
12	Bhakti	Verify and validate performance to conform the requirements.
13	Kshetra-kshetrajnavibhaaga	Acquire subject matter expertise or consult expert advice.
14	Gunatraya-vibhaaga	Assess all solutions before accepting.
15	Purushottama	Always maintain best practices.
16	Daivaasurasampad-vibhaaga	Manage competition sportively without dwelling on outcomes.
17	Shraddhaatraya- vibhaaga	Maintain:	Dedication, reliability, loyalty;
		Avoid:	Conflicts and confusion;
		Eliminate:	Fear and fraud
18	Moksha-sanyaasa	Believe in Krishna and perform your professional duties to your level best. He will make sure everything is alright.

Source: Author’s own.

Primarily, one has to always respect and value the dignity of labour in any profession. Krishna emphasizes that any work that we take up should be done with full commitment and be content with the results. Honours and titles come and go but one must not indulge in acquiring them nor yearn for them.

To alleviate from the self-imposed stress, today’s generation generally tend to seek alternative therapies that further burden their daily schedules and put a strain on economy as well. Such therapies have limited effects and are short lived, whereas the philosophy of the ‘Gita’ is to avoid stress and promote the well-being of mind, body and soul.