In the previous episode, we had witnessed Bhagawan Krishna talking about the implementation of “Karma Yoga” and what are the major pre-requisites for the same. Firstly, we should perform our actions, keeping all our likes and dislikes apart. If we’ve to perform a duty and if it is bound to us, irrespective of whether we like it or not, we’re supposed to do it. There is no question of skipping it or escaping from it at any point of time. This is where Arjuna is going wrong too – On the “emotional” front, Arjuna wants to give an excuse to not fight the battle as he’s seeing all his relatives and friends standing opposite to him and thereby run away from the battlefield. This is where Bhagawan Krishna is smart enough to put this anti-escapism as the first and the foremost prerequisite to perform the “Karma Yoga”. Secondly, while performing the actions, we should always have a neutral approach. This is also very important because every action that we perform, would create an impact on all living beings directly or indirectly. Hence, we should be very careful to have an unbiased approach towards our actions.
This is a very important lesson for modern-day leadership as well. We’ve seen that if leaders show signals of bias, by favouring one employee more than the others, the morale and trust that employee’s’ have with the leader will go for a toss. Once the morale and trust are broken, it is very difficult to rebuild it, no matter how much effort the leader is putting to do so. Hence, leaders should be extremely careful in this regard – If there’s a growth opportunity, it should be opened up equally for all people, rather than just a “selected few”. Everyone should be treated on the same plane, and this is where people will respect the leader, moving forward.
Moving forward thus, Bhagawan gives a different angle to this above narrative now. Bhagawan says thus, “Oh Arjuna! Look at the picture like this – It is primarily depending upon the nature of the “Karma” that each of us are involved in, our “Gunas” take shape. For instance, those who are into penance and “Tapas” will have their “Sattva Guna” on the higher side, pushing the other two Gunas down. Similarly, those who are warriors like you, will have the “Rajo Guna” on the higher side. Thus, the differences between people may arise due to their “Karma” as well, because their “Gunas” are closely aligned with the “Karma” that they perform in this world. However, what is more important here is that, as a king, you should be able to see these differences at a bare minimal level and should be able to rise up from all these. If you look at the “Atman” of all the people, it is the same across everyone. This is what we refer as “Shuddha-Atma-Svarupam”. If you’re able to see the “Atman” inside everyone, you will find that all living beings are the same. You should rise to this level in life, leaving behind all the differences that you see with respect to “Deham” and “Karma”!”
Now this is a very important point that all of us should understand as well for the present-day. We might come across so many people in our day-to-day life in several spheres of occupations / professions. All of them have their own definitive duties to fulfil. All of them have different ways to earn money. Some of them might be great professors, some might be great teachers, some might be great and accomplished corporate professionals, some might be shopkeepers, some might be great entrepreneurs, some might be roadside shop owners, some might be maids doing household jobs at various homes, etc. The world is wide open with many avenues to earn money. But when we take up one avenue firmly, we commit to it and take it as our “Karma”. Through the discharge of our duties as part of this “Karma”, we earn money and feed our families. Thus, the nature of the job and the nature of our “Karma” might determine what “Guna” might dominate upon us, isn’t it? Thus, on ground, there might be “n” number of differences between all of us with regards to the nature of “Karma” that we perform. Ultimately, we should remember one thing – All our professions are important for the sustained upliftment of our society at large and no profession is more significant or less significant in nature. Of course, some professions might yield more money, and some might not. But that doesn’t mean that one profession is less significant and the other is more, isn’t it? This is where we should learn to look at the significance of each profession, rather than entertaining the differences between them in terms of money, name and fame. Now the third level that we’ve to enter into is – All people, irrespective of being in various professions, have one thing in common, which is the “Atman”. If we try to look at the “Atman” level, we shall find all the people to be the same! Bhagawan wants us to rise up to this level only.
Hence, as a leader, when we say that having an unbiased approach towards people is necessary, this is how we do it – We should rise up to the level of viewing the “Atman” inside all our employee’s. Perhaps our levels in the organization might be different, but as people, all are one! If a leader cultivates this mindset, he / she would become a great and an exceptional leader! So for today, let us understand this point very clearly and we shall wait till the next episode to continue this discussion further! Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 