Bhagavad Gita

A bird’s eye view

Chapter 02
February 10, 2014

B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore

, iÖtIyae=Xyay>,

sa'œOyyaeg>

B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore

 ïImd! -gvÌIta Chapter 2
In a nutshell …
• 2.1 – 2.10 – Arjuna’s continued state of confusion, Lord
Krishna’s initial reaction to Arjuna
• 2.11 – 2.38 – Quintessential Aspect (tt! pdawR>)
– 2.14 – 2.15 –Notion of equanimity
– 2.16 – 2.30 – Explanation of quintessential aspect
• 2.39 – 2.53 – The Notion of Work (Tv< pdawR>)
– 2.39 – 2.46 – Introduction to various aspects of productive work
– 2.47 – 2.53 – Definition of work, its impact, how to do it
– 2.51 – 2.53 – How to develop detachment from fruits
• 2.54 – 2.72 – The Notion of Sthita Prajna (Ais pdawR>)
– 2.55 – 2.59 – Practical ideas to cast away desires
– 2.60 – 2.72 – Detachment from fruits of action, Sense Control

B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore

Change & Changelessness

B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore

 Gita Chapter 2 (Slokas 16,22)
Changlessness
nastae iv*te -avae na-avae iv*te st>,
%-yaerip †òae=Nt> TvnyaeStÅvdizRi->. 2.16.
Great people are able to see changlessness even when
things change
vasa<is jI[aRin ywa ivhay
nvain g&Ÿait nrae=prai[,
twa zrIrai[ ivhay jI[aRin
ANyain s<yait nvain dehI. 2.22.

B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore

 Gita Chapter 2 (Slokas 23 – 24)
Atman – Beyond the realm of physical medium
nEn< iDNdiNt zôai[ nEn< dhit pavk>,
n cEn< KledyNTyapae n zae;yit maét>. 2.23.
Weapons cannot cut; fire cannot burn; Water cannot
wet; Air cannot dry
ACDe*ae=ymdaýae=y< AKle*ae=zae:y @v c,
inTy> svRgt> Swa[u> Aclae=y< snatn>. 2.24.
Changeless, All pervading, unmoving, immovable
6 forms of change (in anything physical )
Birth - jayte, Existence - AiSt, Growth - vxRyit,
.

Transformation – pir[amyit, Decline - ]yit, Perishes - ièyte

B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore
 Gita Chapter 2 (Slokas 27 – 28)
What is the terms of reference for Arjuna’s grief?

Even if Atman has birth & death why should you

grieve?
jatSy ih Øuvae m&Tyu> Øuv< jNm m&tSy c,
Cycle of birth &
death inevitable

tSmadpirhayeR=weR n Tv< zaeictumhRis. 2.27.

AVyKtadIin -Utain VyKtmXyain -art,
AVyKtinxnaNyev tÇ ka pirdevna. 2.28.
Beings come from a subtle state and return back to
the same state – what is the basis to grieve?

B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore

 Relevance of Gita
Vital tools for managing change…
• Change is the essence of life
– We change – physically, psychologically, biologically and
otherwise
– Context change, people around us change, perspectives of
life change
– Meaning of success and failure change
• Despite this, change management is perceived to be
painful, avoidable and a last resort
– We are too short‐sighted
– We are too selfish and narrow focused in life
Change has no meaning unless changelessness is recognized & identified with
B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore
 Changelessness Vs Change
Great lessons in managing change
• In every situation/problem/entity we need to
develop clarity on the following:
– Segregate changing & unchanging elements that
constitutes it
– Establish peculiar characteristics of changeless and
changing aspects of the entity/situation/ problem
– Develop a meaningful analysis of the relationship between
changing and changelessness
– Understand the transformation process where
changelessness retains itself and brings the next wave of
change in the system
Search for the Atman in everything that you do and encounter in life
B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore
Our Approach to Work

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 Work & Bondage
Am responsible for this
Can only do this work
I Have to produce the results
Outcomes are uncertain
Will be judged by what I do in this
May be favourable or otherwise
My status depends on the success

Work
This work fetches something else
Work is connected with several other works

Work completion depends on many others

B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore

 Relevance of Gita
What is the meaning of work/outcome?
• Work is a larger issue/principle in life
– It can take you to ultimate salvation and eternal
bliss. Much beyond salary, happiness of lower
order
• There is a larger principle of efficiency of work

B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore

 Work is fundamental to prosperity
buÏ(a yuKtae yya pawR nehai-³mnazae=iSt
kmRbNx< àhaSyis (39) àTyvayae n iv*te (40)
Right knowledge about work Work with Yoga Buddhi
liberates you from the clutches does not produce
of work & its effect contradicting results

Such a method of working Developing a sense of

results in very good efficiency equanimity is critical for
hitherto unknown producing good work

yaeg> kmRsu kaEzlm! (50) smTv< yaeg %Cyte (48)

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 Work your way to prosperity
(material & spiritual)
Work is your right; Broaden the notion of Don’t worry about fruits
not inaction efficiency in work No energy dissipated
No energy dissipated regarding root cause of
regarding fruits, fruits
No room for idleness
Conserve energy by not
dissipating on unnecessary
ideas & issues

Understand that Focus on the

everything is for the long quintessential
run changeless aspects
Do not confuse between Create efficient entities Do not let gross aspects
now & for ever that sustain for long subdue subtle
B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore
 Work: fundamental definition
kmR{yevaixkarSte ma )le;u kdacn,
ma kmR)lhetu-UR> ma te s¼ae=STvkmRi[. 2.47.

You have the right only to work

Work You have no right to fruits

You have no right to the root causes of fruits

You have no right to revel in inaction

B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore

 ma )le;u kdacn
The underlying logic
• Wary of failures, we may refuse to undertake great
activities (modern risk management issue comes into
play)
• Focus on ends instead of means
• Process orientation will give way for result
orientation
• You tend to escape the dynamics of “present” and go
after “future”
When we do good work, we tend to say “I was lost in the
work”. ma )le;u kdacn enables all of us to get lost in
the work for ever.
B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore
 Sloka 50
Yoga brings efficiency to work
buiÏyuKtae jhatIh %-e suk«tÊ:k«te,
tSma*aegay yuJySv yaeg> kmRsu kaEzlm!. 2.50.
Endued with this evenness of buddhi, one frees
oneself in this very life, alike from virtue and vice,
devote yourself to this yoga. Yoga is efficiency in
action.

B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore

 yaeg> kmRsu kaEzlm
A new meaning for efficiency
• Modern View: A means for worldly welfare
– More material output, using fewer input
– Stress on quantity threatens modern society
• Broken person with high productive efficiency is a common
possibility
• Economic prosperity and poverty in mind & heart
• Gita View: A means for also inner development
– Done any good to you, made you broader
– What difference did it make to the society?
• Have you become qualitatively richer?
– Going into human nature beyond sensory level
Good workers, developed with high character, public spirit, service & dedication will
be the greatest asset to any nation. yaeg> kmRsu kaEzlm addresses this critical aspect
B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore
 Relevance of Gita
What is the meaning of work/outcome?
• The Cardinal Principle is delinking work &
results
• There is a larger principle of efficiency of work
• We need to spend more time turning our
attention inwards
– Emotion controlled & directed to work builds a
strong character in an individual

B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore

Making Sense of Senses

B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore

 iSwt à}> ‐ iSwt xI>
Attributes of iSwt à}> (54)

Casting away all desires of mind & turning

the attention inwards (55)

How to handle How to react to real

experiences? (56) time events? (57)

Precautions about Using the freedom

misapplication of the idea (58) of choice (59)

Understand the power of

senses (60 - 68)

B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore

 Relevance of Gita
Steady buddhi is very powerful !
• What does ‐ iSwt xI> eventually leads us to?
– Calming of the mind
– Measured response to outside stimuli
– Turning the attention inwards
– Becoming more and more thoughtful, silent,
composed etc.

Silence Thoughtful Solves many questions

Helps you explore deepest pockets of one’s own self

B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore

 Slokas 56 – 57
Muni transcends the world of dualities
Ê>oe:vnuiÖ¶mna> suoe;u ivgtSp&h>,
vItrag-y³aex> iSwtxImuRinéCyte. 2.56.
One whose mind is not shaken by adversity, who does not
hanker after happiness, who has become free from blind
attachment, fear and anger is indeed the Muni or sage of
steady wisdom.
y> svRÇani-Sneh> tÄTàaPy zu-azu-m!,
nai-nNdit n Öeiò tSy à}a àitióta. 2.57.
Everywhere unattached, not affected by good or bad
events the buddhi is steadfast
B Mahadevan, IIM Bangalore