Model of Indian Ethos

Dr. P.V. Seshasai Ph.D.,

SIBM
Hyderabad
Intro
• The concept of religion as conventionally defined is alien to the essence
of Indian culture.
• The most commonly used word for religion in Indian Culture is
“DHARMA”
• In Malayalam and Tamil the common word used for religion is
“MADAM”
• Indian culture views religion in a broader sense. The more appropriate
word is agriculture.
• The process of agriculture is adapted for human hearts also in Indian
culture (Bharateeya Samskruti)
• Taitrya Upanishad exhorts one to revere mother, father, preceptor and guest as
equal to god.
• Matrudevo bhava, Pitru devo bhava, Acharya devo bhava and atithidhi devo bhava.
• Video: Ordinary heroes of Taj Hotel
• Indian society also revere the role of teacher.
• Teaching is the noblest of all the professions. A teacher moulds the rising
generation into self-confident, self-reliant and self-conscious individual.
• Children absorb the habits and manners, beliefs and behaviour of teachers and
elders.
• Hence, teacher should excel in humanity, simplicity, morality and integrity so that
education results in excellence.
• In a society comprised such teacher, every action including politics
was considered spiritual.
• The freedom struggle was considered spiritual.
• “At the individual level, swaraj is virtually connected with the capacity
to dispassionate self-assessment, ceaseless self-purification and
growing self-reliance”– Mahatma Gandhi.
• Mahatma Gandhi never hated British.
• In the process of practicing spiritual leadership, many bad people became
good people. Ex: Valmiki, Ashoka.
• There are some rulers in India who demonstrated exemplary spiritual
leadership.
• For example, Harshavardhana who is known for detachment, humility,
reluctance to ascend the throne after his father’s death is one such example.
• He followed Rajarshi leadership which is evident from his ‘tyaga’ and ‘Seva’
(renunciation and service.)
• The 43 days Yagna he used to conduct was a classic example of his liking
towards Tyaga.
• Kautilya, the author of Arthasashtra, is one great thinker from India
during 3rd century B.C.
• Vide on Chanakya’s 11 principles
• Arthasastra is the first one to speak about management concepts in
the world.
• It speaks about managerial aspects like accounting, administration and
more importantly the philosophical aspects of administration.
• He gave the qualities of a raja (rajarshi) and according to him for the
king, people welfare and their happiness is more important than his
self-interest.
Indian work ethos and Principles of Indian
management
• Following are some of the credos influence Indian wok ethos:
• 1. Paropakarartham idam sareeram
• 2. Atmano mokshardham jagat hitayacha
• 3. Yagnacharatah karma
• 4. Parasparam bhavayantah sreyah param avapsyatha
• 5.Yogah karmasu kaushalam
• 6. Satyam nasti paro dharmaha
• 7. Sva-dharma nidhanam sreyah
• 8. Na hi kshachit kshanam api jatu tishatyakarma-krt.
Paropakarartham idam sareeram
• All the elements of nature perform their activities without any calculation
or expectation of reward or appreciation.
• This rule applies to trees, sun, flowers and even to cows.
• Planet earth is an example of patience because it is its nature to be that.
• The meaning of this doctrine is that human body intended to do only good
and serve others.
• At the core of this belief. exists the assertion that all beings are sparks of
divine flame, all beings come from same source and all are interconnected.
• Besides, the wok we are doing should be selfless without any attachment to
the reward or appreciation
• Sinha, Sampath, Sankdher found in their research that individual who
works for the intrinsic satisfaction and not external rewards exhibits
better OCB. (Organizational Citizenship Behaviour).
• Pawar in his research found that organizations with more number of
employees exhibiting OCB are more successful than the companies
with less number of employees exhibiting OCB.
• This is similar to Maslow’s Self Actualization need. One can reach this
stage through meditation.
Atmano Mokshartham Jagat Hitayacha
For the liberation of self and good of the world
• This verse from Rigveda says that our actions should be guided by their
relation to the world.
• The work ethos of this culture focuses on the balance between the
individual and the society.
• Dr. N. Vittal, chief vigilance commissioner of India interpreted this verse as
“we look for emancipation of our souls through the welfare of the world”.
• This vedic verse is also the motto of Ramakrishna mission, founded by
Swami Vivekananda.
• Two hands serving people are better than two lips praying god.
• Video “A greatly inspiring video”
Yagnacharatah Karma
work has to be done in the spirit of yagna (sacrifice)
• Every human being has to perform 5 yagnas daily.
• Brahma Yagna: Studying and Assimilating sacred teachings in one’s
own life and conveying experiential knowledge to others.
• Manushya Yagna: serving fellow human beings and serving guests
• Pitru Yagna: Honouring one’s ancestors
• Bhuta Yagna: Serving living beings, making offerings/food to all
creatures
• Deva Yagna: Worshipping the cosmic powers.
• Sacrifice means making things holy or sacred. Doing things with full
dedication and concentration.
• One should not focus on the result. It creates fear of failure or success and
the effort may not be with full dedication.
• It is better to do the work with full involvement and one should get
satisfaction for the effort and not for the result.
• Never think about the failure and be confident that you will have success.
• Work is worship: Catholic work ethic. Research studies on
entrepreneurship in Israel.
• Video: I hate Plan B
Parasparam Bhavyantah Shreyah Param Avapsyatha:
May we assist and satisfy and please one another to
attain the highest good and welfare of all.
• This verse from Bhagavad Gita says that “ one should treat the world
as one family Vasudhaika Kutumbam which includes living and non
living beings and work towards highest good of all.
• The same principle is present in Zen Buddhism which later on became
popular in industry as Team Work and Team culture.
• Organizational spirituality is positively associated with organizational
commitment, involvement, satisfaction and rewards, negatively
associated with organizational frustration.
• Nokia initiative in 2009.
Yogah Karmasu Kaushalam
Dexterity and excellence in action are yoga.

• Sadhana means one should regards every work as spiritual

• There is no work related to god and related to self ( Pooja and Eating Food)
• Giving complete attention to one’s work and striving for excellence in that
action holds the potential to make one a yogi
• Video: Yogi’s great fete
• Yoga does not mean physical exercise
• In yoga sutra Patanjali refers yoga as the control of the tendencies of the
mind ( Vritti - Nirodha)
• Video- Swamy Vivekananda on Patanjali Yoga sutra
Satyam Nasti Paro Dharmah
No dharma is higher than the truth

• God is bhava priya and human is bahya priya- Satya Sai Baba
• Sri Aurobindo says “ the face of truth is covered with brilliant golden
lid you have to remove it. Satyam apriyam
• RM Lala observation and JRD TATA Reply
Swa-dharma Nidhanam Sreyah
No duty is ugly and no duty is impure.

• Performance of once duties in the right manner and any stage in once
life without any attachment to their outcome, can lead one to the
highest realization.
• Arjun was a misfit to be a yogi
• In Vyadha Gita an angry monk was humbled by the lady house holder
and butcher (No duty is ugly and no duty is impure).
• The classic example of not following swadharma is the experience of
B- School graduates in their initial stages of corporate career
Na Hi Kaschit Kshanam Api Jatu Tisthaty Akarma krt
Due to the influence of the latent qualities, we cannot – even for a moment- remain without doing work.

• Bhagavat Gita says that, at any given moment ,we are engaged in some work- be it
physical or mental.
• This is better understood in the following way
• Why work ?
To purify the mind and the heart
• What is the work ?
• It is the mode of working divine
• How to Work?
• With the renunciation and work ( Thyaga and Seva)
• What is the Spirit of Work?
• Excellence and Perfection
Conclusion
• Indians believe that the world is to be enjoyed and it can be enjoyed
only if the enjoyer develops dispassion and detachment
• The popular leaders / Kings in India displayed a combination kingly
and sagely ( Raja and Rishi) Character. Example: Ashoka,
Harshavardhana etc.
• The scriptures also suggests that the purest knowledge was accessible
even to the householders ( Ex: Vashishta -Arundhati , Agastya –
Lomamudra, Yagnavalkya- Maitreyi )
• Contributions of Mother Saradha Devi