It
is an indisputable fact that the Indian philosophical
heritage is as rich and varied as that of its western
counterparts. But, is it getting confined to historical
monuments or got submerged in the vast opus of western
thoughts and modern technology? Two centuries of colonial
rule probably had taken its toll; we still face the
daunting task of integrating our culture with western
education system. More so, in the field of management,
theories and concepts developed in the West predominate
and are held in high-esteem. All this when traditional
Indian culture has much to offer to management as a
whole. Most of the psychological theories developed
in the West center around I-ness (individualized self)
while the Indian Shastras highlighted an experiential
sense of we-ness (familial selves). Yet another significant
factor is the idendifiability of Indian spiritual traditions
and philosophy (where work is treated as worship and
management as Sadhana) with the modern management
practices.
Spiritual
consciousness and purity of mind are becoming more relevant
in today's business environment than western individualism
which emphasizes self-fulfillment and self actualization.
Indian ethos, culture, host of theories, principles
and practices reigned supreme in Bharatvarsha long before
other cultures invaded it. Eternal Bliss is the
core of Indian thought and man is advised to balance
his outgoing tendency with a harmonious inward journey.
For the society, individual is the foundation, who while
constantly chasing objective satisfactions (which is
nothing but `maya' or `avidya') gets corrected
midway to ultimately realize that he is on the path
of fearless bliss or pure consciousness (called `atman').
The Upanishads teach him to be the self he really is
within, without seeking anything from outside. The `Atman'
is a tiny portion of the `supreme intelligence' called
Brahman and all our senses, body, mind and intellect
are concentrated in this Atman-Brahman nexus.
This lays a solid foundation for trust, cooperation,
team work, and altruism which act as pillars of the
society we live in. No kind of work is regarded as lowly;
or demeaning but is elevated as a means not for just
earning money, fame or power but essentially for purifying
our minds and egos. Every ritual in Indian thought has
a hidden meaning. |
