NISHKAMA KARMA
A NEW MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY
                                                                        by V. S. Prakasa Rao.

"Parasparam Bhavayanatah Sreyah Avapsyatha".

-Bhagavad Gita. Karma Yoga Ch. iii.(by mutuality and co-operation, all shall achieve the highest welfare)

The meaning in our lives comes from absorbing ourselves so deeply in the macrocism of our work that we forgeet. Ourselves, especially our egos. The difference betwen subject and object desappears.
In the present state of affairs, the very survival of mankind depends on development concerns of the whole humanity, not just a community or a nation. The reality of the situation impels us to think and act properly. On the basis of love and kindness towards our human brothers and sisters, we need to develop a such human qualities as honesty, morality, compassion and wisdom. But these qualities must be cultivated and sustained through systematic moral education in a conducive social environment.

KARMIC BANK ACCOUNT

One way to change our attitudes is to understood our ‘Karmic Bank Account’. We know that if we go into the world with the clear motive of making money it is possible to become very wealthy and build our worldly bank account. What is less obvious, but nonetheless true, is that it is possible to live happily by going into the world with a different motivation; to offer something at very low cost or feed to those in need, or perhaps to work for an organisation whose purpose we are committed to, volunteering, or taking much smaller salary than we know we are worth. When we choose to do this, we are building our Karmic Bank Account.

We have two accounts operating at all times. One is our worldly bank account, and the other is our Karmic account. When we are receiving more than we are actually contributing to life, we may build up our worldly bank account, but we are taking it out of our karmic account. When we give more than we receive, we are building up our karmic account.

We worked for years building organisations for no or little pay, without really being concerned about how much we were giving or receiving. Then , when we needed financial assistance it was always available, either as gifts, loans, or well-paid work. Building up our karmic account is based on the motive behind the work done, and when intent is to serve others, the account does grow.

EMOTIONAL BANK ACCOUNT

For those, who do not believe in karmic theory, the theory developed by a highly rated western management expert Stephen Covey may be appealing. In his book “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People”, Stephen Covey wrote about Emotional Bank Account’. Emotional Banking takes place between two individuals. Just as money is deposited in a bank, human beings deposit trust in each other. It gives one a feeling of security and safety in the relationship with one another. All positive attitudes and actions like courtesy, kindness, goodness, love, concern etc. add on to this account and the deposit grows. Even when minor irritants or negative actions like discourtesy, wickedness, disrespect, indifference etc. happen in the relationship among individuals, the debits will be taken care of by the heavy credit balance remaining with the other person in the emotional bank account. One has to be careful not to overdraw from this account. When decisions are made about working with like minded people, who trust each other and share responsibilities, each one is drawing from the other emotional bank account and depositing in it simultaneously. Among families, partnerships and other organisations where people interact with each other, this process goes on.

Niskama Karma: involves increase by the balance in karmic/emotional Bank Account:

The meaning in our lives comes from absorbing ourselves so deeply in the macrocism of our work that we forgeet. Ourselves, especially our egos. The difference betwen subject and object desappears The Sanskrit phrase ‘niskama karma’ describes this state of utter absorption in which people act for the sake of action, not for the sake of reward from the action. This is also the meaning of the happiness. The problem is that most people dislike their work. They get easily distracted, and they can’t get fully absorbed in their work. Hence, they brood and mostly about themselves. Only when one gets deeply absorbed in an acivity, he enjoys it or he does the job well. One artist used to get so absorbed in getting his painting ready that he would forget to eat lunch, sometimes even dinner, he could work for sixteen hours day in and day out. He even forgot to collect money. And he was the happiest man.

Sooner or later, often after many painful experiences, individuals and nations begin to realise that each and every one of us is responsible for the consequences of our actions. In truth no one is ever really the victim of anything. Rather it means that we have drawn a difficult situation to ourselves because of past karma in order to learn that what we initiated previously was harmful. This is true even if past causes are not consciously remembered, as all learning is stored in the subconscious and is ultimately integrated into character, our essential being. For example, if as individuals or as members of a group we suffered great injustice at the hands of others, we often become highly sensitised to issues or injustice in relationships and between groups and nations in the world. This arena will then be where our soul moves us to take action to right injustices and improve fairness.

Twelve propositions to an organiser

“By your thought you rise. By your thought you fall”, is the key to the progress of an individual, a family, an organisation or an institution. The thought patterns of a man decide his progress. The man who cherishes the welfare of his family and his society always progresses in his individual and social life. Indian scriptures abound in words of advice on this theme, and leaders, a heads of the organisations, or institutions can profit immensely from them. Here, we present to the learned readers a few ethical aspects gathered from the scriptures. 

Proposition 1: Try to understand why you like a person. Likes and dislikes are two sides of a coin. Therefore, make sure your likes are backed by sound reasoning.

Proposition 2 : Try to understand why you dislike a person. The dislike in your mind should have a logical basis as well. If you get a satisfactory answer to the question of your dislike, your opinion is right. 

Proposition 3 : Your interpretations of likes and dislikes depend on your emotions. It follows that if you like a person on the emotional plane, you will not get a rational reasoning for your likes. You are not yet ready to become a successful organiser. 

Proposition 4 : If there are too many persons whom you dislike, it means you have many blind spots in understanding others. 

Proposition 5 : The presence of bad traits in others need not drive you to dislike them. Dislike resides your mind. This is one of the secrets an organiser is expected to understand and accept. 

Proposition 6 : Everyone likes himself. You should understand why and in which respect you like yourself. You should note why others like themselves and on which grounds. An organiser should not look at bad traits in others He should discover how others can be useful to the organisation. If an organiser notices only the bad traits in others, it shows that he is petty minded. 

Proposition 7 : If the bad traits of another person come in the way of the functioning of the organisation, a difficulty arises. Even then there is no need for the organiser to dislike him/her. He can ask him/ her to improve his/her skills. 

Proposition 8 : When you tackle a person, question yourself as to how you can make him work in the organisation meaningfully and gainfully. If a change of responsibility benefits the organisation, this can be suggested to him. 

Proposition 9 : If you can not put up with a person whom you cannot like, it means you will meet with serious obstacles in the functioning of the organisation. 

Proposition 10 : Personal difficulties at work should be tackled with sympathy before you can make another person work properly. 

Proposition 11 : The best way to meet the personal difficulties of various individuals is to include two procedures :
a) Preparing a good substitute for each job. b) Persuading everyone in the organisation to contribute a small amount of money every month. After a few months you will be able to lend this money to individuals in need. This gives them a sense of security and prevents them from spending time on borrowing from others. Let the individual repay in instalments. Even small sums of interest will add up to a considerable amount. 

Proposition 12 : Arrange for medical aid which will foster loyalty to the organisation.