22 Mar, 2013 ET Bureau
The tales of different forms of Lord Vishnu, be it Krishna or Rama have many interesting lessons that one can draw in today's world. From marketing, leadership tips to entrepreneurship, Indian mythology can help solve a modern-day executive's many 'dharamsankats'. Here is a look at six such parallels that can be drawn from Lord Vishnu's life. These lessons and parallels have been drawn by Devdutt Pattanaik, Chief Belief Officer, Future Group
Krishna on not being wrong in breaking rules, if dharma is upheld
Narada had the power to travel through space and time. One day, he decided to pay a visit to Ayodhya, the city of the rule-following Ram and to Vrindavan, the village of the rule-breaking Krishna. At Ayodhya, he told the story of Krishna; the residents did not appreciate the rakish, mischievous cowherd at all.
At Vrindavan, he told the story of Ram; the residents did not appreciate the upright and rather serious king at all. Narada then went to Hanuman, the mighty monkey, and asked him who he preferred: Ram or Krishna? And Hanuman said, "What is the difference? Both are Vishnu to me; Lakshmi follows him, whether he is Ram or Krishna."
So what is the difference between Ram and Krishna? Both belong to two different contexts: Ram lives in Treta yuga and Krishna in Dvapara yuga. One context demands Vishnu to be the upright rule-following Ram and the other context demands Vishnu to be the lovable rule-breaking Krishna. Both are same, but different. Both are upholding social order, dharma; one by keeping the rules and the other by breaking them!
In corporations, we seek people who comply and frown upon people who do not. But people love breaking rules. But being Ram or Krishna is not about whether rules are upheld or broken; it is about the reason why rules are upheld or broken. Few pay attention to that.
Rukmini's love for Krishna: Lesson for marketeers
The sage Narad once put Krishna on one pan of the weighing scale, and asked the wives of Krishna to place something heavier (more valuable) on the other side. Satyabhama put gold ornaments; they were not heavy enough. Rukmini put a tulsi leaf; it was heavier than Krishna.
The tulsi leaf was a code for Rukmini's love for Krishna. Thus the thought (love for Krishna) granted the thing (tulsi leaf) an intangible value. It transformed the commodity (tulsi leaf) into a brand (symbol of love for Krishna) and increased its value increased exponentially. But the value is known only to those who are familiar with the codes. To make people familiar with these codes is marketing.
Marketeers embed thought into things. This thought is bhog(food) that consumers seek to satisfy bhookh (hunger). Marketing is about increasing existing hunger or igniting new forms of hunger.
What is the hunger of the Indian consumer? It is difficult to answer the question as India is extremely diverse. We need to identify the consumer to identify the hunger and to do that we need to understand the product you are selling. There is no generic 'Indian' customer for all prod.
Destruction of raas-lila: Lessons on innovation
When the gopikas got too comfortable with the raas-lila, Krishna destroyed it by announcing it was time for him to move out of Madhuvan and go to Mathura. The milkmaids wept but it was time for Krishna to move on. With this violence, the gopikas were forced to introspect. Realize it was time to grow up, learn to be dependable rather than dependent, find the Krishna within them to help others.
There are two principles that govern nature and the same two principles govern organisations: violence and seduction. Lethargy is the time for the yajaman to be violent and seductive. This will unleash energies that will destroy lethargy and create momentum in a sluggish organisation.
Nobody is going to change the world for you; you have to change if you wish to grow. Unfortunately change is scary; we would rather be secure, stable and stagnant. Unless there is fear (bhaya), there is no hunger (bhook); unless there is sacrifice (bali), there is no food (bhog); and every sacrifice will come a consequence (karma) that you have to be willing to bear.
Solving the 'dharamsankat' in family businesses
In the Bhagavat Puran, Krishna spends his childhood in Vrindavan and then when it is time to go to Mathura, he breaks all bonds with the milkmaids and cowherds of Vrindavan. He bids Radha and Yashoda farewell and never comes back. It marks the end of childhood and the beginning of adulthood. Inherited a company from your father recently? The board is full of people who are either your father's friends or cronies for whom the board meetings are a time to chat and have chai. Most of these board members have watched you grow up so you don't want to be rude and kick them out. Yet they have to go for the company to evolve. How do you solve the dharamsankat? Clearly, you are in the phase: time to grow up, move from Vrindavan to Mathura. It is time to break old relationships and forge new ones. Eventually everyone has to go. You are in the sunrise of your career; they are in the sunset. Treat them well even as you bid them goodbye. Let them see that your new ways are very different from theirs: not better or worse, just different.
Krishna & Radha's love: Importance of letting go
In the 12th century, a great revolution took place in India. A poet called Jayadeva wrote a song called Gita Govinda in Sanskrit, expressing ideas and sentiments that were until then whispered in folk songs. He referred to a lady called Radha, whose love for Krishna was deep and passionate. Together they danced and made music in joyous abandon in the gardens of Madhuvan on the banks of the Yamuna under the autumn moon. Eventually, however, we are informed by the scriptures that Krishna leaves Madhuvan in pursuit of his destiny. Radha stays back, like a flower that was once loved by the bee. While the magical love of Radha and Krishna, especially as expressed in the Gita Govinda, fired the imagination of people, Radha's images were restricted to temples of the Gangetic plains. Often in small companies emerge great talent. These talented individuals yearn to move on but feel guilt about leaving the company that gave them the early opportunity to prove their mettle. It is in these moments that the bosses of such talented individuals have to think of Radha and understand the importance of letting go. Krishna has to leave Madhuvan to fulfill his destiny in the cities of Mathura, Dwaraka, Indraprastha and Hastinapur, but Radha has to stay behind in the village of cowherds and milkmaids. The separation is full of affection, not bitterness. One has to keep the larger picture in mind, and the talent of the talented one.
Vishnu on reading situations in all perspectives
The sage Narada wanted to marry a young princess. But she said she wanted to marry only Hari. Hari is the name of Vishnu , who is God and the guardian of earth. Narada went to Vishnu and began singing his praises. So Vishnu offered him a boon. "Give me the face of Hari," said Narada. Vishnu granted that wish. Narada went to the princess but instead of garlanding him, she turned around in disgust. There behind her stood Vishnu. The overjoyed princess garlanded Vishnu. Narada wondered what was wrong. Then he saw his face reflected on a mirror. It was that of a monkey! He accused Vishnu of cheating him. Vishnu smiled and replied, "I gave you the face of Hari, which literally means monkey, though it happens to be my name." Narad can be read the situation in two ways: a strategic narrative or a sincere narrative. In a strategic narrative, Narad can see Vishnu behaving like a lawyer, playing with words to make him feel like a fool. In a sincere narrative, Narada can see Vishnu behave like God, using a play of words to enlighten him not to trick a young girl simply because he can.
