by Sri Bmal Mohanty
VOL No. 17
Feb. 2002

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN- PRINCIPLES OF DIVINE MANAGEMENT - Part -2

"Based on the lectures by Sri Bimal Mohanty"

Anything that you and me are concerned with, incase they are pure in concept and thought, universally beneficial, without despicable motive behind them and always breeding sustained positivity, are held as Satvik. Satvik is not itself motive driven although it invariably produces results that bring prosperity and wellbeing.

Any endevour which is primarily driven by a desire for specific result, and often goes to any means to achieve the ends, is rajasik. In a world which believes so much on management by objective, to decry rajasik activity would be difficult to appreciate indeed. However it should also be appreciated that it is one thing to see results coming on their own as a result of pure, non-covetous efforts and ideal means and it is another thing to get so obsessed with personal gain that you do not hesitate to employ any means to achieve the goals.

Gains that come out of rajasik efforts never last long.

The worst type of efforts, gains and thoughts are ofcourse tamasik. These are by nature devious, expecting quick gains not by one's efforts but by snatching away or at the cost of others. These are unlawful and work of thieves - speaking broadly.

All concepts, actions and results thereof, are either Satvik, rajasik or tamasik.

Tamasik world is full of misery and suffering. They live in the very present moment without any thought of future. They have no significant achievement to their credit.

The rajasik world also does not give peace. A rajasik person is like the rat trapped in the revolving wheel eventually wasting itself away. At the end of the journey, the balance sheet (not only financial but of values) is invariably in red. Not only you end up in unhappiness but you leave behind a legacy of unhappiness like more rats trapped in the wheel.

The Satvik world is much less spectacular. As a matter of fact, not being spectacular in the worldly sense is a distinguishing characteristic of Satvik endevour. It is constantly preoccupied with value based ethics, the righteous conduct, knowing fully well that results will always be there. It is happiness all around.

The motivation for a rajasik person lies in ego satisfaction, worldly recognition and material gain. Thus by its very nature it is prone to frustration, heartburning and despair.

The Satvik motivation is the value of contribution and inner contentment. A sure characteristic of a Satvik achiever is peace of mind and a balanced and harmonised existence.

The Indian philosophical thinking never gives high marks to rajasik achievers like the modern thinking does. Although the so called modern management theories lay great importance on rajasik achievements, there are changing signs in the world today to recognize the superiority of Satvik way of management for individual good as well as the collective welfare.

Whenever there is a failure of management, whether at individual life, an organisation, a community, a country, or an empire, know the reason to be predominance of rajasik and tamasik behaviour and abandonement Satvik behaviour.There may be temporary dazzle but there is ultimate doom. Whether it is a Ravana or a Ceaser or a Hitler all have proved it.

The governing principle of these three qualitative principles in The Lord's management, is again by cause and effect. Every type of action, whether tamasik, rajasik or Satvik, creates a corresponding result. Any failures, any short term gains that vanish away the next moment, abnormally high inputs against low outputs, despair and depressions are the Lord's way of cautioning- warning signals - that say which is right and which is wrong.

Often people in their ignorance, think that the effect of these three gunas are subjective. They say what is bad for someone is not necessarily bad for another. Apparently in the world around us this appears so. Our ignorance is the reason. A satvik action will invariably produce satvik benefits. A rajasik or tamasik action will invariably produce its quota of unhappiness. If a pure satvik action does bring a temporary discomfort to any person, it is because his own preparation to receive the fruit of this action has been sullied by his own wrong action itself. Eventually when the understanding dawns on the person, the good benefits start flowing. The opposite is also true.

So unerring and infallible is this rule of three that The The Lord Krishna chose to remind us: