Teachings of Ramayana

The classical epic, the Ramayana, is an essential learning tool for the Hindu
people during both modern and ancient instills the ideology of Hinduism and
upholds the principles of dharma. Through the actions and thoughts of the
Ramayana shows how to incorporate dharma into ones life.
It also exhibits the differences in dharma and artha, to which one leads either
to moksha or samsara. Dharma ethics and duty that befalls all living beings,
to act upon perfect conduct. The end result of living the life of dharma enters
moksha, the liberation from the cycle of rebirth also called samsara. Whereas
artha is wealth, greed and the wanting of power that can easily consume
ones self. Throughout life there is a constant battle between these two, it is
the choices made that shape the outcome. The Ramayana is a guide how to
follow dharma and reject artha through the experience of its characters; it
also shows the effect of characters actions.

Values and ethics in Ramayana

Life is like a game of chess; not merely that, it is like a battlefield. The story
of Rama teaches us the three fold Dharma (code of conduct) pertaining to
the individual, the family, the society. One has to make every effort to
understand the duties of the individual, the family, and the society. Rama is
the ocean of compassion. He is love personified. It is possible to understand
his divinity only through the path of love. Love is the undercurrent of human
life. Man will be able to manifest his innate divinity only when he develops
love within.

Devotion to the guru should be the aim of the students. But students are not
having regard for their teachers and the teachers are not imparting anything
good to them. In such a situation, everyone needs to follow the ideals of the
Ramayana. The Ramayana speaks of the true identity of the individual, the
real significance of the family, and the sanctity of the society. The Ramayana
teaches the importance of human values. Today, corruption is rampant in all
fields such as business, education and politics. Under these circumstances,
the principles of the Ramayana are very important. It explains in details the
relationship that should exist between brothers, the father and the son, the
preceptor and the disciple.

The Ramayana teaches these values in the simplest way. But man has
forgotten the message of Ramayana and is leading the life of Ravana.
Ravana did not understand this principle of divinity. There was no
transformation in him, though he had acquired all forms of knowledge and
had done severe penance. He ruined himself on account of excessive
desires.

Management Lessons from Ramayana

May 27, 2013 by ashokbhatia
India can justifiably boast of a long history of culture, tradition and values.
Scriptures of Indian origin are a treasure trove of nuggets of wisdom. These
continue to be relevant in the current context and also find ready application
in the field of business management and administration.
Here are some of the areas where I believe Ramayana can inspire
management14 practitioners.
A Premium on Values
Sticking to some core values which are steeped in righteousness eventually
leads to success. The main protagonist, Rama, is depicted in Ramayana as
an epitome of virtue. He is an ideal king, an ideal son and a pragmatic
person. He sets high ethical standards in warfare and invariably sides with
dharma, or righteousness.
A random sample of all successful business houses which have been around
for more than a century now Siemens and Tatas, for instance is ample
proof that ethics in business do pay dividends in the long run. Names of such
business houses enjoy tremendous brand equity in the market;
understandably, that rubs off on their products as well.

High on Motivation
To me, the Ahalyaa episode is all about a good leader enthusing a team of
demoralized members who have become zombies over a period of time and

have stopped delivering results. Once woken up, they are fully charged and
start performing along expected lines.
Rama wages a war on Lanka with very limited resources, backed by an army
which is pretty out-of-the-box or unconventional. It is an army which is highly
motivated, expecting minimal facilities. Goes on to show the superiority of
motivation levels over the availability of physical resources.
A CEO who is out to increase his market share needs the back up of a highly
motivated sales staff which if motivated well would go all out to win the
hearts and wallets of the companys customers.

Mergers and Alliances

When a merger is based upon a congruence of basic value systems of both
the parties involved, long-term benefits accrue.
The alliance between Rama and Sita is a turning point in the Ramayana for
more reasons than one. Sita is brought up in the household of the sage-king
Janaka. When Rama gets banished to the forest after their marriage, she
displays a clear absence of any hedonistic tendencies and chooses to
accompany him to the forest. Without a synergy of this kind, the sequence of
events could have been quite different!
Likewise, the friendship of Rama and Sugriva sets a good example of mutual
cooperation between two people facing a similar predicament in life and
career. What follows is Sita getting traced in Lanka and Ravana eventually
getting vanquished.
When Etihaad decides to team up with Jet Airways, or when Tata Steel ties up
with Corus, the parties involved are looking for synergies in their respective
core strengths, so as to tap their joint business potential better.

Succession Planning
Dasarathas plans for installing Rama on the throne of Ayodhya do turn
topsy-turvy, but the existence of a clear succession plan can never be
denied. This is meant to ensure continuity in governance. It helped that
besides being the eldest son, Rama was liked by all and hence chosen to
lead the kingdom once his father passed away.

As per Raghuvansham of Kalidasa, when the time comes to relinquish his

body, Rama divides it equitably between his two sons Lava and Kusha.
All well-managed companies ensure that the career development plans of
their top performers are directly linked to succession plans. Ideally, good
leaders invariably groom at least three managers under them. When one
gets promoted to the coveted slot, it is quite likely that two others may seek
greener pastures elsewhere. Whatever happens, the goals and the processes
involved in achieving the same enjoy uninterrupted continuity.
Leaving the Comfort Zone
When Rama gets ordered to remain in the forest for a span of fourteen years,
Sita and Rama take it as an opportunity to engage with the ordinary citizens
of their kingdom, rather than remaining confined to the comforts of their
palace. This helps them to understand the ground realities better.
CEOs and marketing honchos of today who travel through the hinterland to
get a better first-hand feel of the customers pulse do a far better job of
servicing the market.

Excellence in Execution
The plan to locate Sita gets brilliantly executed by Hanuman. The wisdom
with Ramayana 3 which he conducts the search and the single-minded
pursuit of the goal is an example worth emulating by managers at all levels.
While crossing the sea, he declines an invitation from Mount Mynaaka to take
some rest on the way.
The manner in which he assures Sita of his genuineness exhorts managers to
conduct commercial negotiations by first setting the anxieties of the opposite
party at rest.

Concern for Environment

For three days, Rama prays to the god of the sea to grant a passage to his
army. Nothing happens. Rama then shoots arrows into the bosom of the sea,
whereupon the sea-god appears and explains that he is bound by the laws of
nature, just like earth, air, space, light and all constituents of the universe.

Creatures living under his shelter he cannot forsake, but surely a shallow
area can be shown where a causeway can be built.
Rama accepts the sea-gods apology and orders the building process to start.
Thus, the objective is met without damaging the eco-system.
In the current context, governments all over the world are realizing the
importance of striking a judicious balance between economic growth and
environmental concerns. Ramas approach inspires us to strive to find the
middle path and ensure that Mother Nature is not unduly disturbed to pave
way for crass commercialism.

Dependence on Yes-men!
Ravana is a highly learned and accomplished person. One of the reasons for
hisRamayana 2 downfall is to neglect the advice of nay-sayers. His wife,
Mandodari, brother Vibheeshana and grandfather Malyavaan all advise him
to return Sita to Rama. Instead, he chooses to listen to his courtiers who play
on his ego and pride and advise him not to do so.
A couplet in Sundara Kanda of Ramcharitmanasa clearly advises us to ignore
the advice of a paid deputy, a doctor and a teacher who speak positively out
of either fear or expectation of a gain. A king who acts upon such motivated
advice loses his kingdom, his body and his righteousness (dharma) as well.

Humility in Victory
When Ravana is on his death-bed, Rama exhorts Lakshmana to learn the
tenets of good governance from him. Lakshmana approaches Ravana rather
haughtily first and fails. Rama then advises him to approach Ravana with due
humility, whereupon Ravana speaks of the pitfalls of procrastination and
shares his knowledge about statecraft and diplomacy.

Power of Attorney
The sincerity with which Bharata takes care of the kingdoms affairs while
Rama is away speaks of true values of follower-ship. Upon his return to

Ayodhya, Bharata informs him that the kingdoms revenue had gone up tenfolds during the fourteen years he was away.
Here is an excellent example of a kingdom held in trust and good faith, much
akin to the present day concept of a power of attorney getting appointed to
take care of administrative and legal matters of a business when owners are
not readily available.

Make Haste, But Slowly!

Rama has won the war and is on his way back to Ayodhya. He decides not to
rush back. Instead, he stays back at Sage Bharadwajs ashram for a night
and makes enquiries about the state of affairs in Ayodhya. Also, he sends
Hanuman upfront to break the news of his imminent arrival to Bharata who is
living like an ascetic in Nandigram. He moves to Ayodhya only after receiving
adequate feedback about its current situation.

Leadership Traits
With the possible exception of his handling of Sita upon her return from
Lanka, Rama conducts himself in an exemplary manner throughout the
narration. Whether it is befriending Nishaad Raaj, refusing to return to
Ayodhya when Bharat approaches him in Panchavati, conducting the last
rites of Jataayu, accepting Vibheeshana in his fold or even when reuniting
with his mothers and brothers upon his return to Ayodhya, he sets a high bar
for humanity in general.
In the corruption-infested times we live in, his leadership traits inspire
managers to do their best even under the most trying circumstances.

Ram Rajya
The concept of being fair to all is the bedrock on which modern management
is based. For those in power at the top, an impartial conduct of those in
authority is a sine qua non for the morale of the people. Sita gets banished
to the Valmiki ashram when an ordinary citizen casts an aspersion on her
character. Ramas role is not much different from that of a true-blue CEO
whose loyalty to the companys overall welfare is unflinching.

Skirt-groping CEOs who have a roving eye and managements which look the
other Ramayana 1way just because they accord a higher priority to business
goals than to the character of their top honchos could take a leaf out of
Ramas conduct.
There are several instances when management has to divulge information on
a need to know basis. However, if the basic practices are perceived to be
fair to all, even management policies which impact the employees adversely
like a down-sizing are not taken amiss across the company.
Ramayana is rich with several other narratives which could be useful to
management practitioners. Also, each narrative may be interpreted in
several ways, depending upon how one goes about analyzing it.

1. Corporate lessons from Ramayana

The Ramayana is one of the greatest epics of Hindu Mythology. It is not just a
story, but also an educational medium used by the ancient sages to espouse
the importance of doing your dharma (duty). Lessons from Ramayana are a
part of teaching leadership, management and governance at many
prestigious management institutions. Here are a few lessons that we can
comprehend from Ramayana and how they can be applied in the corporate
world...

2. Team motivation is vital

One of the most obvious incidences, in which use management principles is
very clearly visible is that of Hanuman going to Lanka. His mission was to
locate Sita there and give her Lord Rams message. When it became clear
that Sita was in Lanka, Jamvant asked Hanuman to go there. He helped him
in realising his true potential and motivated him to go in the enemys camp.

Lesson: Jamvant motivating Hanuman is a classic example of a good

Manager helping his personnel to realise their potential and acting
accordingly.

3. SWOT Analysis
Once mentally prepared for the job, first thing which Hanuman did after
reaching Lanka was to do a complete analysis of the situation. He did a
complete study about the Lankans, assessing their strengths and
weaknesses, the various threats and opportunities which he had in the
enemys camp.
Lesson: The SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunities and threats) analysis
is one of the most important aspects of modern day management. First you
need to ascertain the goals, or job to be done. Then, get mentally prepared
for it and have a right plan. And then, analyze the strengths and weaknesses
of the competitor and what threats and opportunities are there in the
business.

4. Work on strategic alliances

In Ramayana, Sughriv has shown some of the best managerial
characteristics. As a successful manager he had Ram to work accordingly
and got his kingdom back from a brother who was far mightier than him.
Using his managerial skills he even had Angad to work for him. If Sughriv
would have been a bad manager then the same Angad would have turned
into one of his arch enemies.
Lesson: It is said that businesses are run on relations. A manager who can
nurture good relations with the employees, clients etc, can do wonders for
his company. Lord Ram was very good at it. He was the master of nurturing
relations. His prowess at it was so great that while Ravana was lying
wounded in the battle field and was about to die, he shared some important
lessons which he had learnt in his life.

5. Value your subordinates

In the same Ramayana, again and again Ravana has shown the signs of a
bad manager, and hence led to the demise of his kingdom. From the starting
itself he ignored the suggestions of his managers and got his kingdom in the
state of war with Ram
. Lesson: A good manager is the one, who can get his work done even from
the rivals. A good manager listens to what his subordinates has to say and
tries to keep them together especially when the organization needs them the
most. But Ravanas mismanagement was responsible for Vibhishan (one of
the wisest manager) leaving him amidst a crisis.

6. Leaders need to create more leaders

After the discovery of Sita's whereabouts, Hanuman, of his own volition, set
aflame the city of Lanka. Hanuman's decision of burning Lanka displeased
Ram. And so after that, Hanuman stopped taking decisions. To rectify the
damage done, Ram had to remove himself from the scene so that Hanuman
could rediscover his decision-making abilities. During the course of the war,
Mahiravan, managed to abduct both Ram and Laxman and take them to
Patal lok. Only Hanuman had the intellectual and physical prowess to rescue
them and eventually, Hanuman succeeded in rescuing Ram. Ram had thus
created a leader.
Lesson: A time comes in every leader's life when he has to create leaders
around him. This involves making people around him competent enough to
take independent decisions.

7. No one is bigger than the brand!

The challenge in building the bridge to Lanka was to make the stones float
(as all stones will sink the moment it is thrown into the ocean). It is said that
a solution was offered by supporters of Lord Rama, i.e. inscribe the name
"Rama" on the stone and then throw it in the ocean. The same was done and
it worked! At one point, Lord Rama decided to extend a helping hand so he
picked up a stone and threw it in the ocean. Surprisingly it sank without a
trace!
Lesson: The stone sank because it was not inscribed with Rama. Lord Rama
was confident that he do not need to use his "brand" as he was THE "brand"

and tried to repeat the magic. But it did not work. It was not "branded" with
"Rama". Moral of the story is that the Brand is bigger than the "owner" of the
brand. A manager should feel good, when people recognize him by the name
of his company.

8. Importance of communication
When Bali fought demon Mayavee and entered a cave during their fight,
Sugreeva was ordered to keep a watch outside till Bali emerged. After nearly
a year' wait when neither Bali nor the rakshasa (demon) came out, Sugreeva
thought they had both been killed. He went back to Kishkindha and became
its ruler and made Tara, Bali's wife, his queen.However, Bali returned and
seeing Sugreeva as king, Bali thought he had been betrayed.
Lesson: The cause of mortal enmity between brothers Sugriva and Bali
originated in a terrible miscommunication. The turn of events helped Rama
do his bit. Lesson is to be beware of miscommunication at any stage,
whether in acquisition or in management of talent.

9. Believe in your team

The Rakshasa army was a powerful one, which had defeated the formidable,
devas and vanquished powerful kings. In contrast, the army of Rama
comprised of soldiers who were perhaps aboriginal tribes who had never
encountered a sophisticated army before. Yet Rama maintained confidence in
the ability of his army to surmount this seemingly impossible odd and
enthused by his confidence his army fought to achieve victory.
Lesson: Set ambitious goals and motivate your team to meet them

10. Succession planning

Dasarathas plans for installing Rama on the throne of Ayodhya do turn
topsy-turvy, but the existence of a clear succession plan can never be
denied. This is meant to ensure continuity in governance. It helped that
besides being the eldest son, Rama was liked by all and hence chosen to
lead the kingdom once his father passed away. As per Raghuvansham of

Kalidasa, when the time comes to relinquish his body, Rama divides it
equitably between his two sons Lava and Kusha.
Lesson: All well-managed companies ensure that the career development
plans of their top performers are directly linked to succession plans. Good
leaders should invariably groom the managers under them.

11. Leave the comfort zone

When Rama gets ordered to remain in the forest for a span of fourteen years,
Sita and Rama take it as an opportunity to engage with the ordinary citizens
of their kingdom, rather than remaining confined to the comforts of their
palace. This helps them to understand the ground realities better.
Lesson: Marketing honchos of today who travel through the hinterland to get
a better first-hand feel of the customers pulse do a far better job of servicing
the market.

12. Excellence in execution

The plan to locate Sita gets brilliantly executed by Hanuman. The wisdom
with which he conducts the search and the single-minded pursuit of the goal
is an example worth emulating by managers at all levels. While crossing the
sea, he declines an invitation from Mount Mynaaka to take some rest on the
way.
Lesson: The manner in which Hanuman assures Sita of his genuineness
exhorts managers to conduct commercial negotiations by first setting the
anxieties of the opposite party at rest.

13. Recognize and stay away from the Yes-men!

Ravana is a highly learned and accomplished person. One of the reasons for
his downfall is to neglect the advice of nay-sayers. His wife, Mandodari,
brother Vibheeshana and grandfather Malyavaan all advise him to return
Sita to Rama. Instead, he chooses to listen to his courtiers who play on his
ego and pride and advise him not to do so.

14. Always stick to the plan

When Rama killed the demon Maricha who came disguised as the golden
deer, the demon called out "Lakshmana! Sita!" in Rama's mimicked voice
and died. Sita, upon hearing it, urged Lakshmana, who was standing guard to
her, to go and help Rama, who seemed to be in trouble. Lakshmana's patient
counseling against it could not convince her. She accused Lakshmana of
nurturing an evil idea of having an illicit relationship with her in the absence
of Rama. Lakshmana, shell shocked by hearing such an abominable
accusation, left immediately, leaving her alone. Ravana utilized this
opportunity to abduct her.

15. Have a clear vision

Rama's clear vision was to rescue his wife Sita and defeat the evil forces.
This clarity about the goals as well as the process enabled his army to put its
heart and soul in the battle to rescue Sita. A foreseen vision will always be a
motivating factor to focus on the goal and to not get deviated. Every leader
needs to have a clear vision of what he is aiming for and what will it bear him
in future. Also he needs to think in parallel to his followers who will support
him to achieve his goals.

16. Beware of dubious attractions

Sita, in the forest, got madly attracted by a beautiful golden deer. She
refused to heed to her husband's counsel that such a deer could not be a
natural one and it could be a demon in disguise. It is her incessant pestering
to acquire the deer to be her play-mate that forced Rama to go behind it. It
paved the way for her getting separated from him and she got forcibly
abducted by Ravana.

17. Maintain cool during crisis

Following Sita's abduction, Rama wandered destitute and penniless in the
forests searching for Sita. The Ramayana is full of poignant details of Rama's
sadness and his memory of Sita. Yet this grief did not prevent him from
searching for allies even when the enemy was unknown. Even throughout
the battle with Ravana, Rama maintained his courage even at the darkest

hours and in doing so inspired his army to not only continue the unequal
fight, but also win it.

18. A premium on values

Sticking to some core values which are steeped in righteousness eventually
leads to success. The main protagonist of Ramayana, Rama, is depicted in
Ramayana as an epitome of virtue. He is an ideal king, an ideal son and a
pragmatic person. He sets high ethical standards in warfare and invariably
sides with dharma, or righteousness.

19. Empower subordinates

When Vibhishan defected, Rama took him under his protection. He then had
a talk with the various army chiefs some of whom disagreed with Rama.
Instead of punishing them, Rama assuaged their suspicions and got them to
accept his decision. Everybody felt that their opinions had been heard and
that their objections had been clarified. Empowerment of subordinates to
question his decisions was a key and unique quality of Rama which one
cannot but help comparing with Ravana who never allowed anybody to
contradict him.