Bhagavad Gita for Executives – Gita 1 (41 – 46)

Gita 1.41

sankaro narakayaiva  kula-ghnanam kulasya ca

patanti pitaro hy esam  lupta-pindodaka-kriyah

Meaning

When there is increase of unwanted population, a hellish situation is created both for the family and for those who destroy the family tradition. In such corrupt families, there is no offering of oblations of food and water to the ancestors.

Explanation – The offspring, that are born of an intermixture of castes, are not religious-minded and do not possess righteousness and rectitude, because they themselves are the product of persons, without virtue. So they behave against traditions and decorum of a race. Not only this but the ancestors of such a family also suffer as well because  there is no descendant qualified to perform the propitiatory rites prescribed in Vedic scriptures such as sraddha and tarpana. . Being deprived of these oblations due to the absence of qualified progeny as a result of destruction of the family structure the ancestors fall down from heaven and go directly to the hellish planets.

This happens in every organization also when there are people who have joined due to corrupt means such as bribery or recommendations from influential people. If appointments are not made according to merits and suitability of the person for the job, it not only damages the organizational performance in the present but also in the future.

Gita 1.42

dosair etaih kula-ghnanam  varna-sankara-karakaih

utsadyante jati-dharmah  kula-dharmas ca sasvatah

Meaning – Due to the evil deeds of the destroyers of family tradition, all kinds of community projects and family welfare activities are devastated.

Explanation – Jati-dharma refers to the duties of the Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vysyas and Shudras as prescribed in the varnasrama dharma. Kula-dharma refers to the traditional practices observed by a particular family. Therefore, the breaking of such traditions by irresponsible leaders of society brings about chaos in that society, and consequently people forget the aim of life itself.

Every organization has certain values, culture and traditions built over a long period of time which would have helped them to be successful and weather the challenges of time and external conditions. Destroying those values destroys the organization and the leaders are solely responsible for such calamity.

Gita 1.43

utsanna-kula-dharmanam  manusyanam janardana

narake niyatam vaso  bhavatity anususruma

Meaning – O Krishna, I have heard from the learned that those persons whose spiritual family traditions have been destroyed, becomes perpetually the resident in hell.

Explanation –    Arjuna is supporting his argument by affirming that he has heard from respectable sources that those who are responsible for destroying righteousness reside permanently in hell. Therefore this decision to fight is not the wisest of choices.

If only the politicians and corrupt officials think about their life after death while damaging the society and its traditions for personal gains, they could have created a heaven in this life itself for themselves as well as others.

Gita 1.44

aho bata mahat papam  kartum vyavasita vayam

yad rajya-sukha-lobhena  hantum sva-janam udyatah

Meaning – Alas, how strange it is that we are preparing to commit greatly sinful acts, driven by the desire to enjoy royal happiness.

Explanation – Here, Arjuna is thinking about the disastrous consequences of war and so he is not willing to wage it. It is a matter of great sorrow that we are prepared to slay our kith and kin, being over powered by greed, for a transient kingdom and pleasure. It is ironic to him that he has committed himself to great sin by his intention to slay friends and kinsman in the pursuit of royal pleasures and enjoyments.

Gita 1.45

yadi mam apratikaram  asastram sastra-panayah

dhartarastra rane hanyus  tan me ksemataram bhavet

Meaning – I would consider it better for the sons of Dhritarashtra to kill me unarmed and unresisting, rather than to fight with them.

Explanation – Arjuna states that even if the sons of Dhritarashtra being devoid of wisdom and obsessed by greed would slay him unarmed and unresisting, this would still be more preferable than perpetuating sin by slaying friends and kinsman and permanently going to hell as a result. What Arjuna practically saying is that if he refrains from fighting then at the deaths of his physical body there would be no feelings of guilt or repentance from committing such a sin.

Gita 1.46

sanjaya uvaca

evam uktvarjunah sankhye  rathopastha upavisat

visrjya sa-saram capam  soka-samvigna-manasah

Meaning – Sanjaya said: Arjuna, having thus spoken on the battlefield, cast aside his bow and arrows and sat down on the chariot, his mind overwhelmed with grief.

Explanation – War, is the root cause of all evils. It will destroy a race and will lead us to hell in the next world. By thinking so Arjuna, overwhelmed with sorrow, became firmly determined not to wage war. Arjuna, who had come to the battlefield with great zeal with bow in his hand, put the bow and arrow down, and overwhelmed with sorrow, sat on the seat of the chariot. Thus, we see that it is delusion, which changes a hero’s (Arjuna’s), great courage to consternation.