Dr. P. Srinivasa Krishna Reddy,
Guest Lecturer, Dept. of MAIMT
Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha,
Guest Lecturer, Dept. of MAIMT
Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha,
ABSTRACT
Vedas are the treasure troves of the
knowledge of Indian ancestors who were called as Drashtas (Seers). They meditated upon the whole Universe and
Self as well, for ages. Finally, they
realized that the Universe is an inseparable element of Self (Atma) or vice
versa. Absolute Self is not only
incorporeal but incontrovertible too, while the Corporal Self is a physical
element. They considered “Prithvi”
(Earth/Land) and other four elements such Ap (Water), Tejas (Light), Vayu (Air)
and Akasa (Space) as the primary factors of the production of Corporal Self and
Corporal Universe as well.
Prithvi Sukta, a hymn in AtharvaVeda,
avows very clearly that, the Land is the Mother of the entire biosphere. Mother is the one who conceives, generates,
feeds, trains and makes her progeny independent. If one observes the above said activities carefully,
it is understood that these are the activities of a modern organization with a
methodological expression called recruitment of human resources. That is why often an employee calls an
organization as his mother organization where he was recruited, worked and
learned in the beginning of his career.
It is always a good gesture for an
employee to speak in favour of his organization. Prithvi Sukta too advocates all the humans to
converse in favour of their mother, Land.
In addition, the hymn emphasizes on the availability of land for
progress. It reveals the kind of
activities to be done on the land. It
identifies the benefits of proper usage of the land. It distinguishes various biomes on the earth
and highlights their necessity. Thus,
PrithviSukta exhibits the visionary of ancient Indian seers which is much
similar to that of a professional managerial genius with eco-friendly
consciousness.
Few such interesting aspects from
managerial point of view are presented in this paper.
Key words:
1. Prithvi Sukta
2. Healthy Society
3. Mother Earth
4. Maintenance
5. Trade
6. Consumption
1.
INTRODUCTION
Prithvi Sukta is present in Atharva Veda.
Atharva Veda is also called as Atharvangiro Veda, Brahma Veda, Bhishag
Veda and Kshatra Veda. There are as many
as 20 Kandas, 730 Suktas and 36 Prapathakas and 5987 Mantras in Atharva
Veda. Prithvi Sukta is the first one in
12th Kanda, with 63 Mantras in it.
Nowadays, we consider the English word ‘Earth’ to be an equivalent
expression for the word Prithivi. Let us
take it granted for the time being.
The Earth according to the modern science is solely one of the planets;
that moves around the Sun, sheltering a wide variety of living organisms as its
solitary specialty.
As far as Indian tradition is concerned, right from the times of Veda,
Prithivi is the mother of mothers.
Indians developed an emotional attachment with Prithivi. Number of legendary stories in the Vedas,
Itihasas and Puranas are evident in support of these emotions. A story describes that the Prithivi is the
daughter of emperor Prithu and another story describes that the Prithivi is the
mother of Sita Devi, an ideal Indian woman.
Prithvi Sukta,
a hymn in AtharvaVeda, avows very clearly that, the Land is the Mother of the
entire biosphere. Indian ancestors
understood this truth and proclaimed it –
माता भूमिः पुत्रो अहं
पृथिव्याः। [1]
“Land is my mother.
I am the son of the land.”
Mother is the one who conceives, generates,
feeds, trains and makes her progeny independent.
सा नो भूमिर्विसृजतां माता
पुत्राय मे पयः। [2]
“May the land, our mother, release milk for me.”
If one
observes the above sentences carefully, it is understood that these are the
activities of a modern organization with a methodological expression called
recruitment of human resources. That is
why often an employee calls an organization as his mother organization where he
was recruited, worked and learned earlier, in his career.
Indian
tradition insisted on the following characteristics in acknowledgement of a
healthy society:
काले वर्षतु पर्जन्यः
पृथिवी सस्यशालिनी।
देशोsयं क्षोभरहितो
ब्राह्मणाः सन्तु निर्भयाः।
अपुत्राः पुत्रिणः सन्तु
पुत्रिणः सन्तु पौत्रिणः।
अधनाः सधनाः सन्तु जीवन्तु
शरदां शतम्।
i.
May the
cloud rain in right time.
ii.
May the earth be repleted with plants and food
grains.
iii.
May the
country be free from calamities.
iv.
May the
Brahmins be fearless.
v.
May the
people without progeny beget progeny.
vi.
The
people with progeny be grandparents.
vii.
May the
poor be rich.
viii.
May all
live for hundred years.
Indeed, the above are the goals, set for a king to achieve. Achievement of goals is possible sans all
doubts, with good Management only.
Bhartrihari, a great ancient poet, who was believed to be the elder
brother of king Vikrama, encouraged the Kings to carefully nurture the people,
if they wanted to gain various kinds of prosperity from their kingdom. He compared the kingdom to a cow and the
people to her calf. The cowherd is
supposed to nourish the calf with love and care, for he wanted to get the milk
from the cow.
राजन् दुधुक्षसि यदि
क्षितिधेनुमेनां
तेनाद्य वत्समिव लोकममुं
पुषाण।
तस्मिंश्च सम्यगनिशं
परिपुष्यमाणे
नानाफलं फलति कल्पलतेव
भूमिः।। [3]
Thus, Bhartrihari too supported the concept of
Mother – Child relation between the Earth and Human beings.
The
term ‘Land’ in the vision of a developer, is often used in an extensive sense.
It does not denote merely the exterior of the earth, but it also includes all
those natural resources which are the complimentary contributions of the nature. Ascertainment of the available and
exploitable resources before investing or before acquiring those resources is
always necessary for an organizer. It is
recommended in the Sukta that the Land is not only the richest among all the
existing resources, but the base for the rest.
These natural resources or gifts include Forests,
Mountains Rivers and Oceans etc. Land is the base for various elements of
the atmosphere like the Air, Heat of the Sun, Light, Climate, Weather,
Rainfall; etc.
Land is the chest of various minerals
above and under its surface such as iron, coal, copper and even water.
गिरयस्ते पर्वता हिमवन्तोsरण्यं ते पृथिवि
स्योनमस्तु। [4]
“O
Land! May your hills, snow capped
mountains, forests be comfortable for us.”
बभ्रुं कृष्णं रोहिणीं विश्वरूपां ध्रुवां भूमिं पृथिवीमिन्द्रगुप्ताम्।
अजीतोsहतो अक्षतोsध्यष्ठां पृथिवीमहम्।। [5]
“May I stay unconquered, unsuited and unwounded on the Earth, which is
brown, black, red and multi-coloured, protected by Indra?”
Here, the word अजीतः (unconquered) does not merely indicate
the wish of an entrepreneur who wants to possess absolute ownership rights over
his land but indicates even his wish even to win a considerable share in the
market by competing against the rivals. The
words अहतः (unsmitten) and अक्षतः (unwounded)
indicate that the entrepreneur needs good legal protection. Indra indeed is the implementer of the Law. The colours are the indicators of the various
kinds of lands with varied fertility and variety of rich minerals. The words अहम् अध्यष्ठाम् – indicate the wish of the entrepreneur that he
wants to make habitat everywhere, where one can survive with good livelihood on
the land.
Thus, we can consider that, these lines of the Sukta give the modern entrepreneurs
to see these necessary conditions are satisfied before launching their new
venture in a new place:
i)
Location of the land must be
confirmed good. (Whether it is located
on the hills, or on the shore of a sea, or in the middle of a sea, or in a
forest, or in or near a habitat of the people with purchasing power etc. So, that it will be easy to decide what kind
of trade or industry can attract sufficient profits.)
ii)
Type of the land must be confirmed suitable to the type of venture. (Whether the land is suitable for agriculture
or for mining or for building a theme park etc.)
iii)
Healthy competition is prevailing and there are no tough obstacles like
red tapism and demands for bribe etc.
iv)
The business Law is safeguarded by a commanding authority.
2.
THE PRINCIPLE OF
ESTABLISHMENT, MAINTENANCE AND SUSPENSION
The Modern
Management considers the Land as a Free Gift of the Nature and confirms that it
is not produced by the human beings.
However, Prithvisukta declares that the Earth is sustained by the
Great Truth, Daunting Divine Order, Intense Fortitude, Penance and Brahman and
Sacrifice.
सत्यं बृहदृतमुग्रं दीक्षा तपो ब्रह्म यज्ञः पृथिवीं धारयन्ति। [6]
Here,
sustenance is establishment, maintenance and suspension as well. In the process of sustaining, an organization
is supposed to set up machinery for production purpose, supposed to properly maintain
it for making good benefits out of it and even supposed to dispose it off, when
it is not necessary anymore.
Brahma,
the almighty is said to be the sustainer of the wholesome.
According
Sankhya philosophy, the so called nature is the invariable expansion of Prakriti. Expansion takes places only when Purusha and
Prakriti get contact with each other. Though
it is not mentioned anywhere in Sankhya theory, but as humans we do perceive,
the creation is true. So, the power that
brings both Prakriti and Purusha may be called as सत्यम् – Truth and बृहदृतम् – Daunting Divine Order.
The
modern management too considers that the land is not the production of
humanbeings as Indian ancestors did.
तपस् (Penance) is required for maintenance. Besides one’s determination, Physical Labour,
Oral dexterity, and Intellectual Foresight are required for the successful maintenance
of an organization. These three are
respectively called as शारीरं तपः (Physical Tapas), वाङ्मयं तपः (Oral
Tapas) and मानसं तपः (Intellectual Tapas).
The following is शारीरं तपः – The
Physical Tapas.
देवद्विजगुरुप्राज्ञपूजनं
शौचमार्जवम्।
ब्रह्मचर्यमहिंसा च शारीरं
तप उच्यते। [7]
Deva
Dvija Guru Prajna Pujanam can be defined here as honouring the instructions of the superiors of
various levels.
Saucha can be defined as Keeping the working place and
environment clean.
Arjava can be defined as Cooperation and teamwork.
Brahmacharya can be defined as strictly sticking to one’s own
assigned duty.
Ahimsa can be defined as peaceful coexistence with the
organization i.e., having a clear mind that working for the benefits of the
organization is ultimately for one’s own benefits.
This is
the Tapas of bottom level people of an organization.
The
following is वाङ्मयं तपः – Oral Tapas
अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं
प्रियहितं च यत्।
स्वाध्यायाभ्यसनं चैव
वाङ्मयं तप उच्यते।। [8]
Anudvegakaram
vakyam can be defined as skillful
words spoken in favour both labourers and superiors.
Satyam can be defined as precise reports.
PriyaHitam can be defined as Balancing the interests of
employer and employees and preserving good relations with both.
Svadhyaayaabhyasanam can be defined as keeping oneself updated with
the ever-changing techniques and technologies, and recommending and
implementing the best suitable ones to the organization.
This is
the Tapas of the middle level people in an organization.
The
following is मानसं तपः – Intellectual Tapas
मनः प्रसादः सौम्यत्वं
मौनमात्मविनिग्रहः।
भावसंशुद्धिरित्येतत् तपो
मानसमुच्यते।। [9]
Manah prasada can be defined as keeping oneself cool even in tense situation.
Saumyatva can be defined as Understanding the worries of one’s own employees and
ensuing as a generous benefactor.
Maunam can be defined as speaking not more than required.
Atmavinigraha can be defined as remaining firm and bold even during the crises.
Bhavasamsuddhi can be defined as a genuine wish to help oneself, by providing
livelihood to many and thus, contributing to the development of one’s own
nation by setting up an organization.
This is the Tapas of highest level people
in an organization.
The
above mentioned Bhavasamsuddhi is complete when यज्ञः (Sacrifice) is performed. The
influence of Yajna is described in Padmapurana:
यज्ञेनाप्यायिता देवा
वृष्ट्युत्सर्गेण मानवाः।
आप्यायनं वै कुर्वन्ति यज्ञाः
कल्याणहेतवः।। [10]
“Devas
are nourished by Yajnas. In return, humans
are cherished by rains. By delivering
such nourishment and cherishing, Yajnas are favourable to all the living
creatures in the world.”
In
Modern times, a Yajna (Sacrifice) can be defined as nourishing the treasury of
the Government by sincere and regular payment of taxes and getting cherished by
the favourable organizational policies, designed by the Government. By receiving good amount of taxes, the
Government can do something good for all the citizens.
बृहदृतम् – Daunting Divine Order and उग्रं दीक्षा - Intense Fortitude are required for the suspension.
When
Prakriti and Purusha are in contact, it is creation. When they are apart, it is suspension. The Daunting Divine Order acts on both the
occasions.
Kalidasa,
a great and famous Indian poet, described that it would be a tough decision
to cut even a poisonous tree, which is nurtured earlier.
विषवृक्षमपि संवर्द्ध्य स्वयं
छेत्तुमसाम्प्रतम्। [11]
Yet, it
must be cut for the safety of the world.
Such hard decision can be called as उग्रं दीक्षा – Intense Fortitude. It is indeed a very tough time
for a person to dissolve his old organization or an old productive unit, in
order to meet the needs of the fresh and modern times. But, it is inevitable for all, at some time.
Now,
the digital cameras replaced reel cameras.
Mobile phones replaced wrist watches.
Ball pens replaced fountain pens.
Shampoos replaced the traditional preparation of soap nut. Early in the new century, Kodak was a famous
company producing Reel Cameras. They did
not expect that the people would go madly after digital cameras. So, they did not do necessary homework to
meet the demands of the people. Yet,
after the digital camera revolution, they stopped producing reel cameras and
started producing digital cameras. But,
they failed to grab their share in the market again, and perhaps permanently. Indeed, even Nokia is suffering from the same
fate by failing to understand the importance of the smarat phones. Therefore, उग्रं दीक्षा is necesary to avoid the unnecessary old
things and to inevitably welcome the new generations.
3.
ACCLAMATION OF THE
NEED OF TRADE
It is
the duty of the Government to provide facilities to those entrepreneurs who
would promote employment and could add to the prosperity of the state.
Prithvi
Sukta hails the Management of Roads in a state.
Good roads lead not merely to the destinations of the people, but they
can even define the destiny of a country.
The
Government should lay good roads for the moment of chariots, carts and other
vehicles. The seers praised the earth
for having such roads.
ये ते पन्थानो बहवो जनायना
रथस्य वर्त्मानसश्च यातवे। [12]
It is
again, the duty of the Kings to see that those roads, “which could be
properly used or misused by various peole, are to be maintained with proper
security.”
यैः सञ्चरन्त्युभये भद्रपापास्तं पन्थानं जयेमानमित्रमतस्करं यच्छिवं तेन नो
मृड। [13]
“Those roads must be free from robbers, enemies and conquerors.”
Markandeya, Kasyapa, Katyayana
and Gautama etc., were few sages, and composers of Smritis – Books of Social,
Economical and Political Laws. Once,
they spoke to Vasishtha Maharshi and expressed their opinion on the
circumstance – “if there is no King at all, what would happen?”
नाराजके जनपदे वणिजो दूरगामिनः।
गच्छन्ति क्षेममध्वानं बहुपण्यसमाचिताः।। [14]
“If
there is no King at all in a country, the merchants, who would move to long
distances along with their caravans of goods, fail to reach their destination safely.”
(Therefore, it is one of the primary duties of the King to maintain
roads for the fearless movement of the merchants and other travellers.)
Even
today of course, it is the duty of the Government, assuring secured passage to
the travellers – through roadways, railways airways and waterways. We often hear the hijackers hijacking the
aeroplanes and ships. Ship hijackings of
Somali pirates are purely for robbing, where as airjackers in general, hold the
passengers as hostages, either for monetary ransom or for some political or
administrative concession by Government authorities. Hijackers also have used aircraft as a weapon
to target particular locations. Whatever
would be the case, everywhere, the Governments of various countries voluntarily
accept the responsibility of liberating their respective citizens from the
hijackers.
One
more policy was suggested by the Sukta regarding the trade. Numbers of diversities do exist among the
people on the earth. They do speak
various languages and they do follow various customs according to their
habitation.
जनं बिभ्रती बहुधा विवाचसं
नानाधर्माणं पृथिवी यथौकसाम्। [15]
Yet,
the King should treat all of them with equal respect as if a steady and
unresisting milch cow is respected (by a farmer), and look ahead for the yield
of thousands of streams of property from them.
सहस्रं धारा द्रविणस्य मे दुहां
ध्रुवेव धेनुरनपस्फुरन्ती।। [16]
The
Ramayana describes that such merchants from various countries used to arrive
gladly to the city of Ayodhya.
नानादेशनिवासैश्च वणिग्भिरुपशोभिताम्। [17]
Therefore,
it is very clear that while the Suktas (Vedas) proposed the theoretical part,
they were practically being implemented in ancient India.
4.
CONSUMPTION MANAGEMENT
Electricity
is either being produced or bought and sold by the by the modern Governments by
fixing meters in the houses of consumers.
It has become an ageold practice.
But, now-a-days, as a part of consumption management, the Government has
begun fixing meters to measure the water consumption of its citizens. This is the result of imprudent consumption
of natural resources from the past few decades.
Though it is called as consumption management as a sugar coat, it is indeed
a bitter pill. It is an unfortunate
situation of selling one of the essentials to the people. However, the topic of consumption management
was discussed and implemented by Indians many ages ago. Prithvi Sukta also makes a mention of it. The following is the humble prayer of the
seer to his mother, the Earth:
“O
Earth! Let that quickly grow over, what
all I dig out from you. Let me hit neither your vitals nor your heart.”
यत् ते भूमे विखनामि
क्षिप्रं सर्वस्य प्रतिशीवरि।
मा ते मर्म विमृग्वरि मा ते
हृदयमर्पिपम्।। [18]
The
word विखननम् ‘Digging’ is not used here in its exact literal meaning. The term is used for the general usage of
exploitation in this context. The seer, in the form of his prayer, advised not
to overexploit the terminable resources such as granite, gas, and petroleum. He strongly recommended digging only of those,
which could be quickly retrieved, such as agricultural products. Few resources such as sand in the rivers, big
trees, could be retrieved but the process does not happen quickly.
We
should take that he recommends us:
i) To exploit unreservedly, the interminable resources.
ii) To exploit the slow-rated interminable resources just according to the
need.
iii) Not to exploit the terminable resources at any cost.
The
same opinion was echoed by Vidura, in the Mahabharata:
पुष्पं पुष्पं विचिन्वीत
मूलच्छेदं न कारयेत्।
मालाकार इवारण्ये न
यथाङ्गारकारकः।। [19]
One
should act like a garland-maker who collects each and every flower very
carefully, but should not act like a coal-maker who cuts the tree from the
roots.
Often,
a quotation is seen in the Indian railway stations –
“The
Nature can satisfy your needs but not your greed”
5.
CONCLUSION
Thus,
the wisdom of the Indian seers as good managers is proven in Prithivi Sukta. They always stood on the side of the good,
better and best options for the welfare of the world. They were always rational, and never spoke
anything blindly.
They
never thought that the world is separate from their family. They trusted in वसुधैककुटुम्बकम् (Universal
Family) and considered the Earth as their mother. They had given equal priority to
establishment, maintenance and disposal as well. Incarnation of Rama, Behaviour of Rama and
Departure of Rama in the Ramayana are the perfect examples for it. It is applicable even to an organization, to
meet the changing demands of the time. They
had recognized the need of the distributor of the prosperity and encouraged
trade. They recognized the
importance of a potential system for the exploitation of natural resources.
However,
the modern education makes Indians think irrationally and makes them feel
inferior to western people. Unfortunately,
simple life has become an object of laughter, and exploiting everything and
everybody has become an icon for intelligence.
May such tendency be wiped off by the study of Ancient Indian
Scriptures.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Title of
the
Book/Article
|
Author /
Editor / Commentator / Translator
|
Publishers
|
|
01
|
Translation of Prithvi Sukta
|
Prof. Rani Sadasiva Murty
|
------
|
02
|
Srimad Bhagavad gita
|
Jayadayal Goyandaka
|
Gita Press
|
03
|
Srimad Bhagavatam
|
Prabhupada Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati
Thakur
|
Sri Ramananda Gowdiya Matham
|
04
|
Sasvara Veda Mantralu
|
Swami Jnananda
|
Ramakrishna Matham
|
05
|
Veda Katha Ank
|
Various Authors
|
Gita Press
|
06
|
Hindu Samskrit Ank
|
Various Authors
|
Gita Press
|
07
|
Vaidika Sukta Sangaraha
|
Dr. Devendranath Pandeya
|
Jagadisha Samskrita Pustakalaya
|
08
|
Bhartri Subhashitamulu
|
Ramachandra Budha
|
Likhita Prachuranalu
|
09
|
Srimad Ramayana
|
Valmiki
|
Gita Press
|
10
|
Viduraniti
|
Dr. Tippabhatla Ramakrishna Murty
|
Gita Press
|
11
|
Kumarasambhava
|
M.R.Kale
|
Motilal Benarsidas
|
Reference:
[1] Prithvi Sukta, 12
[2]
Prithvi Sukta, 10
[3]
Artha paddhati of Niti Sataka, of Bhartrihari
[6] Prithvi
Sukta, 1
[7] Bhagavad Gita 17.14
[8] Bhagavad Gita 17.15
[9] Bhagavad Gita 17.16
[10] Padma Purana, Srishti Khanda –
3.124
[11] Kumarasambhava of Kalidasa (2.55)
[12] Prithvi Sukta, 47
[13] Prithvi Sukta, 47
[14] Srimad Ramayana of Valmiki
(2.67.22)
[15] Prithvi Sukta, 45
[16] Prithvi Sukta, 45
[17] Srimad Ramayana of Valmiki (1.5.14)
[18]
Prithivi Sukta, 35
[19] Viduraniti of Mahabharata of Vyasa (2.18)
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