IMTP-CRR 5

Selfless service to others is the yoga of moral endeavor. It brings about union of human being with divine. Work is done as worship to the divine in human beings who is also all pervading in the universe. Selfless service is a life of intense activity and serenity without selfish impulses.

Why selfless service?

1.             For one’s own salvation and personal growth.

2.             For the good of the world.

The joy of action is the inner joy of selfless service which helps him to rise above the little individual self by serving and respecting the divine in all beings, seeing his own self in all living souls. The inner joy and the deeper sense of fulfillment, according to Indian ethos is the highest bliss and the goal of life as well as the motivating force.

Gita evolves the moral and ethical theory of human conduct and expounds the art of living the doctrine of duty with discipline and devotion without attachment to work and agency (egoistic pride) and/or its results (fruits of work). One should do duty without ego and without any calculations of gain or loss. To work only we have the right but no rights to the fruits of the work. Let not the fruits of action motivate one. Let not the fruits divert one’s concentration on work. One should pour heart and soul in the performance of assigned duty.

Similarly, one should not attach himself to inaction also. One have no control over future so one should not waste the precious present in useless dreams of future hopes and fears of present actions. One should do his best and actively live every moment of the present with the firm belief that future shall take care of itself. One should concentrate his attention on his present job. Selfless work (karma yoga) is a golden means. It preserves the spirit of renunciation without abandoning activity.

Gita emphases that swadharma should be carried on for the general welfare of society and as a worship of divine. This call to work in the true yajna spirit is an exhortation to support and actively co-operate in the divine’s evolutionary design and to live with the mother earth, safeguarding her grand ecological balance.

The gurukul system is backed on the concept that the learning from the teacher is not limited to the classroom sessions, but is continuous from his behaviour throughout the day and night. The teacher is a role model. It is also expected that the student will think about what he is learning and debate the issue and that in the process, the teacher also may learn. Joint exploration is the process. The student is not expected to accept what the teacher conveys, but is expected to apply his mind and validate the lessons before accepting them. Gurukul system prepared the young ones in total personality Development at an ashram guided by Nature and Guru (rishi), where common codes are encouraged, equal and appropriate opportunities are given to all shishyas. Major human values including respect to elders are also emphasized.

ADVANTAGES OF GURUKUL SYSTEM OF LEARNING

In the olden days:

• As it was the only system of learning known in India at the time, most of the shishyas gained their education through this medium.

• It was the only form of education known then.

• The shishyas received knowledge in all subjects.

• They got a practical and in depth look into life.

• Children from all classes of society lived under the gurukul roof as brothers.

• Along with practical knowledge they also received knowledge on various aspects of life.

• They are taught impeccable manners and values that life is based on.

• They were mainly taught respect for elders, mother, father and mainly teacher.

• The children were taught to live with meager material things and no fancy, pretentious object.

• The gurukul was a comprehensive learning center.

• They were also taught skills like singing, dancing, arching, fighting etc.

• They were taught in open air i.e. mainly in jungles, fields or in the shade below a spreading tree. They were learning in a non-polluted atmosphere as a result of which the children remained fresh and grasped everything more easily.

At present:

• Though not many gurukul are seen in present, a need is felt to have this amazing system of learning in today’s corrupt world.

• The children today are losing touch of our values and culture, which can be imbibed at an early age and can be done through gurukuls.

• Many skills can be taught to the shishyas in the gurukuls like arching, classical music etc.

• The children can learn in a pollution free environment.

• The children can be given a more practical and realistic approach to life rather than just bookish knowledge.

• The children of today who are starved for role models may find one in form of their gurus

Disadvantages of the Gurukul System:

In the olden days:

• The children had to stay away from home for long periods of time, i.e. for more than 12 years. Hence when the children returned the felt lost in the real world.

• They were kept away from their parents and family.

• They led a sheltered life at the gurukul.

• They did not face the harsh realities of everyday life at the gurukul.

• They had to blindly follow the guru in all aspects whether he was right or wrong.

At present:

• It’s an outdated system of learning that is way too behind for today’s jet age.

• The children of today would have respect neither for the guru nor for the gurukul.

• The skills taught in the gurukul would not arm the children of today for the present life.

• People would scoff at the ideologies and teaching that are offered the gurukuls of yester years.

Learning is important not only for organisations but for each and every individual. Learning comes from experience, practice. It is relatively permanent. The more the organisation learns, the more it flourishes and grows. Learning hence is given a lot of importance by organisations today. There are various sources through which an organisation can learn. They are as follows:

                Self Analysis ( Introspection)

                Its People ( Employees, Managers)

                From other organisations

                Past Failures

                Past successes

                Observation of business environment

Learning is also important due to the following reasons: to fight competition, to grow, to improve efficiency, to manage people effectively, to gain leadership, to provide better services to customers, to take better decisions and to increase profits. Today competition has become a buzzword. If one needs to survive one needs to be better than the other in terms of price, quality, delivery etc. Hence an organisation needs to learn from other organisation who is better than it so as to provide better service to customers.

Learning mechanisms to aid Innovation and Experimentation

1. Use of innovative experts for briefing staff

2. Attending external training programs and conferences by staff.

3. Sharing of learning with other organizations.

4. Encouragement of staff to experiment.

5. Rewards for innovation.

6.             Periodic staff meetings to share results of experiments.

7.             Periodic staff meetings to share ongoing experiments.

8.             Staff seminars on new developments.

Learning mechanisms to Aid Implementation of Initiatives:

1.             Task forces for implementing new projects.

2.  Preparation of contingency implementation plans.

3.  Task forces to review practices and suggest innovations.

4. Incorporation of strengths of old practices in new practices.

5. Maintenance of records of organizational successes and failures

6. Top level reviews of innovations and changes.

7. Use of skilled staff for implementing changes.

Learning Mechanisms to Stabilize Innovations and Initiatives.

1.  Task forces to evaluate innovations empirically.

2.             Periodic staff meetings to review organizational successes and failures.

3.             Task forces based evaluations of implemented innovations.

4.             Task forces for institutionalizing changes and innovations.

5.             Widespread sharing of implementation experience.

6.             Identification of actions needed to stabilize innovations/projects

7.             Modification of plans based on implementation experience.

8.  Conceiving alternate ways of implementing changes.

Learning has a number of key facets:

• Learning is complex and various covering all softs of things such as knowledge, skills, insights, beliefs, values, attitudes and habits.

• Learning is individual and can also be collectively generated in groups and organizations.

• Learning can be triggered by any experience – failures, successes and anything in between.

• Learning is both a process and an outcome.

• Learning may be incremental, adding cumulatively to what has previously been learned, or it an be transformational.

• Learning can be conscious or unconscious.

• Learning can be both planned and unplanned.

• Learning outcomes may be desirable as well as undesirable.

• There can be no learning without change.

• Learning can be both the cause of change and the consequence of change.

• Learning has moral dimension.

• Learning and choice links the past to the present and crates possibilities taking us from the known to the unknown.

• Learning for the future can give us options for sustainable development, clarity of vision, and the values and the behaviours needed to achieve our purpose.

• There is no one right way to learn since a match is needed between diverse opportunities and learning style preferences.