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Management lessons from Lord Hanuman

By Manju Gupta

Lord Hanuman and His Art of Efficient Management, Dr Sunil Jogi, Diamond Books, Pp 222, Rs 100.00

Meant for managers, working women, management students and businessmen, this book uses the Ramcharitmanas of Tulsidas as the basis to educate man on how to manage his life in an efficient manner.  

Hanuman, son of Wind-god and devotee of Sri Rama, is shown to be highly disciplined and organised throughout his life. He is one character in the epic shown to transcend from the state of a monkey to being a superhuman and from superhuman to God. He did so because of his spirit of serving others. Hanuman is never shown to be lazy; instead he portrays a confluence of knowledge, devotion and celibacy (vairagya) with complete confidence in his powers, which he never misuses. He respects others and saves people through his strength, while punishing and killing the evil-minded. He is a sage, is known as sankatmochan (one who removes obstacles), a visionary and an expert strategist. As a karmayogi, when given a task, Hanuman would get down to work and toil hard without delay to complete the task. He is confident that by taking Sri Rama’s blessings he would succeed in completing any task given. He is never shown as refusing to undertake any task.

Similarly, if working in an enterprise or business, we should not make the excuse, “Sir, I am inexperienced. Please get the task done from another person,” so that we can escape the responsibility. A capable employee would say, “Sir, I would try to do it, please do not worry” and he would not rest till he has completed the task. In the end, he emerges as a trustworthy employee, who may arouse jealousy in others who are to be blamed themselves for ignoring their duties due to laziness.

Hanuman is shown to be practicing ashtang yoga on a daily basis to keep the functioning of the eight organs in order. One rule of yama is not to touch or take away anything belonging to another person as it amounts to stealing. Hanuman would not touch any other person’s articles without seeking permission. When he goes to Ashok vatika in search of Sita who has been abducted by Ravana, he is hungry and thinking that Sita is the owner of the vatika, he seeks her permission to eat the fruits on the trees.

In this way the book tries to show Hanuman as a master strategist and management expert.

(Diamond Pocket Books (P) Ltd, X-30, Okhla Industrial Area, Phase II,   New Delhi – 110 020; www.diamondbook.in)