An Ancient Path to Modern Success

It was the 17th day of the Kurukshetra war. The battle was at its peak. On one side was Arjuna, with Lord Krishna as his charioteer, and on the other side was Karna. Arjuna released a powerful arrow at Karna’s chariot, and according to a popular retelling, Karna’s chariot moved several yards backwards. Arjuna looked at Krishna, expecting appreciation, but Krishna remained silent. Then Karna released an arrow at Arjuna’s chariot. The chariot moved only a little. To Arjuna’s surprise, Krishna said, “Well done, Karna.” Arjuna asked, “Krishna, my arrow pushed Karna’s chariot so far, while his arrow moved my chariot only a little. Why are you praising him?” Krishna smiled and explained that Arjuna was looking only at the movement of the chariot, while he was looking at the weight the chariot was carrying . Arjuna’s chariot had Krishna himself as the charioteer, and Hanuman was present on the flag. It had divine protection and great support. Even with all that support, Karna’s arrow was a...

There is something we often observe in the corporate world. The employee who works the hardest, spends the entire day chasing targets, stays in the field, meets customers and consistently delivers results does not necessarily receive the recognition he or she deserves. At the same time, there are people who understand the corporate ecosystem extremely well. They build strong relationships with senior management, maintain visibility within the organisation, know when and where to be visible, and gradually establish themselves in the eyes of management. And quite often, these are the people who move ahead.  Why does this happen? The answer lies in a beautiful story from Hindu mythology. The story of Lord Ganesha and Lord Kartikeya.  Once, Lord Shiva decided to test his two sons, Ganesha and Kartikeya. He announced that whoever went around the entire universe and returned first would be declared the winner. Kartikeya did not waste a single moment. He mounted his peacock and set o...