Why to wake up early in the morning? Health and spiritual benefits for a being!!!

 

प्रातः जागरण क्यों ?

This is a question which many of us try to answer when our parents ask us to do so. We used to believe as an archaic ritual which has no scientific reasoning, and parents just want us to do so, because this is what their parents had asked them always. 

Nonetheless, let's explore if there is any science behind it ! 

When I dug deeper into this, I was amazed to understand the reasoning. As per scriptures, in the Brahm muhurt, the wind that blows is called " वीर वायु " which literally means air with power, or powerful air. This gives the beings who are awake, the freshness, and energy to start the day.

This is the time, when sunrise is also happening, and during both sunrise and sunset, there is a change in the composition of atmospheric gases, which is generally made of Nitrogen(78%), Oxygen(~21%) and CO2 and other gases for the rest. 

At Sun Rise, the composition has higher Oxygen Levels, primarily because of reduced/minimum human activity and regular consumption of CO2 by plants, which changes the corresponding share of Oxygen, and hence gives a feeling of freshness and power to start the day with vigour. 

Similarly, the energy levels start to drop post sunset, and that's how the human body cycle works. 

As per scriptures, the morning air carries the necatarian particles received from the moon, and act like life engerzing composition, which is why early wakers feel sort of new life. 

The Old Adage " EARLY TO BED and EARLY to RISE, makes a man Healthy, Wealthy & Wise" 

All big and famous personalities in history had this habit of waking up early, including our own Mahatma Gandhi ji, who used to read, write letters, and do his spiritual sadhna, which gave him mental strength to fight for the big cause with strength. 

In a nutshell, there are myriad benefits of waking up early in the morning, and must aspire to get the benefits. 

जय सनातन धर्म for the science which has given us such profound learnings, in simple rituals which a common man can follow always... 

References: 

"Kyun" by Pandit Madhvacharya Shastri ji , published by Madhav Pustakalya, Delhi

Sri Hanuman Chalisa | Reservoir of Management Wisdom- Part 3

Continuing from previous edition:

 Third Verse of Sri Hanuman Chalisa (as mentioned below) reveals to us a novel dimension of management insight:

३. हाथ बज्र औ ध्वजा बिराजे | काँधे मूँज जनेऊ  साजे ||

   संकर सुवन केसरी नंदन | तेज प्रताप महा जग बंदन ||

 भावार्थ:हे हनुमान जी ! आपके कर कमलों में वज्र अर्थात दंड देने की क्षमता है, और दुसरे हाथ में धर्म ध्वजा को धारण किया है | आप सनातन संस्कृति के पुरोधा हैं, और द्विजोचित यज्ञोपवीत को धारण करते हैं | हे नाथ ! आप स्वयं श्री शंकर हैं और उनके ग्यारहवें रूद्र के रूप में धरती पर अवतरित हुए हैं | आपका पराक्रम और महान तेज , सम्पूर्ण जगत के लिए वंदनीय है |

Management Connect:

Sri Hanumanji is a perfect example of a leader/manager who leads by example and are teaching us the fundas to be successful in work life by remaining RIGHTEOUS and not doing any actions which have malafied intent.

As mentioned in this verse , a successful manager should have a carrot and stick or rather should have a correction mechanism in case a team member doesnt follow/deviates from the rules/regulations of the organization/law of land. The ("ध्वजा") indicates the organizational constitution or rule book , which guides  the actions of the team members and self. The ("हाथ बज्र") signifies the penal mechanism and "Management by Fear".  For any team to succeed, it is of prime importance that the members follow and live the values which guide the entire ecosystem and environment. Leaders must be at the forefront carrying the enlightened rules and principles for the larger benefit of masses.

"काँधे मूँज जनेऊ  साजे" has special relevance here, probably to establish the coherence of organizational goals/values system and individual value system. While performing things at work, one must ensure the individuality, value system and beliefs are upheld and aren't compromised at any cost , come what may work probably may wait but the " स्वधर्म "must prevail. " स्वधर्म " is an important indicator which finds reference in the Srimad Bhagvad Gita, where Lord Krishna has emphasized on being on the path ordained for the self, and not crossing over, or transgressing the domain of other fellow travelers(read workers). Lord goes to the extent of saying that if need be,"Dying on one's own path" is better than treading someone else's journey.

" संकर सुवन " as Sri Hanuman ji has been addressed in the next line, refers

to a person with a STRONG resolve, with direct reference to Lord Shiva.

Lord Mahadev, as He is addressed to generally, a title conferred upon Him

for the out of the world tasks He did to save the world, such as drinking

the poison which came out of churning of the Ocean. Lord Shiva did many

such acts which are possible for only those who stand by their ground

come what may, in one such incident, He renounced Mata Sati and followed

that commitment for eons of time. Thus, the belief in value system, and

ability to withhold the same throughout is what makes a successful manager

stand apart and puts on fast track growth trajectory.

Some of these qualities are inherent by nature, i.e. they come from within, i.e. either they are within you by birth or have been practiced for so long that they have become part of your being, thus may be termed as being part of the lineage that the person comes from. 

This can be the school of learning, or the family in which one is born into, or a discipline which a person has been following for a long time.

Kesari Nandan   <---> तेज प्रताप महा जग बंदन  are closely interwoven,

as Kesari ji was  a very well respected warrior and Satrap/King at that

point in time, and the respect which  he and his entire clam commanded

was  of highest level. Even Bali, respected Kesari Maharaj greatly.

Thus, this last line probably is indicative of the great lineage which

Shri Hanumanji hails from, and thus ingraining all such qualities which Sri Hanumanji always stood for or exemplified in His actions and deeds.

Sri Hanuman Chaalisa | Reservoir of Management Wisdom :: Part2

Continuing from Part 1:

Second Verse of Sri Hanuman Chalisa (as mentioned below) reveals to us newer dimensions of knowledge:

२. महावीर बिक्रम बजरंगी | कुमति निवार सुमति के संगी ||

    कंचन बरन बिराज सुबेसा | कानन कुण्डल कुंचित केसा ||

भावार्थ :हे हनुमान जी ! आप वीरों में महावीर हैं , अपरिमित पराक्रम दिखाने वाले योद्धा हैं , जिनका संपूर्ण  शरीर , अंग -प्रत्यंग वज्र के समान मजबूत  और न पीछे हटने वाला है | आप सदैव कुमति का निवारण कर हमेशा सन्मति को प्रोत्साहित और बढ़ने वाले हैं | आपकी वज्र समतुल्य देह , स्वर्ण के समान  चमकने वाली है , जिस पर अत्यंत सुन्दर अंगवस्त्र ,और अन्य वस्त्र सुशोभित हो हैं | हे हनुमान जी ! आपके कानों  के कुण्डल और आपके घुंघराले और सँवारे हुए केश बहुत सुन्दर प्रतीत होते हैं |

Management Connect : 

Anyone who is such a mightier being as Sri Hanumanji , who has got a super built,an un-daunting zeal and resolve, who is always righteous, is difficult to find in present context of business, and society. 

As soon as , someone's stature grows, one tends to ignore the people who were with him at ground,and which is where कुमति takes over the level headedness and rationality of the being. By using adjectives such as महावीर, बिक्रम, बजरंगी. Goswamiji may have tried to indicate the softer personality traits of an individual or a business leader.

A manager must be Strong(बजरंग) in character, integrity, must have the gut to stand up to any wrong doing or take a stance (बिक्रम) on any issue or conflict and should be unwavering (महावीर) , once the decision has been taken.

A manager must be equipoise in all his interactions or dealings within the team or outside, so that the overall objective of doing  right things is achieved. One must be able to identify and establish actions which are right in letter and spirit and must side with him. At times, taking a stand point becomes difficult in a case of conflict ,but Sri Hanumanji's  character exemplifies strong decision making and clearly identifying his/her position to best of the knowledge at that moment in time. 

When the person is righteous, firm on the decisions and stands by the stance taken in all eventualities, then there shall be a glow (Tej) on one's face, in one's demeanor, body,  which is mentioned here in as 

" कंचन बरन ", i.e. complexion which is as radiating or glittering like gold. One can glow and shine like gold only when he has the inner strength and power of truthfulness one more connotation of this line could be that when one becomes so as mentioned previously, the hard work of the person itself starts showing up as confidence and the well dressed attire(सुबेसा) of the person just adds sheen to the same. In other words, one must try to remain modest and well organised despite the success achieved by the person thru small/big battles or conflicts.

As the person grows up the ladder in positions of responsibility, 

(कानन कुंडल) => keeping ears to the ground, i.e. ability to listen to others, i.e. Juniors/Seniors in equal capacity in addition to any feedback from the market/field. the media to receive information shouldn't be barred by any seemingly invisible/unobtrusive things such as hair, which indicated here as " कुंचित केसा ", i.e. well combed here (which may be curly). thus, information flow should be continuous free flowing with all receptors working in good health.

Contd...

Ancient Indian Texts and Their Management Reservoirs

Sri Hanuman Chaalisa | Reservoir of Management Wisdom :: Part1

India is the Land of Knowledge which has deep reservoirs of Supreme knowledge of both this world and the Metaphysical realms, showing the true path of Self-Realization,which is the final goal of life. With Modern Management principles evolving around us, there may be some hidden treasures which can be unearthed from the Ancient Sanatan Dharma Texts and Epics. 

Sri Hanuman Chaalisa is a treatise by Goswami Sri Tulsidas inked during BHAKTI Yuga, written in the glory of Sri Hanumanji, encapsulating various qualities and personality traits. This 40 versed (Chaalisa) starts with glorification and culminates into complete surrender of a student to his Guru.

As a student of Modern education with sanskars of ancient wisdom, it struck to the blogger of relating the contemporary thought with the Oriental philosophy and finding lessons for life which are capable enough of improving the quality of life. 

This is first episode from the series which shall try to cover all the verses of this litrary marvel. 

The Chaalisa starts with opening verse of Glorification of Sri Guru Maharaj, and Hanumanji, 

श्री गुरु चरण सरोज रज , निज मन मुकुरू सुधारि |बरनउँ रघुवर विमल जस,जो दायक फल चारि ||

बुद्धिहीन तनु जानि के, सुमिरौ पवन कुमार | बल बुधि विद्या देहु मोहि,हरौं कलेश विकार ||

All Obeisances at the Feet of my Revered Master, sand of Whose feet is so pure and sanctified, using which I decorate myself and correct my mind.  Singing the Glories of Sri RamChandra ji, Who is the crown jewel of RAGHUKUL,  I shall attain the nectar of four Purusharthas namely Dharma( True Knowledge and Wisdom), Artha (Material objects) , Kaam (Getting all desirable things)  & Moksha(Self Realization).

Being a person without any intelligence, I remember You, Sri Hanumanji, and seek your blessings to give me Energy, Intelligence and Knowledge, which shall help me bail out from my problems and distractions.

१. जय हनुमान ज्ञान गुण सागर | जय कपीश तिहुँ लोक उजागर ||

    रामदूत अतुलित बल धामा | अंजनी पुत्र पवनसुत नामा ||

भावार्थ : हे हनुमान जी ! आप समस्त गुणों के समुद्र  हैं , और ज्ञान के भण्डार हैं, आपकी सदा ही जय हो | हे वानरों के राजा ! आपके समस्त सद्गुण संपूर्ण विश्व और तीनों लोकों में प्रसिद्ध हैं | आप श्री रामचन्द्र जी के सन्देश वाहक हैं , और  अपरिमित बलवान हैं , जिसका परिचय आपके जन्म से मिलता है, अर्थात  वायुदेवता के आशीर्वाद से आपका सम्बन्ध है  |

Management Connect:

A person in his life becomes famous because of his deeds and actions which are either intrinsic to him or have been developed over a period of time. The real knowledge or complete know how comes only when someone really does things with utmost focus and attention. After having such lineage and an immaculate track record of consistent performance, only then a person is rewarded with acts which are far more Confidential,Strategic and have far fetching consequences. This  is indicated here in the word 'रामदूत', i.e. Sri Ram thought of entrusting Sri Hanumanji of sending him to Lanka in search of Mata Seetaji . 

Such person has to be well versed in all types of studies/ knowledge viz. ज्ञान,गुण, बल which comes from either family or by training or upbringing as is indicated by the word  पवनसुत = Son of वायुदेवता, who is considered as one of the strongest of all demigods, while mother Anjani has been specifically mentioned to indicate the fact that she was able to inherit and give good sanskar to her son. Sanskars, which are so good that he was able to receive education from none other than but Suryadev , who is the most enlightened being in the entire cosmos.This has been confirmed by Lord Sri Krishna in Srimad Bhagvad Gita,where He says that the most confidential knowledge was first imparted to "Sun God" by Himself only.

Sri Hanumanji has been referred to as KAPISH, meaning King of Monkey Clan. Monkeys are generally very spry, agile and fickle-minded. Lording over such a community requires certain physical and mental qualities, such as Self Restrain,being a good listener in times of dispute settlement or otherwise. Organizing such scattered energy and focusing the same towards a larger common objective is what modern management scientists and line managers must imbibe. 

These and other similar qualities are what makes Sri Hanumanji famous in Three Realms(Tihun Lok), namely Paatal Lok, Prithvi Lok and Swarg Lok. The actions of  a modern manager are observed by all (Seniors and Juniors).
Good Natured personnels who accomplish their tasks perfectly, and are able to take everyone along, are hailed by everyone across the hierarchy which is indicated by the THREE LOKs(Realms).

Thus, its important to have the Knowledge of your domain, and must be able to not allow the energy to fizzle out on actions arising out of momentary impulses, but to channelize the energy to achieve the higher objective in life.

New Way of Advertising--Thanking TG post communication

Recently Shopclues.com, an online marketplace launched a new concept of their which they termed as Ghar Vaapsi Sale, which they commenced everyday at 6pm and ended at 9pm. The objective was to attract the office going junta to utilized their commuting time, & utilize the same to the fullest by shopping through APP based interface.
While the above said concept is indeed novel in the thought but that's not what i want to highlight here...the promotions of this event ran across various digital media, & had a fair share of RADIO ad spends, because that's what most of the TG have access to, while they are commuting in Metro, local train, Cab,Bus, Car etc.
The peculiar aspect which largely went unnoticed was the ending note of the entire radio script... it ENDED with a "Thank You". When i first heard it, the first reaction was if i misheard something...but lateron, repeated spots clarified the same, it was correct & intentional.
Have you ever heard/seen an advertiser thanking its viewers(read potential customers) for viewing/listening to the advertisement( whether it is good/bad/ugly). This seemed to be an effort to break from the herd, & get noticed, don't know how many brand Gurus/digital marketers took note of it, but to me it really appealed a lot. There could be multiple thoughts behind this strategy:
1. To really thank the listeners, who patiently sat through their big mouthed, high volume announcement of the GHAR VAAPSI sale. If this is the sole objective, then, this effort needs sincere appreciation, as the brands & companies are really not bothered about the customers' privacy & they just keep feeding them with the content & information overload.
2. To make a niche for themselves & position themselves as a player which is really customer centric, because it is very difficult for new entrants to make a mark in the already crowded Online Retailing space with biggies of the likes of Amazon, flipkart, snapdeal already fighting it out for their fair share of customers' mind. However, customer centricity shouldn't get limited by such a subtle nuance, but should get reflected in their(read shopclues.com) every touchpoint & experience which customer gets. Of all the leading marketplaces, the customer services of amazon.com has been world class, & the assistance received is fairly decent, followed by flipkart & then snapdeal, which makes it a herculean task for shopclues.com to match up, to position themselves differently.

This could also be an indication of the kick start of an era where the marketers would have  to sincerely take note of the condition of the end users(or prospective customers) to whom in their bid to lure to their product offering go the unwanted extra mile, which the customer actually doesn't need. Rampant ad slot bookings, two to three slots(Road blocks at times)  in every ad break to make the noise really irritates the customer. It is high time, that the current communication channels,advertising methodologies, and humility in the approach needs to be incorporated to convey the message more subtly & effectively without over encroaching the customer's privacy & freedom.

Evangelism for yourself: Marketing yourself in a group

 

 

 

I have been learning many more things in life the hard way, which people tend to pick up very early in their careers, & one of the things which I have come across is the art of marketing yourself in a group or in a public setting.

This article has taken inspiration from an article by Guy Kawasaki where the author is trying to put forth the key arguments of being a good product/service evangelist. The same logics apply to individual marketing as well, where the importance of a being can only be stressed upon when the focus is not on yourself but on making the discussion/network more efficient & fruitful.

A professional shall be deemed crucial for a discussion, or to a process if he/she is able to change the lifecycle of the entire product/service or a significant part of it. This essentially means that the suggestions & participation in the group and contribution in the group is much more important and significant than the actual product and service, or the Cause for which the group or the Network has come together to jointly work .

The relevance of various different leaders from public domain was higher because of their contribution in making a difference to the society, such as Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Aang San Suu Kyi and many more such people.

I my opinion, following are the key cogs in effectively changing the course of discussions while working on different products/services, thus leaving an impression on the group about “how passionately or sincerely you think/feel about the product/service”

Make it great.

It's very hard to evangelize crap. It’s much easier to evangelize great stuff. I learned that the starting point of evangelism is a great product or service. Great stuff embodies five qualities:

• Profound. This means that whatever you say in the discussion, has lots of different points of view, because you are trying to foresee the how the product/service shall be perceived by the customers, when it goes out commercially.
• Relevant. The network should reflect upon your contributions as genuinely relevant and important in transforming the product/service
• Complete. A successful product/service is only possible, when all the possible facets/modalities have been completely thought through and stitching things end to end is super crucial. Thus cross functional dependencies and their engagement in the process is super important.
• Empowering. Pushing yourself to the fore shouldn’t be the only agenda in a team, and thus Empowering others in the network to speak up and contribute is just as important as portraying yourself in the discussion.
• Elegant. This means that you shouldn’t be perceived as too pushy and your maneuvering in shaping up the product in the final acceptable format should be such that other contributors should take the suggestions in their stride while recognizing your contributions.

Help others to discover the “Soul” or "cause"

A discussion about a product or service, no matter how great, is a collection of parts or snippets of points of view. A “cause,” by contrast, changes lives. It’s not enough to make a great product or service—you also need to position it and explain it as a way to improve lives. Thus, making the group connect with the higher objective of changing the lives of the end consumers by identifying with the “Soul” of the product which ultimately shall help in evolving an amazing product/service.

Harp on Humility.

Don’t describe your suggestions as “revolutionary,” “paradigm shifting,” and “curve jumping.” Conveying your thoughts in a more subtle and humble but assertive tone, shall earn some extra points. People don’t buy “revolutions.” But look forward to quick solutions to fix the pain or “vitamins” to supplement their lives, so stay humble and keep it simple.

Non Users vs, Pre-occupied Patrons.

It is very hard to convert someone to a new religion when he worships another god. In order to successfully see your suggestions go through in the group, you must garner support of team members in the group. Those who are either neutral or have no point of view are easy to convert to your way rather than those, who have their opinions and dispositions.

If a person doesn’t “get” your product or service after fifteen minutes, cut your losses and move on and focus on those who are more interested in what you say and profess.

Demoing the Scenarios

“Evangelist who cannot give a great demo” is an oxymoron.Demoing should be as second nature, even involuntary, as breathing. Try to showcase the various scenarios as to how would the product look like if implemented the way you want to put it across. Let people figure out the various merits in the proposition rather than only you talking in person.

 

Minimalistic Changes in the existing processes.

The disruptively new thoughts and value systems shall be perceived well, only if they are not asking the users to fundamentally change their use cases. Thus, the new product/service in the making shouldn’t demand the users to put in lot of effort by expending their efforts and resources to adapt to the new environment. This may also not find favours with other stakeholders.

Everyone’s important.

If you want to succeed as a Significant contributor, ignore people’s titles and pedigrees, accept people as they are, and treat everyone with respect and kindness. Thus, garnering the support from different strata of stakeholders is as important as it for the CXOs or other senior management.

Conclusion

Don’t try to be a hardwired salesperson who is obsessed with his or her own best interests at heart: commission, making quota, closing the deal. An evangelist has the other person’s best interests at heart: “Try this because it will help you.” Keep this difference in mind, and you’ll be on the right track.

Thanks!