This is based on an article appeared in “ The Times of India” on 29th March 2002, written by JYOTIRMAYA SHARMA. I felt it very interesting and true.

I would like to reproduce relevant portion, He starts the article

“For someone who barely manages to run his own life, I am in bewildered awe of people who effortlessly administer, manage and exercise power and authority over large groups of people.”

He has written that there are four “doshas” in ayurveda, blemishes, faults or noxious qualities, in the food we eat.. First one is “ kala dosha” or the blemish brought about by time.

Anything that is stale is poison, says ayurveda, and cannot, therefore be consumed. Similarly, organizations or leaders who harp on obsolete traditions and conventions bring harm to that group of people, Just as food has to be fresh, so have to be ideas and practices in any solutions.

The second “ dosha” is that of contamination and is brought about by lack of hygiene. Wrong people, faulty methods and lack of procedure also contaminate institutions. Like unhygienic food, such lack of hygiene within organizations can cause a rumble in the
institutional tummy.

The third blemish is in taste and flavour. Cuisine prepared with the finest material and served on a silver platter has to still pass the test of taste and flavour. The taste and flavour in an organization usually comes about by adding to it a generous pinch of justice, fairness and empathy.

The fourth and deadliest poison, says ayurveda, is “bhava dosha” , the blemish, fault, error or absence of the right feeling. The most sumptuous and delicious meal is pure unadulterated poison if not served with affection, grace and courtesy. Similarly, the best
organization will diminish an individual if it cannot generate the right balance of desirable emotions and sentiments. Individuals with vitiated emotions can ultimately diminish and organization as well.

The only way in which an emotion can be perfected at least in the public realm, is through conversation. A genuine conversation is between two notionally equal individuals. This is to say that for a good conversation to take off, barriers of age, learning, position, status, wealth, beauty and power do not intervene in any way, whatsoever. Before this, one has
to cleanse oneself of the defects in emotions.

I invite reflections on this.

Regards,
Priyanka

Dear Priyanka,

Thanks for the posting. It is very interesting. I could not lay hands on this old issue of Times of India. I would appreciate if you could transcript the whole article.

Some of the comments, I feel, need elaboration and should be read in the context of the whole article. Otherwise they are likely to lead to wrong perceptions and meaning.

One of the comment I reproduce below  :

".......Similarly, organizations or leaders who harp on obsolete traditions and conventions bring harm to that group of people, ............"

Regards,

Lieu