Partial notes on BBA 205 course for students of IP University (Delhi) and anyone who wants a beginner's level knowledge on business ethics. Citations are reflected in the slides.

1. Vedas, Vedanta, Upnishads,
Brahmsutras & Srimad Bhagavatgita
BBA 205
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2. • What are Darshanas?
• Darshanas are schools of philosophy based on the Vedas.
• The Darshana literature is philosophical in nature and meant
for the erudite scholars who are endowed with acumen,
understanding, and intellect.
• While the Itihasas, Puranas, and Agamas are meant for the
masses and appeal to the heart, the Darshanas appeal to the
intellect.
• How is Hindu Philosophy Classified?
• Hindu philosophy has six divisions—Shad-Darsana—the six
Darshanas or ways of seeing things, usually called the six
systems or schools of thought.
• The six divisions of philosophy are the instruments of
demonstrating Truth. Each school has interpreted,
assimilated and correlated the various parts of the Vedas in
its own way. Each system has its Sutrakara, i.e., the one great
sage who systematized the doctrines of the school and put
them in short aphorisms or Sutras. 2

3. • Which is the Most Satisfactory System of Indian
Philosophy?
• The Vedanta is the most satisfactory system of
philosophy and having evolved out of the
Upanishads, it has superseded all other schools.
According to the Vedanta, Self-realisation
or Jnana is the foremost thing, and ritual and
worship are mere accessories. Karma may take
one to heaven but it cannot destroy the cycle of
births and deaths, and cannot give eternal bliss
and immortality.
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4. What are the Six Systems of Hindu Philosophy?
• The various schools of thought are different paths that lead to the same
goal. The six systems are:
• The Nyaya: Sage Gautama devised the principles of Nyaya or the Indian
logical system. The Nyaya is considered as a prerequisite for all
philosophical inquiry.
• The Vaiseshika: The Vaiseshika is a supplement of the Nyaya. Sage Kanada
composed the Vaiseshika Sutras.
• The Sankhya: Sage Kapila founded the Sankhya system.
• The Yoga: The Yoga is a supplement to the Sankhya. Sage Patanjali
systematized the Yoga school and composed the Yoga Sutras.
• The Mimamsa: Sage Jaimini, a disciple of the great sage Vyasa, composed
the Sutras of the Mimamsa school, which is based on the ritual sections
of the Vedas.
• The Vedanta: The Vedanta is an amplification and fulfillment of the
Sankhya. Sage Badarayana composed the Vedanta-Sutras or Brahma-
Sutras which expound the teachings of the Upanishads.
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5. What is Interrelation between the Six Systems
During the time of Sankaracharya, all the six schools of philosophy flourished. The six schools
are divided into three groups:
The Nyaya and the Vaiseshika
The Sankhya and the Yoga
The Mimamsa and the Vedanta
Nyaya & Vaiseshika: The Nyaya and the Vaiseshika give an analysis of the world of
experience. By the study of Nyaya and Vaiseshika, one learns to utilize their intellect to find
out fallacies and know about the material constitution of the world. They arrange all things
of the world into certain kinds or categories or Padarthas. They explain how God has made
all this material world out of atoms and molecules, and show the way to attain Supreme
Knowledge – that of God.
Sankhya & Yoga: Through the study of Sankhya, one can understand the course of evolution.
Postulated by the great sage Kapila, who is regarded as the father of psychology, the Sankhya
provides an in-depth knowledge of Hindu psychology. The study and practice of Yoga give
one self-restraint and mastery over the mind and senses. The Yoga philosophy deals with
meditation and the control of Vrittis or thought-waves and shows the ways to discipline the
mind and the senses. It helps one to cultivate concentration and one-pointedness of the
mind and enter into the superconscious state known as Nirvikalpa Samadhi.
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6. Mimamsa & Vedanta: Mimamsa comprises two parts: The ‘Purva-Mimamsa’ deals
with the Karma-Kanda of the Vedas which deals with action, and the ‘Uttara-
Mimamsa’ with the Jnana-Kanda, which deals with knowledge. The latter is also
known as the ‘Vedanta-Darshana’ and forms the cornerstone of Hinduism.
The Vedanta philosophy explains in detail the nature of Brahman or the Eternal Being
and shows that the individual soul is, in essence, identical with the Supreme Self.
It gives methods to remove Avidya or the veil of ignorance and to merge oneself in
the ocean of bliss, i.e., the Brahman. By the practice of Vedanta, one can reach the
pinnacle of spirituality or divine glory and oneness with the Supreme Being.
Which is the Most Satisfactory System of Indian Philosophy?
The Vedanta is the most satisfactory system of philosophy and having evolved out of
the Upanishads, it has superseded all other schools. According to the Vedanta, Self-
realisation or Jnana is the foremost thing, and ritual and worship are mere
accessories. Karma may take one to heaven but it cannot destroy the cycle of births
and deaths, and cannot give eternal bliss and immortality.
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7. Vedas
• Considered the earliest literary record of Indian
civilization and among the most sacred books of India.
• Original scriptures of Hindu teachings, containing
spiritual knowledge encompassing all aspects of life.
• Vedas form the highest religious authority for all
aspects of Hinduism and are a respected source of
wisdom for mankind in general.
• The word Veda means wisdom, knowledge or vision,
and it serves to manifest the language of the gods in
human speech.
• The laws of the Vedas have regulated the social, legal,
domestic and religious customs of Hindus up to the
present day. All the obligatory duties of Hindus at birth,
marriage, death etc. are guided by Vedic rituals.
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8. Who wrote them? How old?
• Presumed that the earliest Vegas may date back to roughly 1700 BCE—the
late Bronze age.
• Tradition has it that humans did not compose the revered compositions of
the Vedas, but that God taught the Vedic hymns to the sages, who then
handed them down through generations by word of mouth.
• Another tradition suggests that the hymns were "revealed," to the sages,
who were known as the seers or “mantradrasta” of the hymns.
• The formal documentation of Vedas was done mainly by Vyasa Krishna
Dwaipayana around the time of Lord Krishna (c. 1500 BC)
• Vedas are also called śruti ("what is heard") literature, distinguishing them
from other religious texts, which are called smṛti ("what is remembered").
• The Veda, for orthodox Indian theologians, are considered revelations seen
by ancient sages after intense meditation, and texts that have been more
carefully preserved since ancient times.
• In the Hindu Epic the Mahabharata, the creation of Vedas is credited to
Brahma.
• The Vedic hymns themselves assert that they were skillfully created by
Rishis (sages), after inspired creativity, just as a carpenter builds a chariot
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9. Who wrote them? How old?
• Presumed that the earliest Vegas may date back
to roughly 1700 BCE—the late Bronze age.
• Tradition has it that humans did not compose
the revered compositions of the Vedas, but that
God taught the Vedic hymns to the sages, who
then handed them down through generations
by word of mouth.
• Another tradition suggests that the hymns were
"revealed," to the sages, who were known as
the seers or “mantradrasta” of the hymns.
• The formal documentation of Vedas was done
mainly by Vyasa Krishna Dwaipayana around the
time of Lord Krishna (c. 1500 BC) 9

10. What are 4 Vedas
• the Rig-Veda, the Sama Veda, the Yajur Veda and the Atharva Veda,
with the Rig Veda serving as the principal text.
• Each Veda consists of four parts--the Samhitas (hymns), the
Brahmanas (rituals), the Aranyakas आरण्यक (अरण्य =जंगल) (theologies) and
the Upanishads (philosophies).
• The Upanishads form the concluding portions of the Veda and is
therefore called the “Vedanta” or the end of the Veda. The Upanishads
contain the essence of Vedic teachings.
• Vedas are seldom read or understood today, even by the devout.
• But they form the bedrock of the universal religion or “Sanatana
Dharma” that all Hindus follow.
• The Upanishads, however, are read by serious students of religious
tradition and spirituality in all cultures and are regarded as principle
texts within the body of mankind's wisdom traditions.
“The One Truth the sages call by many names.” ~ Rig Veda
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11. Rig- Veda: The Book of Mantras
• Rig Veda is a collection of over a thousand finely crafted
hymns (mantras) distributed over 10 chapters known as
mandalas, written in a very old form of Sanskrit.
• Each hymn (sukta) praises a deity, the most prominent of
whom were Indra, Agni and Soma, gods who we are barely
familiar with today.
• The Indra of the Vedas is very different from the Indra of the
Puranas: he is not the one who rides the white skinned
Airavata and fears loss of his status as king of the celestial
devas. He is a warrior who battles the terrible Vritra and
releases waters and who loves the Soma drink offered via
the fire in the hearth by the Vedic worshipper.
• These mantras were composed pre-1000 BCE, predominantly
in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent, and
indicate a time when the Vedic idea was making its presence
felt away from the Indus-Saraswati river basins towards the
Gangetic plains, with Kurukshetra in Haryana as the centre.
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12. • Asatoma Sadgamaya, Tamasoma Jyotirgamaya,
Mrutyorma Amruthangamaya, Om Shanti Shanti Shaantihi
This is called Shanti Mantra (hymn of peace). Though the origin
of this hymn is from Rig Veda, the musical version of it can also
be found in Sama Veda. Rig Veda is a collection of hymns and
Sama Veda revises them adding musical aspect to them
• The origin of Vedas is not human, but they were told by God
himself and it is intended to be followed by humans. The earlier
rishis heard them in their wake of their enlightenment from
God.
• The Vedas are just a way of living righteously.
• One of the main principles of Vedas is 'Aham Brahmasmi',
which means I am Brahma. Here Brahma means God, but more
specifically Brahman refers to the qualities of God, which are
Sat, Chit, and Ananda. Sat means eternity, Chit means
knowledge and Ananda means bliss. So Vedas indeed say that
we are all Brahman or God (in other words, all of us have these
qualities). Upanishads are called vedantas, which means the
end or essense of vedas. Upanishads contain the essense of
Vedas in an easily understandable way.
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13. Sama Veda: The Book of Songs
• Sama Veda purely a liturgical collection of
melodies (‘saman’). The hymns in the Sama
Veda, used as musical notes, were almost
completely drawn from the Rig Veda and have
no distinctive lessons of their own.
• Hence, its text is a reduced version of the Rig
Veda.
• As Vedic Scholar David Frawley puts it, if the Rig
Veda is the word, Sama Veda is the song or the
meaning; if Rig Veda is the knowledge, Sama
Veda is its realization; if Rig Veda is the wife, the
Sama Veda is her husband.
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14. Yajur- Veda: The Book of Rituals
• The Yajur Veda is also a liturgical collection and
was made to meet the demands of a
ceremonial religion.
• The Yajur Veda served as a practical guidebook
for the priests who execute sacrificial acts
while muttering simultaneously the prose
prayers and the sacrificial formulae (‘yajus’).
• It is similar to ancient Egypt’s “Book of the
Dead.”
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15. Atharva- Veda: The Book of Spells
• The last of the Vedas, this is completely different from the other
three Vedas and is next in importance to the Rig Veda with regard
to history and sociology.
• A different spirit pervades this Veda. Its hymns are of a more
diverse character than the Rig Veda and are also simpler in
language.
• For a long time the Atharvaveda was not considered a Veda at all.
• Kautilya's Arthashastra, for example, mentions only the first three.
• Atharvaveda Samhita contains mostly magical chants. The Samhita
is divided into 20 books and about 75 hymns which are essentially
spells, marriage and burial songs and curses.
• The Atharvaveda Samhita is the oldest document of the Indian
medicine and magical formulas to deal with disease and sickness.
• The priests who chanted these hymns were prized by the royalty
for their special ability to cure diseases and drive away the evils
spirits or curse their enemies.
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16. Upnishads
• The Upanishads constitutes the end part of the Vedas
(Vedanta). They deal with philosophical and mystical
aspects of Vedas and deal with subjects like Brahman,
atman, nature of reality, the meaning of true knowledge,
the state of oneness, the four states of consciousness, the
constitution of the worlds, the nature of highest reality,
the nature of true sacrifice and so on.
• Each Vedas has its own set of Upanishads.
• Some of the Upanishads are very ancient, while some are
more recent.
• The Upanishads contain profound philosophy regarding
existence, bondage and liberation.
• Their number is uncertain. Between 108 and 250 plus
BCE
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17. Mukhya Upanishads, also known as Principal Upanishads, are the most
ancient and widely studied Upanishads of Hinduism.
• Most scholars now consider the Principal Upanishads to be thirteen.
1- Īśā (IsUp), Yajurveda 2- Kena (KeUp), Samaveda 3- Kaṭha (KaUp), Yajurveda 4-
Praṣna (PrUp), Atharvaveda 5- Muṇḍaka (MuUp), Atharvaveda 6-Māṇḍūkya (MaUp),
Atharvaveda 7- Taittirīya (TaiUp), Yajurveda 8- Aitareya, (AiUp), Rigveda
9-Chāndogya (ChhUp), Samaveda 10- Bṛhadāraṇyaka (BṛUp), Yajurveda
11- Shvetashvatara Upanishad 12- Kaushitaki Upanishad 13- Maitri Upanishad
•The first ten of the above Principal Upanishads were commented upon by the
8th century scholar, Adi Shankara. The adjective mukhya means "principal", "chief", or
"primary".
•The Mukhya Upanishads are accepted as śruti by all Hindus, or the most important
scriptures of Hinduism.
•The Principal Upanishads (1953) by Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan gives the text and English
translation of a total of eighteen Upanishads, including the 13 above plus Subāla, Jābāla,
Paiṅgala, Kaivalya, Vajrasūcikā
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18. • Upanishadas have elucidated the most important
questions of human existence
• The Upanishads deal the disciplines
of philosophical knowledge
Purpose of Life
Nature of Brahman
(God)
The Origin of the
Universe
Karma
Rebirth
Maya
Afterlife
Immortality
•Knowledge -Jnana/
Gyan
•Divine love-Bhakti
•Yoga - physical,
mental & spiritual
disciplines
•Action- Karma
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19. Brahma Sutras
• Vedanta philosophy acknowledges the Prasthana Trayi as its three
authoritative primary sources.
• The texts comprising the Prasthana Trayi are the Upanishads, the
Bhagavadgita and the Brahma Sutra. The Upanishads are the sruti
prasthana, the revealed texts (sruti - that which is heard); the
Bhagavadgita is the smriti prasthana, composed by sages based on their
understanding of the Vedas (smriti - that which is remembered);
• the Brahma Sutra is the nyaya prasthana, the logical text that sets forth
the philosophy systematically (nyaya - logic/order). No study of Vedanta
is considered complete without a close examination of the Prasthana
Trayi.
• While the Upanishads and the Bhagavadgita are authoritative Vedanta
texts, it is in the Brahma Sutra that the teachings of Vedanta are set
forth in a systematic and logical order.
• The Brahma Sutra is known by many names: it is also called the Vedanta
Sutra, Uttara-mimamsa Sutra, Shariraka Sutra and the Bhikshu Sutra.
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20. • The Brahma Sutra consists of 555 aphorisms or sutras, in 4
chapters, each chapter being divided into 4 sections each.
• The first chapter (Samanvaya: harmony) explains that all the
Vedantic texts talk of Brahman, the ultimate reality, which is
the goal of life.
• The second chapter (Avirodha: non-conflict) discusses and
refutes the possible objections against Vedanta philosophy.
• The third chapter (Sadhana: the means) describes the
process by which ultimate emancipation can be achieved.
• The fourth chapter (Phala: the fruit) talks of the state that is
achieved in final emancipation.
• Indian tradition identifies Badrayana, the author of the
Brahma Sutra, with Vyasa, the compiler of the Vedas.
• Many commentaries have been written on this text, the
earliest extant one being the one by Adi Sankara
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21. Understanding the genesis of Vedanta
• Darshan= beholding of a sacred deity, object or revered person.
• In Indian philosophy the term designates the distinctive way in which each philosophical system
looks at things, including its exposition (explanation) of sacred scriptures and authoritative
knowledge.
• The six principal Hindu darshans are -Samkhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Mimamsa, and Vedanta.
• Non-Hindu darshans include Buddhism and Jainism. The word Vedanta literally means the end of
the Vedas — the Vedas being the scriptures of the Hindus.
• Sometimes in the West by the Vedas are meant only the hymns and rituals of the Vedas. But at the
present time these parts have almost gone out of use, and usually by the word Vedas in India, the
Vedanta is meant. Vedas are also called śruti ("what is heard") literature, distinguishing them from
other religious texts, which are called smṛti ("what is remembered").
• The Veda, for orthodox Indian theologians, are considered revelations seen by ancient sages after
intense meditation, and texts that have been more carefully preserved since ancient times.
• In the Hindu Epic the Mahabharata, the creation of Vedas is credited to Brahma. The Vedic hymns
themselves assert that they were skillfully created by Rishis (sages), after inspired creativity, just as
a carpenter builds a chariot.
• Veda Vyasa is the one who classified the Vedas into four parts).
• He is the author of the Mahabharata. There are four Vedas: the Rigveda, the Yajurveda, the
Samaveda and the Atharvaveda. 1700- 1100 BCE
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22. Vedas, Upanishads and Vedanta
• The Upanishads are part of the Vedas and are ancient Sanskrit texts that
contain some of the central philosophical concepts and ideas of Hinduism,
some of which are shared with religious traditions like Buddhism and
Jainism.
• The Upanishads are commonly referred to as Vedānta.
• Vedanta has been interpreted as the "last chapters, parts of the Veda" and
alternatively as "object, the highest purpose of the Veda“
• The concepts of Brahman (ultimate reality) and Ātman (soul, self) are
central ideas in all of the Upanishads
• The three fundamental Vedanta texts are:
1- the Upanishads (the most favoured being the longer and older ones
such as the Brihadaranyaka, the Chandogya, the Taittiriya, and the Katha);
2- the Brahma-sutras (also called Vedanta-sutras), which are very brief,
even one-word interpretations of the doctrine of the Upanishads;
3- and the Bhagavadgita (“Song of the Lord”), which, because of its
immense popularity, was drawn upon for support of the doctrines found in
the Upanishads.
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23. Ethos of Vedanta in Management
• Vedanta is a philosophy taught by the Vedas, the most ancient scriptures
of India. Its basic teaching is that our real nature is divine.
• God is our innermost Self, an underlying reality that exists in every being.
Religion is therefore a search for Self, a search for God within. We don't
need to be "saved." At worst, we are unaware of our true nature.
• Vedanta is one of the world’s most ancient spiritual philosophies and one
of its broadest, based on the Vedas, the sacred scriptures of India.
• It is the philosophical foundation of Hinduism; but while Hinduism
includes aspects of Indian culture, Vedanta is universal in its application
and is equally relevant to all countries, all cultures, and all religious
backgrounds.
• Vedanta affirms:
1. The oneness of existence,
2. The divinity of the soul, and
3. The harmony of all religions.
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24. • A closer look at the word “Vedanta” is revealing: “Vedanta” is a
combination of two words: “Veda” which means “knowledge” and
“anta” which means “the end of” or “the goal of.” In this context
the goal of knowledge isn’t intellectual—the limited knowledge we
acquire by reading books.
• “Knowledge” here means the knowledge of God as well as the
knowledge of our own divine nature. Vedanta, then, is the search
for Self-knowledge as well as the search for God.
• What do we mean when we say God? According to Vedanta, God is
infinite existence, infinite consciousness, and infinite bliss. The term
for this impersonal, transcendent reality is Brahman, the divine
ground of being.
• Yet Vedanta also maintains that God can be personal as well,
assuming human form in every age. Most importantly, God dwells
within our own hearts as the divine Self or Atman.
• The Atman is never born nor will it ever die. Neither stained by our
failings nor affected by the fluctuations of the body or mind, the
Atman is not subject to our grief or despair or disease or ignorance.
Pure, perfect, free from limitations, the Atman, Vedanta declares, is
one with Brahman. The greatest temple of God lies within the
human heart.
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25. • Vedanta asserts that the goal of life is to realize and to manifest our own
divinity. This divinity is our real nature, and the realization of it is our
birthright.
• We are moving towards this goal as we grow with knowledge and life
experiences. It is inevitable that we will eventually, either in this or in future
lives, discover that the greatest truth of our existence is our own divine nature.
• Vedanta further affirms that all religions teach the same basic truths about
God, the world, and our relationship to one another. Thousands of years ago
the Rig Veda declared: “Truth is one, sages call it by various names.” (ekam
satya bahuda vidanti' The world’s religions offer varying approaches to God,
each one true and valid, each religion offering the world a unique and
irreplaceable path to God-realization.
• The conflicting messages we find among religions are due more to doctrine
and dogma than to the reality of spiritual experience. While dissimilarities exist
in the external observances of the world religions, the internals bear
remarkable similarities.
• According to the Vedanta teachings there are four paths we can follow to
achieve the goal of understanding our divine nature.
• These paths are known as the Four Yogas. We can choose a path based on our
personality or inclination, or follow the practices of the paths in any
combination.
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26. • Karma Yoga is the path of action and suits people with active
temperaments. Performing actions selflessly – without thinking of
success or reward – purifies the heart and reduces the ego. Karma
Yoga is the best way to prepare oneself for silent meditation.
• Bhakti Yoga is the yoga of devotion and is perfect for people who
are emotional by nature. Through prayer, worship and ritual, one
comes to see the Divine as the embodiment of love. Chanting
mantras is an essential part of Bhakti Yoga.
• Jnana Yoga is the yoga of wisdom or knowledge is most suitable for
intellectual people. The philosophy of Vedanta teaches analytical
self-enquiry into one’s own true nature, with the goal of recognizing
the Supreme Self in oneself and in all beings.
• Raja Yoga is the science of controlling body and mind. The asanas
(body postures) and pranayamas (breathing exercises) from Hatha
Yoga are an integral part of this yoga path. The main practice of Raja
Yoga is silent meditation, where bodily and mental energies are
gradually transformed into spiritual energy.
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27. What values a modern age manager can take from Vedanta and why do you
think that Vedanta is as relevant in current times as it was before?
• Vedanta draws its content from Upanishads (part of the 4 vedas), Brahma sutras and Gita and the
principles of Vedanta give a deep insight into the purpose of life, types of human beings, levels of
consciousness and the most vital concept of dharma, kama, artha and moksha.
• A purposeful study of Vedanta can be a source of profound knowledge for modern age managers.
• Business leaders and managers are the conscious keepers of organizations and are expected to provide
moral leadership to the workforce. A manager who has been exposed to the teachings of Vedanta is
likely to have strong ethical and value based approach to life. He views his work as karma yoga and gives
his very Best but doesn’t get unnecessarily flustered if his efforts don’t bear immediate fruit. He draws
wisdom from Gita that says that a man is responsible for his actions but may or not have absolute
control over the outcome. This is not to say that he develops a fatalistic attitude towards all his action
but it only emphasises that fortitude and forbearance are necessary as a way of life.
• 'ekam satya bahuda vidanti' (Truth is one, in many forms it shows manifestation) and is another
learning from Vedanta. A manager trained in Vedanta thoughts realizes that the basic tenets of business
too are based upon value addition and profits without greed.
• World as one family - Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam is another theme of Vedanta and this allows a modern
manager not to show servility or superiority over any person just because the other person belongs to
another culture.
• Vedanta believes that dhrama (moral dimension), artha (economic pursuits), kama (worldly pleasures)
and moksha (salvatoon) are the four objects of al human pursuits. A Vedanta trained manager practices
his craft of business and pursuits of pleasures in accordance with morality and aims for eventual
salvation. The modern day manager can thus use the spirituality of Vedanta to lead a balanced life,
devoid of excesses and full of humanism and idealism.
• It is obvious that the context may have changed somewhat but what was true of Vedic period remains
true for today as well. The main players in business remain the business owners and workers and the
customers. The moral dimensions remain the same even though the positions may have become rigid
with the introduction of governance and enforcement.
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28. ..Vedanta and modern managers
• Vedanta philosophy gives an insight into the types of human beings- Tamsic, Rajsik
and Yogic. It also gives elaborate description of the motivations and driving forces
of the three types of human beings. A manager with knowledge of Vedanta will do
well by forming an appropriate strategy for all types of people and harnessing their
strengths or keeping away from them completely.
• Bhagavad Gita is an entire treatise on management. It talks about taking up a
cause just on the basis of righteousness, without flinching even if one has to be on
the opposite side of one’s own kith and kin. It espouses the concept of Dharma
over personal relationship.
• Bhagavad Gita also places importance of action over renunciation. When the great
archer Arjun wanted to give up arms when confronted by his own Gurus, uncles
and brothers in the battle field, Bhagwan Krishn tells Arjun that renunciation to
avoid action is akin to cowardice. Vedantic knowledge thus is clearly a call to action
and this is the key learning for any manager.
• Vedanta school of thought places great importance on Nishkasm karma or selfless
actions. This is the cornerstone of charity that later developed into Corporate
social responsibility.
• Vedanta stresses maximum emphasis over means and is not just about results. If
the ultimate aim of one’s life is to achieve salvation then the path trodden must be
ethical and moral.
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29. .. Vedanta and modern managers
• Ancient Indian texts place huge importance on environment and any one who is
exposed to these studies will always have respect for environment.
• The Upanishads explains the interdependence of environment in relation to
Brahman the supreme reality: “From Brahman arises space, from space arises air,
from air arises fire, from fire arises water, and from water arises earth.”
• Hinduism recognizes that the human body is composed of and related to these five
elements, and connects each of the elements to one of the five senses. The
human nose is related to earth, tongue to water, eyes to fire, skin to air, and ears
to space. This bond between our senses and the elements is the foundation of our
human relationship with the natural world.
• As per Upnishads, the earth can be seen as a manifestation of the goddess, and
must be treated with respect. The five elements - space, air, fire, water, and earth -
are the foundation of an interconnected web of life.
• Righveda says, “ A businessman should benefit from business like a honey-bee
which suckles honey from the flower without affecting its charm and beauty. This
clearly demonstrates the commitment of Vedas that were written between 1500
and 1000 BCE
It is but obvious that a scholar who has studied even the elementary level of
Vedanta will be a responsible businessman and a devoted environmentalist
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