|
English >> Works of Other Authors >> Indian Tradition |
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
Spirituality at Work— Devdas Menon
About Spirituality at WorkBased on the teaching of the Bhagavad Gita and drawing inspiration from Sri Aurobindo’s Essays on the Gita, this book has emerged from the lecture notes prepared by the author for a course on Integral Karmayoga offered at IIT Madras in 2014. Aimed at rediscovering the inspiring message of the Gita, the book focuses on finding fulfillment in life through the application of conscious will—through karmayoga, but also incorporating the ways of knowledge and devotion. Its purpose is to help the next generation face the challenges of a competitive work environment by applying the wisdom of the Gita to their daily lives. REVIEWWhen I received this book for review, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that a free elective course on Integral Karmayoga had been introduced in the curriculum at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Madras, in 2014, and that this book has emerged from the lecture notes prepared for the course. It is heartening to see that one of the most prestigious institutions of technology in India had the good sense to incorporate spirituality in its curriculum. Spirituality at Work is based on the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita, which the author refers to as Integral Karmayoga. He defines it as “the integrated practice of spirituality through work (karma), knowledge (jnana) and devotion (bhakti)”. The author, Devdas Menon, is a professor of Civil Engineering at IIT Madras and is inspired by the teachings of the Gita and of Sri Aurobindo. According to the blurb on the back cover, “[t]his book is based on the wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita. It also draws inspiration from the renowned sage Sri Aurobindo’s Essays on the Gita.” The book contains innumerable quotes from the writings of Sri Aurobindo, from the cover page right through to the last chapter. In the Preface, Devdas Menon says “The message of Integral Karmayoga in the Gita is meant for immediate practice, while working and living in the world, and not something to be dabbled with, post-retirement!” The path of Karmayoga in the Gita holds the key to a life-transforming spirituality which can integrate inner growth, well-being and fulfilment with the outer efficiency, productivity and innovation sought after by the modern corporate world. This integration has to be achieved over a spiritual foundation with an emphasis on inner progress, which means a progressive inner perfection, flowing out into the outer world in the form of an increasingly better quality of material life, which is not only efficient, productive and prosperous, but also suffused with aesthetic refinement, moral strength and mental vigour. In his book, Devdas Menon describes how to achieve this synthesis in our individual consciousness and life through the path of Integral Karmayoga, put into living practice in our daily life, in our work, actions and relationships. The author encompasses the Gita’s teachings in a comprehensive manner, discussing all the main concepts and practices of the Gita in eighteen chapters. In some chapters, he tries to place the Gita’s message in a modern context. A more conscious and focussed attempt in this direction, bringing out the relevance and application of the Gita’s teaching to an integral fulfilment of modern man – addressing the problems, concerns, and needs of someone living in a digitally connected “global village” and working in a fiercely competitive culture – could have made the book more contemporary. Before the text begins there are a few pages under the rubric “Early Acclaim”. In one of the testimonials, a young PhD scholar at IIT Madras, Ganesh Bapat, says: “I have truly learned a great deal about myself after taking the Integral Karmayoga course at IIT, Madras. A big shift in my attitude has also happened. Now, whenever my routine is disturbed or I am stuck in unhealthy habits, I am able to come out of that ignorance quickly. I am not easily let down by external challenges and feel more focussed and efficient at work.” I wish and pray that Spirituality at Work may have this kind of positive impact on many young minds in India. —M. S. Srinivasan M. S. Srinivasan is a research associate at Sri Aurobindo Society and serves on the editorial board of Fourth Dimension Inc., the e-journal of the Sri Aurobindo Foundation of Integral Management. His major areas of interest are management and Indian culture. August 2017 |
||||||||||||||||||||
