Learning from Mahabharata at IIM Lucknow

 

A good mentor is worth an entire enemy

“This B-school is a citadel of learning with a difference where management science is coupled with management arts,” he began. Amidst tough deadlines and regular classes, we hardly realised this. IIM Lucknow has proved to be a B-school with a difference. At the entrance gate we see a huge sculpture of Arjuna conversing with his mentor, Krishna.

 

 

The Mahabharata tells that a good mentor is worth an entire army. While Duryodhana chose Krishna’s large army, Arjuna chose Krishna who vowed not to pick arms in the war. Arjuna realised that both sides had fearsome warriors. He needed a friend and a guide which he found in Krishna, the master strategist. IIM Lucknow teaches this truth the moment you step inside. “Aham Brahmasmi” – Lord Krishna, my soul, the Brahm truth of my life.

 

Success and CV points!

In times to come, in the words of Swamiji, we all will become successful. But success is that which is sustainable. The last chapter, last verse of the Bhagwad Gita says,

“yatra yogesvarah krsno
yatra partho dhanur-dharah
tatra srir vijayo bhutir
dhruva nitir matir mama”

Wherever there is Krishna, the master of all mystics, and wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer, there will also certainly be opulence, victory, extraordinary power, and morality. You will build up talent.

 

Know how to use your talent

However, talent is meaningless if you don’t know how to use it. You will be like Karna who is remembered as a great warrior but the murderer of Abhimanyu and the evil man who ordered the disrobing of Draupadi.

 

Use the right model at the right time

In Strategic Management, we learnt this. This learning roots back in the days of the Kurukshetra war when Krishna let Ghatotkach die so that Karna would not be able to use his Shakti astra to kill Arjuna. Krishna let Abhimanyu die in violation of all laws decided for the war so that even the Pandavas could break the laws to kill Duryodhana, Karna and Drona.

 

Swamiji says that in these two years, we will receive enough exposure for creating wealth for ourselves. But we need to learn optimisation of resources under given constraints. However, there will be little exposure for mastering our wisdom. We should remember the learnings from this two hours talk. “It is like a seed to be germinated throughout these two years and when you leave it will be a plant. In future the tree will breathe peace, success and joy. You will become a Rajarshi, an excellent administrator with rich knowledge, ethical conduct and professional success.”

 

(This article is written by Debalina Haldar, class of 2015 student at IIM Lucknow. Her novel, The Female Ward, was published in May, 2013. She is the Creative Head and Core Coordinator of the Media and Communication Cell at IIM Lucknow.)