An evening with Mr Vikas Arya
Introduction
On Friday, May 3, we had an engaging session by Mr Vikas Arya, Honorary Secretary of the D.A.V. Group of Schools, Chennai. Mr Arya explained the key principles of Yog Darshan, which provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the theory and practice of Yoga. Yog Darshan outlines the nature of the mind, the obstacles to spiritual growth, and the methods for transcending these obstacles to attain higher states of consciousness and self-realization.
About Mr Vikas Arya
Mr Vikas Arya is an educationist, serving as the Honorary Secretary of D.A.V. Group of Schools, Chennai with a student strength of over 30,000. In his earlier corporate stint, he spent over eleven years in Private Equity & Corporate Finance, working with International Finance Corporation (World Bank Group), Gaja Capital Partners, Crisil and General Motors.
Mr Arya holds an MBA from IIM-Bangalore and is also a Chartered Accountant. He has authored 10 books titled ‘Fostering Vedic Values’ for classes I – X. He is also a learner of Vedic Philosophy and is a regular speaker on the subject at various forums.
About Yog Darshan
In Indian philosophy the term ‘Darshan’ refers to the distinctive way in which each philosophical system looks at things, including its exposition of sacred scriptures and authoritative knowledge. The six principal Hindu darshanas are Samkhya, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Yoga, Mimamsa, and Vedanta.
Samkhya: Samkhya, attributed to the sage Kapila, emphasises two key principles: Purusha (consciousness) and Prakriti (matter). Samkhya aims to liberate the individual soul (Purusha) from the cycle of birth and death by understanding the nature of Prakriti.
Nyaya: Nyaya, attributed to the sage Gautama, focuses on the analysis of valid reasoning and argumentation. Nyaya aims to establish the criteria for correct knowledge and inference.
Vaisheshika: Vaisheshika, attributed to the sage Kanada, primarily deals with metaphysics and the philosophy of atomism. Vaisheshika classifies reality into six categories (dravya, guna, karma, samanya, vishesha, and samavaya) and explores the nature of the physical world.
Yoga: Yoga, attributed to the sage Patanjali, focuses on spiritual and mental practices to achieve self-realization and union with the divine. Yoga encompasses various practices, including physical postures (asanas), breath control (pranayama), meditation (dhyana), and ethical principles (yamas and niyamas).
Mimamsa: Mimamsa, attributed to the sage Jaimini, emphasizes the importance of correct ritual performance and the study of the Vedas to achieve desired outcomes. Mimamsa is concerned with the practical application of Vedic teachings.
Vedanta: Vedanta is often considered the culmination of Vedic thought. It interprets the Upanishads and seeks to understand the ultimate reality (Brahman) and the relationship between the individual soul (Atman) and Brahman. Vedanta is divided into various sub-schools, including Advaita Vedanta (non-dualism), Dvaita Vedanta (dualism), and Vishishtadvaita Vedanta (qualified non-dualism). Each of these schools offers different perspectives on the nature of reality.
More about Yoga
Yoga has become a fad across the globe. But yoga goes far beyond physical exercises. 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. Yoga helps one to cultivate concentration and one-pointedness of the mind and achieve the superconscious state known as Nirvikalpa Samadhi.
Yog Darshan offers profound insights and practical techniques for enhancing productivity, fostering a positive work culture, and promoting overall well-being among employees.
The principles of Yoga philosophy can promote ethical leadership, teamwork, and personal growth among employees. With the help of these timeless teachings, companies can cultivate an environment that nurtures the physical, mental, and spiritual dimensions of employees' lives.
Patanjali Sutras
Patanjali composed 196 sutras in 4 chapters. These chapters convey deep insights on mind, body, soul, and the supreme force. These sutras provide guidance on how we can lead a life of dharma.
Yamas and Niyamas
The yamas (social ethics) and niyamas (personal observances) are the ethical guidelines laid out by Patanjali. They are like a map written to guide us on our life's journey. The yamas primarily focus on our actions when interacting with others. The niyamas focus more generally on our relationship with our physical and psychological selves.
The five yamas are :
- Ahimsa (nonviolence),
- Satya (truthfulness),
- Asteya (non-stealing),
- Brahmacharya (abstinence),
- Aparigraha (non-accumulation)
The five niyamas are :
- Soucha (internal and external cleanliness),
- Santosha (being happy and content),
- Tapas (penance),
- Swadhyaya (self-study)
- Ishvara Pranidhana (surrender to the higher power)
Laws vs Dharma
There are the laws of the land. But there is also the universal concept of dharma. We must go beyond the laws to observe dharma in true spirit. Here are some examples.
Asteya: No Stealing
Mr Arya illustrated Yog Darshan and the practice of Dharma specifically taking up one of the yamas: Asteya. We normally define stealing as taking someone’s possession without permission. But this is a restricted definition. As per the shastras, stealing is – (i) accepting anything from others which is not as per the tenets of Dharma, or (ii) using any of our belongings in a way which is not right as per dharma.
Mr Arya went on to provide some practical examples.
Traffic violation
Suppose we are flagged by the traffic police for jumping the traffic light. We are told to pay a fine of Rs 1000. We decide to pay a bribe of Rs 200 to the policeman and avoid the large fine. There is no force or compulsion. We have given the bribe on our own. This does not seem to be stealing at first glance. But it is wrong acceptance (saving) of money. So, it is stealing.
Income Tax
The Income Tax department collects taxes from us every year though we do not want to pay them. But we have no choice. Without any explicit permission from us, the government is imposing taxes. But if the taxes are reasonable and the money collected is spent in the right way, it is not stealing.
Taking a bribe and then making a donation to a temple
The money which we gave to the temple does not belong to us. So, it is not a donation. Thus, when we take a bribe and give it to the temple, it does not absolve us of ‘stealing’. Also, remember that we never give 100% of the amount – we tend to give away only a small portion of the ‘bribe’ income.
Freedom fighters looting the Kakori express
The Kakori Train robbery took place at Kakori, a village near Lucknow on 9 August 1925, during the independence movement. It was organized by the Indian revolutionaries as a mark of defiance against the British. They needed money for the purchase of weaponry. So the revolutionaries made a plan to rob a train on the Saharanpur railway lines.
This was not stealing. The money did not belong to the British in the first place. Moreover, the money was stolen not for personal use but for a larger purpose.
Copying in an exam
When we copy, we are not taking marks away from anyone. But we end up ‘accepting’ additional marks that do not belong to us. So, this is stealing as per Dharma.
Lawyer fighting a case on behalf of a criminal.
The lawyer knows his client has committed murder. But he takes up the case and takes fees from the client. This is as per the laws of the land. But ‘accepting’ fees which led to an ‘adhaarmic’ outcome is stealing as per dharma.
Selling liquor, drugs, or non-vegetarian food
This is also wrong as per dharma. Making money this way is a form of stealing. The money is made legally but the products sold are not good for human beings.
Selling cigarettes and mutual funds
When companies sell cigarettes, the injurious nature of the product is described in very small print. Similarly, when mutual funds are sold, the risks are mentioned in small print. These are again examples of making money in the wrong way, i.e. by stealing.
Q&A
When he was in IIM Bangalore, Mr Arya sensed that many of his seniors who had joined the industry were not finding sustained happiness. In 2003, after graduating from IIMB, he joined General Motors. But after about a year, he quit and lived the life of a Brahmachari at an ashram. He began to understand more about mind, body, soul, and prayer. He developed insights on the purpose of life.
Later, Mr Arya came back to the corporate sector. He decided to spend some time there to become financially comfortable. Then he took a sabbatical and turned his attention to education where he felt he could make the biggest impact. He joined his alma mater and also taught at a couple of B Schools. Now, Mr Arya is full time into school education.
Darshan is a philosophy. It helps us to visualize things differently. We need a different lens to appreciate the subtle aspects of life.
Patanjali defined yoga as "Chitta Vritti Nirodha", which means that if we can still the modifications and activity of the mind, we are in a ‘Yogic’ state.
We should ideally be able to control our mind and direct it properly. But this is difficult for most of us. We can control our mind for short periods of time but not always. Yog Darshan can help us to control our mind.
Greater concentration in the workplace means no wastage of time and greater productivity. It ensures we do not get lost in urgent but unimportant activities and do not waste our time doing silly things.
We should find a larger purpose in life. When he was doing his summer internship in the Kwality Walls division of HUL, Mr Arya realized that selling FMCG products did not give him a sense of purpose. Of course, purpose is individualistic. Some people may very much enjoy selling FMCG products. For example, soaps can improve hygiene and community health. (Lifebuoy is positioned on this plank.)
If we see meaning in our work, it becomes worship. It is when our job and passion coincide that work becomes worship. In this sense, it is like the concept of Ikigai, which is very popular in Japan. (Recall the fascinating session by Ms Nupur Tewari on August 11, 2023. She spoke about Japanese leadership practices and Ikigai.)
Financial considerations are important to take care of our family. But we must find a way to balance the need to make a living and meaning.
Ideally, we should customize education to suit the learning styles/ orientations of individual students. But this is an expensive proposition for a country like India with such a large number of students. We must balance reach and quality.
Customization applies to both hard and soft infrastructure. Customization makes sense for two segments: the top students who can become the inventors of tomorrow and those with special learning needs like autistic children. For the large middle segment, customization will be expensive.
Simultaneously, we must try to address the biggest problem today in education: shortage of quality teachers. We must pay them more and also provide them better training.
In our tradition, the teacher is treated as Acharya. Students must respect teachers. For that, teachers must be role models. They should conform to the principles of dharma. If students imbibe values from the teachers, they will have a sharper mind. Their academic performance will also improve automatically.
Mr Arya introduced an analogy to illustrate the point. Our CV is like the visible portion of the iceberg. But the invisible part of the iceberg includes various kinds of capabilities, mental strength, and ability to take up challenges. By imparting values, teachers can help students build this “invisible” part of the iceberg. In general, good education is a blend of ‘Para’ (higher knowledge) and ‘Apara’ vidya (lower knowledge), i.e. character and competence.
Note: The two forms of knowledge in Indian philosophy are "material world”" (Apara, lower knowledge) and "knowledge of the eternal” (Para, higher knowledge). The lower knowledge includes knowledge of Mathematics, Sciences, Language, Arts, Music etc. The higher knowledge is how one can comprehend the imperishable. It is the knowledge of Atma (soul) and Brahman (God) - the unseen, eternal, all-pervading, infinitesimal, imperishable, indestructible.
Every day, we take tens of thousands of small decisions. If we concentrate, we can take better decisions. Multi-tasking is about taking multiple decisions. So, if we concentrate, multitasking become easier. We can get a wide range of tasks done. Yog darshan improves our ability to concentrate.
When we believe in Santosha, we will be happy and content with what we are doing. We will do our best without worrying about whether we succeed.
Whenever we feel stressed, we must visualize what would happen if we are involved in a serious accident and are paralysed and lying in hospital. Compared to that, the current situation however stressful it may be, is infinitely preferable. The stress will melt away.
In short, Yog Darshan enables us to improve efficiency through concentration. And it also relieves stress by enabling us to be happy and contented with what we have and how fortunate we are.
Our education has focused more on Apara vidya. Even the elitist schools are in this category. Mr Arya who had the best of education was also not exposed to higher knowledge. He had to attend camps to understand the meaning of these core values.
Parents have an important role to play. They must change the focus from marks to values. They must walk the talk. Ironically, enough, the highly privileged may find it more difficult to imbibe Para vidya. They are used to a life of privileges. In contrast, the underprivileged who have struggled in life are mentally stronger and better predisposed towards Para vidya.
We need to imbibe and reinforce the key concepts and implement them in our life. Vidya happens in four stages: Shravan (listening intently, not just hearing, exposure to theory), manan (reflection, logically thinking about what we have listened to), nididhyasan (mediation, contemplation and getting absorbed in it, asking questions) and sakshatkar (Implementation in daily life).