Behavioral reflection of human psyche: Transfer of training

Bhagavadita is a guide book, a work book for human psychology. It helps us understand the normal human mind, depressed minds as that of partha, how krishna used jnana yoga to address vishada, disgust, disappointment, depression. After Jnana yoga, we are analyzing the 3rd chapter of Bhagavadgita and trying to understand the inner secrets of karma yoga. Last week we discussed about Lokasangraha dimension of human behavior. One very important aspect here is behavioral positivity or in other words, behavioral reflection of human psyche. It's about how we human beings think, and how it gets reflected in our actions.

Our modern city life forces one to behave according to some set norms. Though boiling from inside, one has to put on a pleasant smiling face outside. One needs to hide true emotions and behave in a superficial way. If an innocent person behaves naturally and speaks his mind he would be discarded as a manner less fellow. However, modern psychology says these inner feelings can never be hidden completely, they will come out and show up in the behavior.

Now, if we reflect this thought on Krishna's behavior, we may conclude that he is a split personality. One who indulges in all worldly activities, though being an Sampoorna avatara purusha. For this he says, I cannot put myself on a higher pedestal and get disconnected with common people. If I do so, I will never be able to understand them and help them move up in the ladder of evolution. My behavior influences others and that's how I can bring about change in their lives. Hence, my involvement in worldly activities is not a pretention but a genuine interest to understand the people involved and then, add value by demonstrating better behavior. While doing so, I do not get attached either to the action or to the person, my individual identity is intact.

Once, Mysore Maharaja wanted to improve the language of palace workers. So he approached one of the well-known senior pandits and they both together identified a good teacher by name Subbaraya Sharma. Subbaraya Sharma was brought to the palace from a remote village and given the responsibility of polishing the Kannada language of palace workers. After couple of months, the senior Pandit wanted to know the progress and hence visited the palace, where he couldn't locate the teacher at all. After a long search, a person in shabby dress appeared before Pandit ji and addressed him in a crude language, "here I am, Subbu, the Kannada teacher". So, Subbaraya Sharma who came to polish the language of palace workers had become Subbu, a person who dresses and speaks like Palace workers. Important lesson here is, while being involved in common activities, one has to maintain his/her own true identity.

Value addition without losing once own identity

Krishna very well demonstrated this role model behavior, while rearing cows he gave education to other Gopalakas, while being a charioteer he gave Bhagavadgita to us. Such a role model behavior to motivate and transfer that behavior to others is called as transfer of training in today's terminologies. We need to understand behavioral reflection with this concept of Lokasangraha in mind. Using Lokasangraha as a technique we can culture and transform the behavior of common people.

Being a role model is a way to culture one's own behavior and that of others; this value is called as Lokasangraha.

Lokasangraha: A best module for individual and societal transformation