Secrets of Achievements

What should one do during his or her lifetime? What should be the goals? How to achieve them? Should one really have goals? Should it be one goal or there should be many goals? Should there be one goal with many sub-goals? Should the goals keep changing from time to time?  Why should we talk about goals at all? Does it not complicate life?

There are millions who spend their lifetime without a goal. There are millions who do not even think of a goal because they have no time to think of one. There are also millions who have decided goals and work for achieving them. And in course of time achieve them with great efforts and continuous hard work. Such achievers are often recognised and felicitated by giving away awards and prizes. Associations and Organisations regularly identify achievers and recognise their efforts and contributions. These are joyous moments for the achievers as well as those who appreciate the achievers and their achievements. These recognitions often spur the achievers into doing even better in further pursuits. 

After receiving any such recognitions or awards, the achievers are asked a common question. What is the secret of your achievement? There may be many answers for this questions. Some achievers may try to answer them with words. Some others merely smile and let it pass. There are some others who find this as an opportunity and start waxing eloquently and make the questioner regret his asking the question. Many achievers answer with modesty and mention that this was all due to the effort and support of their team members. Some of them gracefully thank all those associated with the true achievement. 

How do these achievements come about? Is it due to the Essence or Substance of the achievers or due to the tools that were available to them? Was it their own effort or contributions of the team members? If it was due to their own team members, then why does it not happen to others who led the same team earlier or later? Why these achievements come to some repeatedly and even when they lead different teams at different times? These are interesting questions that beg for an answer.

Such questions are not recent in origin. These questions have been asked for thousands of years and answered as well. One may not concur with the answers and may wish them away as mere opinions. But the truth is that these questions have been asked and answered since ages. They were also answered in interesting manner as well.

*****

It is said that this question came up once in the royal court of King Bhojaraja of Dharanagara, present town of Dhar (near Indore) in the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh. There are many stories about Raja Bhoja and many disputes about his period. The complications come from the fact that there were many Kings with the same name over several centuries. The most famous Bhoja ruled from Dhar in the early 11th century (1010-1055 AD). He was a great patron of literature and fine arts. Among the many stories are mentions about the nine poets (Navamanis - Nine Jewels) including Poet Kalidasa. For the purpose of this discussion on achievements and achievers, we have to keep aside all these controversies and just go by the story.

Once when the royal court was in session, many courtiers appreciated the achievements of Bhoja. His taking good care of his state and subjects, and his being a patron of poets and artistes came for special mention. Raja Bhoja thanked them for all kind words and mentioned that all these achievements were possible due to the support and best wishes of his subjects and well-wishers. This led to the argument about the roles of tools and substance of the achiever in reaching the goals.

One poet stated that the achievements of Raja Bhoja was entirely due to his own efforts and substance. He gave the analogy of sage Agastya. "Agastya was born in a pot, lived among animals in the forest, ate root vegetables and led the life of a ascetic. Yet when confronted, he drank the mighty ocean by taking it in his hand! For the achievers, achievement comes from their own substance and not the tools!", he thunders in his verse in Sanskrit. क्रियासिद्धिः सत्वेभवति महातंनोपकरणे - Secret of Achievements is the achiever's own capacity and not from the tools, he mentions.

A second poet concurs with him and gives another analogy. He refers to Kamadeva or Cupid. "Kamadeva's bow is made of flowers, bees are its strings, the arrow he uses is the fickle and mercurial sight of women, his friend is the freezing moon and these are his fragile tools; he does not even have a body and yet he shakes and creates ripples in the whole world. His achievement comes purely from his own capacity and not these tools", he says.

Achievements come from the substance of the achiever and his efforts alone, not by the tools or team he gets, they argue. And it appears that settled the arguments then.

*****

Lack of tools or a weak team can be an excuse for poor achievement. Role of right tools or supporting competent team members can never be overemphasised. Even an expert cook cannot give the output of good food unless he is provided with good ingredients and right tools. At the same time the presence of the ingredients and excellent tools do not bring out the quality in the food prepared unless the cook is skilled in handling these items. Coaches may be in perfect condition; but they cannot move on their own. The speed at which they move depends on the engine; compare their speed when they are hauled by a steam engine, a diesel locomotive or a bullet train engine. The engine determines the degree of achievement for the same set of coaches. 

A right combination of the achiever's substance and matching tools is the real recipe for achievements. Both have their share of importance, yet leader makes a difference.

*****

Argument of the second poet mentioned above, giving the example of the Cupid is indeed very interesting. It reads thus:

धनुः पौष्पं मोर्वी मधुकरमयी 

चञ्चलद्रुशाम् कृशां कोणो बाणः  

सुहृदपि जरात्मा हिमकरः स्वयंचैकोनङ्गः 

सकल भुवनं व्याकुलयति 

क्रियसिद्दिः सत्वेभवति महताम् नोपकरणे 

Dhanuhpoushpam mourvee madhukaramayee

Chanchaladrushaam krushaam konobaanaha

Suhrudapi jaratmaa himakaraha Swayamchaikonangaha

Sakala bhuvanam vyakulayati

Kriyasiddihsatvebhavati mahataam nopakarane

Manmatha (Cupid) has a bow made of flowers with a string of bees, the arrow used is the fickle and crooked sight of women, has a freezing friend in the Moon and He Himself is without a body! and yet, he rules the whole world. Therefore, his achievement is only due his own capacity and not these tools he uses! Tools do not matter to the achievers; their achievement is derived from their own substance.

The words "Dhanuhpoushpam Mourvee Madhukaramayee" with which the above verse starts is the same as in the 6th sloka of "Soundarya Lahari" composed by the revered Guru, Adi Shankaracharya. This sloka in Soundarya Lahari also deals with the exploits of Cupid and how he derives his powers to shake the world from The Mother, who is the subject of devotion and prayer in Soundarya Lahari. The second poet referred above has probably taken the words from that prayer (assuming that he succeeded the Acharya in timeline, which is most likely) and modified it to settle the dispute about the essence of the achiever and the tools!

Legend has it that Manmatha has a bow of sugarcane or flowers and uses five flower arrows - Aravinda, Ashoka, Choota, Navamallika and Neelotpala (23rd sloka of Amarakosha says - Aravindamashokancha chootancha navamallika, neelotpalancha panchaite panchabanasya sayakaah - the flowers are Lotus, Ashoka, Mango, Jasmine and Blue water Lille  or Naidile). Here the crooked views of krushaangis (women with thin waistlines) has replaced the arrows of flowers. Does it really matter? Slight difference in the tools do not make a difference when we are dismissing the entire set of tools, lock, stock and barrel!