He is a "Big Yardstick!"

They had come from far and wide; from all parts of the country.  There were families with young boys and girls, old couples and young men and women.  All of them assembled at Gate 15 of the Departure lounge of the Delhi International Airport.  The gate enclosure itself was a small area with not even sufficient chairs to seat the older people.  They stood for over an hour at the boarding gate for the announcement of a flight that had a special number - 555.  Almost all of them were on a vacation and were visibly excited.  That the lounge was small did not dampen their spirits; it probably enhanced their excitement.

The flight was expected to take one and half hours.  It took off on schedule and the first one hour was uneventful.  Suddenly some kids got up and started to take pictures from the aircraft’s windows.  Those on the window side seats were probably doing that already.  Taking pictures from the aircraft is prohibited, but nobody seemed to bother about it.  Even the air hostesses smiled away.  For a few minutes most of the passengers were out of their seats and clicking.  Mobile phones have made photo-taking very easy now.  Of course, the thrill of carrying a camera, purchasing film, loading them, clicking photos, sending it for developing and printing and thereafter waiting eagerly for the printed snaps is long dead and gone.  I strongly suspect that the value of photos itself is now compromised.  Whatever it is, this was a time to click away.  And all of them did it in plenty.  Most of them would not have read or heard about Kumarasambhavam.  But to understand Himalayas that was not required.  His very presence was enough and more.

Mahakavi Kalidasa has described Himalayas as the majestic yardstick, standing to the north of our country and the King of Mountains.  Kalidasa starts his celebrated Mahakaavya “Kumara Sambhavam” with this praise of the Mountains.  The Himalayas is not just another mountain range for the Mahakavi; he is the symbol of the ethos of our lofty values.  His size is just too great and hence he is called a yard stick.  Was he justified in calling Himalayas as a yardstick?  He is a yardstick for measuring the Earth.  When we consider the size of the Himalayan Range we realize how right Mahakavi Kalidasa was!  To measure the size of the Earth, we require a yardstick of the size of Himalayas as nothing else will suffice.  Earth’s diameter is said to be about 12,720 Kilometers or 7900 miles.  The Himalayan Range extends from west to east for a length of 2400 Kilometers or 1500 miles.  Therefore, it is easy to measure the size of the earth using the Himalayas as the yard stick.  Earth’s diameter is 5.3 yards if Himalayas is one yard!  This is not a yard of three feet.  That yard is only for measuring very small things. 

Those on the flight could get a clear view of the Himalayas as the flight was approaching Srinagar.  It was a clear and sunny day and enabled viewing the snow clad mountain peaks, flowing rivers and the evergreen forests.  It did not matter that they were flying at 34,000 feet. They were not looking at a small hill; it was the Himalayas who stretched as far as the eyes could see and comprehend.

The Himalayan range has nine out of ten highest peaks in the world.  Geologists say that this is one of the youngest mountain ranges in the world.  The range gives birth to innumerable rivers and the big three siblings are The Sindhu (Indus), Ganga and Brahmaputra. Brahmaputra is considered a brother.  600 million people depend and live in the cradles of these mighty rivers.

There is a Hindi film by name “Yaatrik”, produced in the year 1952 and directed by Kartick Chatterjee.  It is the story of a group of people on a trek in the Himalayas during their pilgrimage. The film brought considerable boost to the career of the well-known actor of yesteryear, Abhi Bhattacharya who has played the role of a young Bramhachari. There is a song in this film, sung by Pankaj Mullick who was at his peak as a play back singer then.  The recording is available and can be heard on YouTube.  The stanzas of the song are taken from the verses of Kalidasa’s Kumara Sambhavam.

When we hear that song and recall the words of the Mahakavi Kalidasa, there is no doubt that he is a Yardstick.  But he is not just a yardstick; he is a big yardstick indeed!     

Casabianca and Mount Vindhya

"The boy stood on the burning deck

When all but he had fled,

The flame that lit the battle's wreck 

shone around him over the dead"

"Casabianca" is a famous poem by Felicia Dorothea Hemans, an English poetess from Ireland.  She lived for only 41 years (1793-1835) and in her short life span wrote several poems, said to have been published in 19 volumes.  Her eldest brother Lt General Sir Thomas Henry Browne had a distinguished position in the Army and other brothers also held high positions in the Government. Her husband Captain Alfred Hemans served in the Irish Army.  She was naturally well versed in battlefield exploits.  "Casabianca" is a true account of an actual incident from the 1798 "Battle of Nile", between the French navy and British navy under the command of Admiral Horatio Nelson.  The poet was only five year old when the incident happened.  This probably left a deep impression on her and resulted in the writing of the poem.  British Navy ships chasing the French navy made a surprise attack on them in the Aboukir Bay near the Egyptian city of Alexandria.  This surprise attack and destruction of the French navy ships in the Aboukir Bay defeated Napoleon Bonaparte's plans of attacking the British forces in India.

Louis de Casabianca was the captain of the French flag ship "Orient" that took part in the Battle of Nile.  He had taken his 12-year old son Giocante de Casabianca also on the voyage.  When the ship was attacked by the British, father Louis was standing on the deck with the young boy Giocante, supervising the activities on the ship.  The captain was called by another officer for attending to an emergency in the lower deck.  While going over there, the father advised the son to stay on the deck till he returned.  When the father was on the lower deck, the ship's magazine (a place in the ship where ammunition or other explosives were stored for distribution in time of need) exploded and the whole ship became a giant inferno.  As the other sailors abandoned the ship and jumped into the sea, they asked the boy to accompany them and save himself from death. He refused to leave without his father or his permission.

Say, Father, say, if yet my task is done

Speak Father, once again he cried

If I may be gone

Shouted once more aloud 

My father, must I stay?

alas, of course, there is no response

The father was in no position to reply as he had died in the explosion on the lower deck. The boy would not listen to others and did not move without his father.  He dies on the deck in the burning flames.  The poet concludes:

With mast and helm, and pennon fair,

That well had borne their part-

But the noblest thing which perished there

Was that young faithful heart

The father did not return.  The son would not leave.  Casabianca, the 12-year old boy, is burnt with the ship and dies, and yet lives as a symbol of a faithful son for ever.  The picture given above (from the internet) aptly explains the situation.  

*****

Several million years ago, the legend says, the mountains had wings and could fly in the sky.  This was causing havoc in the order of things.  Lord Indra wanted to restore some order and using his weapon, Vajraayudha, cut the wings of all mountains.  The problem of flying mountains was stopped for ever.  But one mountain, Vindhya in Central India, had the special capacity to grow.  His growth resulted in another problem; it obstructed the movement of people on either side to cross over to the other side.  Sun god was also afraid that one day his path too would be obstructed and his movement restricted.

Sage Agastya is considered as the shortest of the seven celestial sages, known as Saptarshis. He was requested to do something to stop the growth of Vindhya.  Agastya Rishi is highly revered and considered as the founder of the "Siddha Form of Medicine", a branch of Ayurveda.  He was held in high esteem by all including Vindhya. The sage who lived in the Himalayas came south with his wife Lopamudra. Looking at the sage near him, Vindhya bowed to him in reverence. Agastya blessed Vindhya and told him that he was going south for some work and would return after sometime.  He also told Vindhya that his growth would create problem for him to cross over to the north when he returned. Being a short man, it was difficult for him to climb a growing mountain and move to the other side. Due to the respect he commanded, Vindhya promised the sage that he would stay in his bowed form, thus shortening his height, till the sage returned from the south.  He would hold his growth till Agastya returned to the north.  The sage was happy and went south.  He told his wife Lopamudra that they would settle down in south forever.  Vindhya is waiting for the sage to return; that is not going to happen as the sage Agastya has settled down in south of South India.

Agastya is still believed to be living near Rameswaram.  He is said to have been present when Lord Rama created the Temple of Rameswara, during Ramayana days.  He is credited with being the earliest author of Tamil Grammar.

*****

        

Casabianca waited for his father who could not come.  Vindhya is waiting for a sage who would not come.  We also keep waiting for things that either cannot come or do not come.......

Handcuff him and bring here!

Arrangements were being made at a frantic pace for one of the most important wedding functions of all times.  All the family members had assembled at the Groom's camp to join the "Baaraat" and proceed to the Bride's place on the day fixed for the wedding. Responsibilities were distributed to all the key functionaries, according to their respective abilities and capacities. Everyone was present and extremely busy.  Only one person was missing......

Srinivasa was only one of his many names.  He had (and has) innumerable names among which Srinivasa, Venkatesha and Balaji are the more often used. He went to the forest on a hunting expedition.  By sheer coincidence, princess Padmavati also came to the forest with her sakhis (friends) to enjoy the scenery of the flowering season.  One wild elephant chose to rush in the direction of the princess and her friends.  They were all scared and all her friends ran away leaving her alone before the wild elephant.  Just at the right moment Srinivasa appeared and chased the elephant away. Since he was on a Bete (Bete meaning hunting) mission with a bow and arrows in his hands, he got one more name: Byataraya Swamy.  The elephant ran away leaving Srinivasa and Padmavathi alone in the forest. They had to see each other and naturally it was love at first sight.  Before the love could progress further, all those friends who had ran away came back and took away Padmavathi. Srinivasa came back to his hut, alone.  His mother Bakulavathi understood the situation. The seven celestial sages, Saptarshis, were assigned the task of mediating and finalising the other aspects for the marriage with King Akasharaya, Padmavathi's father. Only remaining issues were arrangements for the marriage and the wedding function.

Srinivasa was alone with his mother.  How to go about arrangements for the marriage?  It was no ordinary marriage; the bride was a King's daughter. Arrangements had to be in a scale befitting the status of the bride's family. Srinivasa summoned his eldest son, Lord Brahma.  Brahma was anointed as the "Chief of Groom's party", being the eldest of the family. At his command all the other office-bearers of the celestial arrangement faithfully presented themselves for duty as well as part-taking in the ceremony.  Finance was the biggest problem for making the arrangements.  Wealth (Goddess Lakshmi) had deserted Srinivasa and he did not have even a rupee or dime with him.  Brahma summoned Kubera, the richest among the group and Treasurer of the celestial family.  A Long Term Loan was arranged to meet the marriage expenses, though at a high rate of interest. Lord Brahma and the "Vatavruksha" (Big Banyan Tree) in the forest became witnesses to the loaning transaction.  Funds were not a problem now.

Brahma distributed the responsibilities for preparations equitably.  Fastest stenographer Ganesha was assigned to writing all the invitations.  His six-headed brother Shanmukha was given the task of distributing them and inviting the guests; he could fly on the peacock and invite six at a time using his six heads.  Varuna, Water Lord, was placed in-charge of supplying water. Fire Lord Agni was the chief cook so that there was no complaint of shortage of firewood or adequate heat for cooking.  Sun was advised to supply adequate lighting during daytime while Moon was to do the same during the nights.  Vayu, Lord of the Winds was tasked with ensuring proper ventilation, fans and fragrance.  The doctor twins, Aswinis were to take care of emergency medical aid in case anyone fell sick.  Yama, the merciless prison-keeper, was made head of the Disciplinary Committee.  Garuda, the fastest flier, was the chief of transportation. Indra, head of the Devas, took on himself the task of supervising all other arrangements.  Others too got assignments in tune with what they are good at. Srinivasa was satisfied with all the arrangements being made.  But he felt someone was missing........ 

Srinivasa realised that Hanuman was the one missing in the group.  "Where is Hanuman?", he thundered.  There was a lull and nobody answered.  Invitation committee was questioned.  Somebody sheepishly replied, "He has refused to come.  Says he cannot eat the red rice served to you!".  All others were anxious as to what would happen next. Srinivasa smiled.  "Handcuff him and bring him here.  Tell him not to worry about what I eat. He will get the finest white rice, excellent ghee and everything else that goes with them. The Baaraat cannot proceed without Hanuman!", he instructed.  His instructions were carried out immediately.  Hanuman was handcuffed and brought before him without loss of time. After arrival of Hanuman Baaraat moved and the wedding function continued.

Even today Hanuman stands before Lord Srinivasa in Tirumala-Tirupati, handcuffed. The idol in the small temple in front of the "Sanctum Sanctorum" Mahadwaram (Main door) on Sannidhi street is called "Bedi Anjaneya Swamy" (Hand-cuffed Anjaneya Swamy, as can be seen in the picture given above). Naivedyam (offerings to the Lord) is brought here after the ritual at the Lord's abode every day and placed before Hanuman.  

*****      

During the last two weeks, Lord Balaji's prasadam was given to me several times by devotees who made trips to Tirumala hills.  There cannot be any complaint about the quantity, quality or the number of times the prasad was given.  It is one of the most delicious prasadam one can ever get.  Whenever I get the prasadam, I ask a question: "Have you seen Bedi Anjaneya?".  Invariably the answer is "What is that?".  Bedi Anjaneya temple is right there in front of the main door of the Balaji temple.  Most people cross it and go to the main temple or pass through that when they return after the darshan.  But Bedi Anjaneya is mostly forgotten.  Fifty years ago, one would have the Darshan of Varaha Swamy and Bedi Anjaneya before going to the darshan of Balaji.  Today's fast trips have made it impossible to see other attractions around the main temple.  Waiting in the long queue has rendered other issues immaterial.  Varaha Swamy is known but not visited; Bedi Anjaneya is totally forgotten.

*****

There is another popular story about the handcuffing of Anjaneya.  It is claimed that Anjaneya was born in one of the seven hills of Tirumala called Anjanagiri or Anjanadri.  (It is also claimed that he was born in several other places; Hampi in Karnataka, Trayambakeswar in Maharashtra as well as in the forests of Jarkhand). He was very mischievous as a child and often troubled the ascetics in the forests.  On their complaints, his mother Anjanadevi handcuffed him.  Another story claims that he was running away in search of a camel (camel in Tirumala Hills?) and to stop him she handcuffed him.  Lord Hanuman is the hero of many many such stories.

Anjaneya is highly revered and if one goes by belief, it is most unlikely that he ever refused to carry out the wishes of the Lord.  The stories above are only many ways of explaining how the Anjaneya statue in Tirumala is in the form of a handcuffed Hanuman. Nevertheless, Bedi Anjaneya is indeed a reality and can be seen even today in font of the main door of the Balaji temple.

Will you visit him at Tirumala when you go there next time?  Please do so before collecting the Laddu prasadam!  

Ekadashamukha Avalokitesvara

Most of the big cities in the world have their own museums where collection of artifacts and other objects of historical, scientific, social, cultural and artistic values are displayed for viewing by the general public.  These museums also act as an important knowledge source for students, scholars and scientists for their studies and research.  They periodically conduct festivals and seminars which provide impetus to dedicated studies. Museums in cities like Paris, London, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Montreal, Mumbai, Mysore and Hyderabad are huge and spread over many floors and sections. Some of these cities have museums in multiple locations with division of display items based on diverse themes. Items on display are often invaluable and much effort is required for safeguarding them. There are museums dedicated to a particular aspect of life like the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa, Canada and Museum of Flight in Seattle, USA. A proper viewing of such museums cannot be completed in a single day. Most of the museums provide maps showing the arrangement of display items so that the visitor can view the galleries systematically without missing any of them. Museums like the one in Washington DC provide brochures which give an indiction of the major attractions for viewing by the visitor in the their available time.  The visitor can decide how much time he wants to spend there and accordingly see the highlights from the most important items to whatever he can. Visiting museums and viewing the rare items and articles is a matter of personal liking and interest.

The city of Seattle, Washington state, USA has three museums; Seattle Art Museum, Asian Art Museum and Olympic Sculpture Park.  On a visit to the Asian Art Museum there three years ago, I chanced to see a bronze statue about 20 inches in height with a caption "Ekadashamukha Avalokitesvara".  The statue had 11 heads, three each in three steps one set above the other, and two heads one each above them. A picture of the statue, downloaded from the internet, is given alongside. This is a rare statue and I had not seen a similar one earlier.  Our mythology refers to "Ekadasha Rudras". Ekadasha vaara (vaara means times - eleven times) Rudrabhisheka is an eloberate form of worshipping the 11 forms of Lord Shiva with the names Mahadeva, Shiva, Maha Rudra, Shankara, Neelalohita, Eshana Rudra, Vijaya Rudra, Bheema Rudra, Devadeva, Bhavodhbhava and Aditya Rudra. But there is no reference to any 11 headed Rudra or Eswara.  This created an interest to further dwell on the subject.

During a visit to Ajanta and Ellora caves last year, the guide there took us from one cave to another cave and explained the importance of each cave.  When he took us to the most popular painting in the Ajanta caves, he showed us the painting shown alongside and mentioned that this is one of the Bodhisatvas. The mural painting on the wall of Cave No. 1 was mentioned as "Padmapani" (Holding a lotus in his hand).  He mentioned that this was a form of Avalokiteswara.  That led to the linking of the statue in Seattle museum to Buddhism and the link to Ekadashamukha Avalokiteswara unfolded.  There is extensive reference to Avalokitesvara in Buddhist literature.  He is a Bodhisatva who embodies compassion of all Buddhas.  Avalokitesvara means "The Lord who looks down from above".  Mahayana sect of Buddhists consider him as one of the most revered Bodhisatva. The mission of Bodhisatva is to free all sentient beings from Samsara, which is the cycle of birth and death.

Tibetan Buddhism recognizes seven forms of Avalokiteswara.  Amoghapasha, the one connected with the net (pasha) is the first.  Sahasrabhuja Lokeswara, the one with thousand heads and eyes is the second. Hayagriva (the one with the head of a horse) is the third. Chundi is the fourth and Chintamani Chakra (Sudarshana) is the fifth.  Ekadashamukha is sixth and Arya Avalokitesvara is the seventh.  It is interesting to note that "Purusha Sukta" in Hinduism refers to the Lord as one with "Thousand heads and Thousand Eyes". (Here thousand means infinite; hence infinite heads have infinite eyes.  It is not merely one thousand as generally understood).  Vishnu is also known in one form as Hayagriva.  He also holds Sudarshana Chakra.  Does it indicate that Buddhism also branched out from Hinduism?

Avalokitesvara is known with different names in various parts of the world. Transalated to Chinese it is said to become "Kaun Shi Yin" or "Quan YIn" meaning looking down upon the worlds. Buddhists believe that if one calls Avalokitesvara, he will appear and help the one who calls him.  Chinese also refer to him as "Guanyin", mening personifiction of perfect compassion. One story explains how Avalokitesvara got thousand hands and eleven heads.  Bodhisatva vowed that "should he ever become disheartened in saving sentient beings (one having power of perception by senses), may his body shatter into thousand pieces".  Once when he cleared the hell by helping all the suffering beings and looked down from a higher realm, he still found many beings flooding the hell.  In that moment of despair, his body shattered into thousand pieces.  His personal Guru, Amitabha Buddha then appeared and using his miraculous powers converted each of the pieces into an arm with an eye of wisdom in each palm. Avalokitesvara then continued his mission with these 1000 hands.  The picture given alongside shows the 1000 arms and 11 heads.

There are many versions of Avalokitesvara in Buddhist texts.  In Sri Lanka he is called "Natha". In Cambodia he is worshipped as Lokeswara. Chinese buddhists believe that there is a female form of Avalokitesvara with 1000 hands, similar to the picture shown here.  What does Ekadashamukha represent? It is believed that the additional ten heads are meant to teach the ten planes; eight in eight directions and two for worlds above and below.  (Something similar to "Dasharatha", the one whose chariot could move in any of the ten directions - East, West, North, South, North--West, North-East, South-East and South-West plus above and below). The stories of Bodhisattva and Ekadashamukha Avalokiteswara are as interesting as his bronze statue displayed in the Seattle museum and the mural painting of Ajanta and Ellora caves.

Paid in full with a glass of milk

Many stories and anecdotes float on the internet.  They are read and forwarded to relatives and friends.  Some of them are true accounts.  Some others are partly true and some of them are totally false.  Their reliability ignored, they often make good reading.  If we go behind them a bit deeply and verify their authenticity, many new dimensions unfold.

I have received a story from three different sources over the last few months.  It is something like this......

*****

A poor boy was selling goods from door to door to earn for paying his school fees. One day when he was moving from house to house, he felt very hungry.  He had only one dime (a ten cent coin; one tenth of a Dollar) left in his pocket.  He decided to ask for a meal at the next house.  A lovely young woman opened the door.  He could not ask for a meal and instead asked for a drink of water.  The woman looked at him, thought he was hungry and went inside the kitchen.  She brought a large glass of milk.  He drank it slowly and then asked, "How much do I pay?".  "You do not owe anything.  My mother has taught me never to accept anything in return of kindness", she replied.  He thanked the pretty woman and left.  

Many years later the woman became critically ill.  The local doctors were baffled about the reasons for her illness and suggested that she be admitted to the big hospital in the city so that she could receive treatment from specialists.  A specialist visited her and attended to her over the next few months.  She recovered from her illness.  She was all along more worried about something else than her ailment. She was afraid of the fat bill she had to meet at the time of her discharge from the hospital.  She was scared when she asked for the bill on the day of discharge.  The bill was brought to her and she was advised that the bill was already paid.  The bill was signed by the attending specialist Doctor after the the words, "Paid in full with a glass of milk".

***** 

Johns Hopkins was an entrepreneur and earned substantially through his hard work. While working with his uncle in his grocery business in Baltimore, he is said to have fallen in love with his uncle's daughter Elizabeth.  In those days marriage of first cousins was not acceptable in Quakers families, a group to which he belonged.  Hence both Johns and Elizabeth never married in their life.  He used his vast wealth for the welfare of orphans, students and healthcare.  He died on christmas eve in 1873 as a childless bachelor.  He bequeathed a vast fortune of 7 million US Dollars to Philanthropy.  It was the biggest donation to charity at that time.  Many institutions with his name came up through this corpus left behind him. Johns Hopkins Hospital and Johns Hopkins University in Maryland are the major ones among them.

Four prominent doctors, known as "The Big Four", are credited with being the founder Professors of the Johns Hopkins University and Medical College.  They are Dr William Osler (Medicine), Dr William Halsted (Surgery), Dr William Welch (Pathology) and Dr Howard Atwood Kelly (Gynecology).  Dr Howard Kelly is hailed as the man who developed Gynecology as a specialized field in medicine.  He did pioneering research in "women only" medical problems and developed new surgical approach to cure such diseases.  He developed "Cystoscope", an instrument that has mirrors like a telescope or microscope and used in treatment of urinary tract related issues.  He is also credited as being the first for use of Radium in treatment of cancer.  He has left his indelible mark in the field of medicine.

The story of "Paid in full with a glass of milk" relates to Dr Howard Kelly.  It is said that there is a reference to this incident in his biography written by Audrey Davis.  But the details are different.  Instead of being a poor student selling goods from house to house, Kelly was from a relatively wealthy background and received generous pocket money from his family.  On one of his walking trips in Northern Pennsylvania, he stopped by a farm house for a glass of drinking water, but the young girl offered him a glass of milk.  When she was admitted to the hospital decades later, it was for no such thing as unknown serious disease.  But it is true that the doctor recognized the woman as the young girl who gave him the glass of milk several years ago.  It is also true that he paid off the bill with those famous words, "Paid in full with a glass of milk".  Over a period of time the anecdote has added additional features and grown in excitement and interest!

Paying the "Milk Girl's Bill" was not an isolated instance.  Dr Kelly is said to have treated three out of four of his patients without charges, but charging the rich patients with a fat fee. That was his way of subsidizing the poor patients.  We know of many such doctors who charge high from patients capable of paying more and treating poor patients free or with nominal fee.  May their tribe increase.

Whatever may be the additions and modifications, the story of paying the bill with a full glass of milk is really interesting and noteworthy.  This also provides us an opportunity to thank people like Johns Hopkins and Dr Howard Atwood Kelly for their service to humanity.

Competent, Incompetent and Super-Competent

Online dictionary defines "Competent" as having "suitable or sufficient skill, knowledge, experience etc. for some purpose or properly qualified". It also mentions that these (skill, knowledge or experience etc.) are adequate, but not exceptional. Anyone who is not having these qualities to the desired level is "Incompetent".  By extension, anyone having these qualities in more than adequate levels or to an exceptional degree will naturally be "super-competent". In any organization, at any given time, the workforce available for its functions comprise of all these three groups; competent, incompetent and super-competent. Most of the work is carried on by the competent segment.  Of course, the incompetent also do contribute for carrying on the work and, more importantly, sharing the salary bill.

Occupational incompetencies are visible everywhere.  Despite giving clear instructions, the end result is often against what was desired.  Frustration sets in when such instances are seen.  Dr Laurence J Peter did pioneering work in the area of study of organizations and came out with his principle called "Peter's Principle".  Raymond Hull obtained the voluminous research papers from Dr peter and they together published the result of the studies in the form of a book titled "The Peter Principle".  The book which was first published in the year 1968, has sold several million copies and is popular both for its humorous view of hierarchies as well as serious research work on management and education.  All management personnel and HR practitioners would do well to read the book.  It would either improve their efficiency or relieve their boredom by enabling them to laugh at their own systems, or both.

Dr Peter through his study of many leading organizations in diverse fields such as education institutions, military, manufacturing industries and service outlets concludes that "In a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to his level of incompetence".  Thus, in many organizations, most of the positions are occupied by incompetent people.  They reached these levels because they were found to be competent at the previous level.  They are now unable to move to the next level because they are found incompetent here.  There is no system of demoting them to the previous level where they can be competent; they cannot be promoted because they are now incompetent!

Dr Peter explains this catch-22 situation with many examples.  A competent teacher is approved for promotion as assistant principal.  As a teacher he was responsible for teaching students.  As an assistant principal he has to deal with adults, a group of teachers.  The skills required at this level are different than those required at the previous level.  If he is found competent at that level, he will be promoted as the Principal.  As a principal he has to deal with outsiders like school board members, parental groups and community leaders. If he fails at this level, he is incompetent as a principal and will not be considered for promotion as a superintendent, the next higher level.  He continues to work as an incompetent principal because he cannot go back as a competent teacher or assistant principal.

One may feel that there are many exceptions to this rule.  We know of many incompetent persons being promoted to the next level.  This may be for various reasons; compulsion to fill the next post from among the available pool or the danger of one not promoted quitting the organization and joining the competitor.  If the promotion was due to constraints of compulsion of selecting from the available pool, it is only a pseudo-promotion. If it is the fear of the rejected joining the competitors and the damage he can do because he knows sufficient inside information, then it is not a true promotion, but only kicking upstairs!  In either of these situations, the person is only moving from a level of incompetence to a higher level of incompetence.  There could be one more reason for such promotion of the incompetent employees.  It may be because the promoting authority has himself reached his level of incompetence and cannot decide on the competency of his subordinates!  Such promotions serve another important purpose; it keeps employee morale high.  "If X himself can be promoted, I should definitely stand a chance", feel the others and thus get motivated. 

Some of the examples given by Dr Peter are indeed revealing.  A Chairman of a company was in a dilemma while choosing his CEO when the present incumbent retired.  Two candidates were in the radar and the junior of the two was the right one to fill the position. The  Chairman was afraid that the bypassed senior may quit and join the competitor.  He was with the company long enough and his joining the competitor would certainly damage the company due his knowledge of all the trade secrets. The CEO overcame this problem by promoting both of them.  The senior was personally called and told that his knowledge and long service was invaluable to the company and it deserved to be recorded for posterity.  He was given a separate office, suitable staff and sufficient funds and advised to write the history of the company from its very beginning.  He was indeed very happy and went on with his mission.  The junior actually ran the company now.  At the end of two years, the senior came up with beautiful volumes of the history of the company. The books were released on his retirement day and they are kept in the company's main office.  Of course, nobody read them, but the CEOs purpose was served.

Another executive was confronted with a similar situation.  He promoted both the competitors.  The senior incompetent  person was made "Chief Co-ordinator" and all departments were advised to send a copy of their letters and reports to the chief co-ordinator.  The junior ran the show while the senior believed that he was doing lot of important work. He was submerged in the flood of papers and information and was very busy to create any trouble. Others did not worry about him except that one copy of all letters and reports were continued to be sent to him.

Dr Samuel Peter brings out many other wonderful management terms like Pull and Push, creative incompetence and Peter's Inversion.  Pull and Push are well-known practices to earn promotions.  Perter's Inverts are those who invert means and ends relationship. "Never stand when you can sit; never walk when you can ride; never push when you can pull", he suggests. 

Dr Peter concludes his study with a delightful warning:  Organizations expect their employees to be competent, but routinely tolerate the incompetent.  It is only the super-competent that they do not like.  It is because the super-competent are a rare breed and therefore they are a threat to hierarchy.  The golden rule is that "hierarchy should be preserved at all costs".
          
Peter's principle should be read by all competent and incompetent people.  It comforts the incompetent by assuring them that they are not alone, but in fact belong to the majority.  It encourages the competent that they are the ones who are running the show.  Since all of us belong to one of these two categories, it is relevant to all of us.  In case one does not know to which category he belongs, it would help him to make up his mind about his own classification.

Do You Follow These Tenets, King Bharata?

Corporate espionage is being discussed in the media relentlessly.  So is the quality of members of cabinets and senior bureaucrats of the governments at different levels. Cabinet ministers are known for speaking out of turn on issues not related to them.  Their life styles and habits keep raising controversies. Distribution of work among the government servants is becoming a major issue. Ambassadors are said to be not up to the mark.  Armed forces and their requirements are being debated endlessly. Welfare of soldiers and officers of the forces is a big question mark. That public finances are in a big mess is not at all disputed. The only issue for arguments and counter-arguments is who is responsible for it.  The civil society is almost vertically divided about the reasons for atrocities on women.  Some hold that the women themselves are responsible for their suffering.  That appears true as well.  If there are no women in the society, there won't be any atrocities on them!  Decision making has become a forgotten art. The list can go on and on.

Was this the state of affairs in our country all the time?  Are there no principles or guidelines as to how these issues are to be resolved?  Were these concerns ever brought to focus in ancient India? What were the theories and practices used by our forefathers?  It is indeed worth dwelling on these issues.

*****

Rama has moved to the forest to start his fourteen years of "Aranyavasa".  His wife Seethe and one of the brothers, Lakshmana, have followed him.  They are living in the woods and leading the life of hermits.  Lakshmana climbs on a tree for fetching some fruits. He finds that an army is marching in the direction of their hut. He runs to his elder brother, Rama.  "It appears that Bharata is coming with an army here. Permit me to fight them.  With your grace, I will kill that entire army", he says.  Rama smiles at him.  "There is no need for any heroics, Lakshmana. You do not know your brother.  I know my brother.  Wait patiently", says Rama.  As the army nears the hut, its leader runs to Rama and falls at his feet.

Rama identifies the person at his feet with some difficulty.  It is Bharata alright, but not the way he ought to be.  He is not dressed like the king of Ayodhya.  He is just like his own mirror image (except the body color).  He has matted locks, dressed in bark robes and lying on the floor with folded hands.  Aadikavi Valmeeki says that he was like the Sun who has lost his brightness when the end of time (yugaanta) nears. Rama is moved by his appearance and approach.  He lifts Bharata and takes him in his lap, as he used to do when they both were little boys.

The first few questions asked by Rama are general and towards the welfare of the family. "How is our father, King Dashartha?  This is not the time that you should leave him behind in Ayodhya and come to see me.  How are my three mothers? How is Guru Suyagna, son of the great sage Vasishta?  Are you treating your archery teacher Sudhanva with respect? Are you holding your elders, aged teachers, doctors and other scholars with reverence?", Rama asks.

All the questions that follow and the queries that are made appear to have been written to answer each one of the questions that are raised above with reference to the happenings in our country today.

• Quality of Ministers: Are you keeping learned people, who are not easily lured by temptations as ministers?  Are they knowledgeable in interpreting their internal sentiments through external gestures? Remember, one wise man is better than a thousand stupid fools in a cabinet.  One efficient minister alone can bring greater prosperity for the King (than any number of others).  Are these ministers capable of standing up to the King in support of the ordinary subjects if the innocent subjects are harassed?

• Council of Ministers: A King's victories stem from a concealed counsel of ministers, those who can hide their thoughts within themselves.  Are these ministers incorruptible and of total integrity?

• Personal habits:  Are you not falling a prey to excessive sleep? Are you not eating good and delicious dishes alone, but sharing them with trusted friends?  

• Maintaining secrecy:  Are you ensuring that others are not able to find the details of the discussions you have with your ministers, through their enquiries or other strategies?  Are other Kings able to know your plans only after they implemented?

• Bureaucrats:  Are you assigning superior work to servants capable of doing superior work?  Is mediocre work given to mediocre ones and inferior one to inferiors in capacity to perform?  Servants should neither come too close to the master nor they should run away at his sight.

• Economy and finances: Are you implementing plans with maximum benefit, but minimum costs?  Are you properly managing food grains, money in treasury, weapons, artisans and archers?  Do you have arrangement for abundant income but minimum expenditure?

• Dispensing justice:  Does your administration and ministers dispense justice without fear or favor?  Remember, tears falling from the eyes of those who are falsely accused destroy the King.  

• Ambassadors and spies:  Are you appointing only knowledgeable men, wise and endowed with presence of mind and those who know how to speak to a point? Are you appointing teams of spies, those who do not know each other?

• Army and Defense:  Is your Army Chief cheerful, wise, valiant, courageous, well behaved and beloved by his subordinates?  Are your soldiers strong, skilled in warfare, tried and tested?  Are you honoring the courageous soldiers and respecting them?  Are you paying them properly and without delay?  When there is delay in payments, servants become corruptible and it is a great misfortune that can befall a King. Are you increasing the number of elephants and horses in the army? Also, remember not to think lightly of the enemies.

• Agriculture and animals:  Are you taking proper care and maintenance of the farmers and cattle-rearers?  Are the cattle treated without cruelty?  Are the agricultural lands well tilled and water stored properly in tanks?

• Women Protection:  Are you protecting women in your kingdom? Are there social festivities? Are you appearing before the people each day in the morning on the Highway? (Are you accessible to them?)

• Decision making:  Are you discussing important issues with three or four ministers collectively?  Later on, are you discussing secretly with each of them?  Are you contemplating on the issues of the state in the latter part of the night (early mornings) and then coming to a decision? 

*****

All the above issues directly answer the problems that our society faces today.  It is to be remembered that Rama had never been a King at this stage.  He was still of tender age, may be around 20 years.  He was not even second-in-command (Yuvaraja). Dasharatha's first attempt to make him The King brought in the step-mother Kaikeyee and all hell broke loose.  He then moved to the forest followed by his wife and one of the brothers.  Whatever knowledge he had was acquired by learning at the feet of his Gurus as well as observing his father's style of ruling the kingdom.  Bharata also had the same advantages or disadvantages.  All these questions posed here are Adikavi Valmeeki's way of communicating with the world as to how a King should act, behave and rule.

There are many such gems in our ancient literature and valuable works of other parts of the world as well. Unfortunately, our teaching in "General Management" or "Political Science" starts with the theories of 17th or 18th century scholars. They are called the fathers of management and we too believe it.