ATTACHMENT (CONCEPT) & NISHKAMA KARMA

Attachment involves the identification & indulgent involvement of Man with sensory based objects. These sensory objects are nothing but the world around us, our surroundings, the people, and the things which we come across on a day-today basis. We are driven by desires to acquire whatever we find “meaningful” or “pleasant”. When we acquire these things, we are happy; when we do not acquire them we are unhappy. In other words our happiness or unhappiness is dependent on these external objects. These objects are themselves not responsible for our happiness or unhappiness. What is responsible is the choice we make to allow these external objects to be sources of happiness through their acquisition/possession.

Attachment is the result of the Mind & Intellect making choices that act as hindrance to Man’s spiritual progress. As a result of Attachment, we get “carried away” both by joy and sorrow and we tend to identify all experiences subjectively. That is, if a certain task gives us happiness we like it and do more of it and also crave for it to be permanent. While on the other hand, if a certain task gives us sorrow we don’t like it and try and avoid doing it and hate it all the more. This comes from the attribute of deep desire in every human being to feel eternally happy. 

The reason we seek eternal happiness or bliss is because that is the true nature of ourselves which is “hidden” behind the sheaths of ignorance, such that instead of identifying with the inner bliss we try to “reach” it through “external” means using our Mind & Intellect.

The significance of Attachment is in understanding that all attachments arise from desires. In the corporate context we are in the process of moving up the ladder of achievement and position. Desire and in turn greed turns an individual to resort to any means of reaching the goals. The position and power gets too heady and all the activities of the individual is centered around goal achievement. This shifts an individuals focus from the prime and only duty of living, that is, reaching the Source from which he has emerged. Due to desire, greed and mindless ambition he may tend to get insensitive to the environment and cause all sorts of disturbances in the name of “duty”.

Detached Involvement is practiced by great leaders. In fact one of the attributes they possess is Detached Involvement. By certain self awareness practice like Yoga, Meditation and Dharma, Detached Involvement could be achieved.

This leads the leader to Nishkama Karma – selfless work, without getting “attached to the nature of the outcome”. It emerges from the prescription of Karma Yogic practices, which postulates that “One’s duty is to perform actions with detachment, with surrender to the Almighty & one needs to not get affected by the outcome of the action or Karma.”

This is famously learnt and known through the Sloka from Bhagwad Gita:  Chapter2, Sloka 47

Karmanye Vadhikaarasthey maa Faleshu Kadachanaa

Maa Karma Faleytubhurmaa tey Sanghostvakarmanee.  

In the Corporate world of targets & achievements, people tend to get “intoxicated” with material Goal achievement at any cost. We come across justification of means to achieve the ends goals. This perception itself is a sign of Attachment to material success. When they succeed they are very “happy”; when they do not succeed, they are upset. Thus they want to always succeed and get attached to success. The disappointment due to failure takes them “off course”. Either they give up through passive behavior or they try to achieve their goals at all costs through aggressive behavior. Both ways they live subjective lives of alternating sorrow and joy, which even affects their motivation of the work itself. 

The Karma or work performed is with a deep expectation of wanting to only succeed and all tasks are undertaken which “assure” success. Expecting is normal, but getting obsessed with expectation creates Attachment which ultimately creates anguish in the individual. An anguished leader cannot motivate and lead his team to effectiveness and performance. Moreover he tends to ignore the efforts of the work, choosing to focus only on the results.

Hence corporate leaders need to properly understand that they are just playing Roles in the organizations to achieve Goals. They need to understand the Roles with clarity and just do them without expectations. Those who have practiced this in the true sense have emerged as great leaders.