Management Gita: Overwhelmed by Crisis

गाण्डीवं स्रंसते हस्तात्त्वक्चैव परिदह्यते । न च शक्नोम्यवस्थातुं भ्रमतीव च मे मनः ॥ १-३०॥
gāṇḍīvaṃ sraṃsate hastāttvakcaiva paridahyate
na ca śaknomyavasthātuṃ bhramatīva ca me manaḥ 1-30

Spiritual Context

Arjuna’s bow slips, his skin burns, he cannot stand, and his mind spins, showing complete physical and mental overwhelm.

Management Context

This reflects crisis overload, mental fatigue, and decision incapacity. Arjuna’s collapse underscores how overwhelm can paralyze even capable leaders.

Insights

Mental overload disrupts effective leadership (Kahneman, 2011). This mirrors decision fatigue in management (Baumeister et al., 1998).

Applications

Leaders can use delegation or mindfulness practices to manage overload and regain focus (Kabat-Zinn, 1990).

References

Baumeister, R. F., Bratslavsky, E., Muraven, M., & Tice, D. M. (1998). Ego depletion: Is the active self a limited resource? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74(5), 1252–1265.
Kabat-Zinn, J. (1990). Full catastrophe living. Delta.
Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, fast and slow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

This excerpt is taken from Management Gita, authored by Sunil Khandbahale