They are Hundred , we are Five !! !

తే శతం హి వయం పంచ స్వకీయే కలహే సతి |
అన్యేస్తు కలహే ప్రాప్తే వయం పంచోత్తరం శతం ||
ते शतं हि वयं पंच स्वकीये कलहे सति ।
अन्येस्तु कलहे प्राप्ते वयं पंचोत्तरं शतं ॥

It is a line I have used most often since the time I joined as a manager in a PSU with a pompous tittle, the Senior Deputy Chief Engineer - SDCE to be short, at a relatively young age!

The line itself is very simple

తే శతం హి / ते शतं हि- They are Hundred !
వయం పంచ/वयं पंच - We are Five !
That is when we are fighting among ourselves.
But when fight is with others then -
వయం పంచోత్తరం శతం/वयं पंचोत्तरं शत - We are hundred and five !

That was the Sloka I heard in my third form or the 8th class according current nomenclature. That was from my Sanskrit teacher, a very scholarly looking, Annaraama Sarma garu.

I still remember his reading that sloka in a booming voice and also explain the meaning of the sloka . He would dwell on the context of the Sloka too.

Context was that of Dharmaraja telling Bhima to go and save Kauravas who have been captured and were being taken away as prisoners !

As we can imagine Bhima was delighted and probably Draupadi too !! Bhima was reluctant to save Kauravas. And the great conciliator Dharmaraja prevailed over Bhima and that was the clinching line !

That line with its simplicity of thought for ever was stuck in my mind. The image of an ever smiling Annaraama Sarmagaru adds to that to complete the scene!!

Management some times is about coaxing people to do what they are reluctant to do !

Not all are endowed with a thundering Voice, that demands immediate obedience even sans logic. Visionary goals and carrying the team with sheer logic are the hallmark of an enlightened leadership.

But managements face several hurdles

It may be about a member of the group not willing to go as per group focus.
Or it may be about the group itself reluctant to act because of sundry grouses while the bigger goals are often lost sight of !
The Management issues are there everywhere.
It is not necessarily only in the factory or an organization.
It happens at home between a squabbling husband and wife.
Then one has to be the Dharmaraja recalling this line.
It can happen among squabbling siblings again the wiser one has to take Dharmaja's view

As I said I had used this line, because it is so easy to say and even musical to the ear with proper intonation !

It is fun to say again
తే శతం హి వయం పంచ స్వకీయే కలహే సతి |
అన్యేస్తు కలహే ప్రాప్తే వయం పంచోత్తరం శతం ||
ते शतं हि वयं पंच स्वकीये कलहे सति ।
अन्येस्तु कलहे प्राप्ते वयं पंचोत्तरं शतं ॥

|| Om tat sat ||

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