31/08/2013

ശ്രീനാരായണ ഗുരു വചനാമൃതം


വൈക്കം സത്യാഗ്രഹം നടന്ന കാലത്തു നിരോധിക്കപ്പെട്ട റോഡില് കൂടി കോട്ട൯ സായ്പ്പിന്റെ കൂടെ ഒരു തീയ൯ പോയെന്നും അതിന് ബ്രാഹ്മണാദികള്ക്കു യാതൊരു വിരോധവും ഉണ്ടായിലെന്നും ഒരു ഭക്ത൯ സ്വാമി തൃപ്പാദങ്ങളെ അറിയിച്ചു.

സ്വാമികള് - "കന്നി൯ തോല് കാലില് ചേ൪ന്നാല് ക്ഷേത്രത്തില് കടന്നുകൂടല്ലോ. ചെണ്ടയില് ആയാല് ക്ഷേത്രത്തില് കൊണ്ടു പോകുന്നതിന് വിരോധമില്ല. സായ്പ്പിന്റെ ഭരണം കൊണ്ടു പലഗുണങ്ങളും ഉണ്ടായിട്ടുണ്ട്"

- ധ൪മ്മം മാസിക 1103 മേടം 11 (1928 ഏപ്രില് 23)
പത്രാധിപന്മാ൪ - ധ൪മ്മതീ൪ത്ഥ൪, മൂ൪ക്കോത്തു കുമാര൯

Smt. Sasikala Teacher's Speech on Jagadguru Swami Sathyananda Saraswathi...

Cow Sacrifice-The misinterpretation of Pasumedham.


Cow Sacrifice in Hinduism was the result of misinterpretation of the Vedic Texts by westerners.Not sure this misinterpretation was done willfully or not but has caused great damage to the community by entering into academic curriculum also.Pasu was translated as cow by westerners and same meaning was carried forward by others but Pasu has several other meanings.Other meanings of Pasu are Jeevan,Kundalini,jnanam,ajnanam,Meaning suitable to the context has to be taken.For eg Pasupathinathan is not a bulls owner but pathi of all Jeevas which is Lord Shiva.Tantra Text Rudra yamalam 26th Chapter Uttarakhandam has given the meaning of Pasu.


പുണ്യാപുണ്യപശൂൻ ഹത്വാ

ജ്ഞാനഖഡ്ഗേന യോഗവിത്‌

Punnyapunnyapasoon Hathwa

Jnanaghadgaena Yogavith

Here Pasu stands for the 2 egos.One which is endowed with punnyam and the other with apunyam.One which is formed out of ignorance thinking that one is a sinner and the other one being the arrogance in assuming that one is pious. Both this ignorance should be destroyed with the sword of knowledge.This has to be done by a Yogi or enlightened person.Here what is to be sacrificed is one's own ignorance and not innocent animals.The principle of Self which needs apt attention has been downgraded to killing of animals.This has led to the tarnishing of the principle of universality in Hinduism.

Concept taken from the speech of Jagadguru Swami Sathyananda Saraswathi Tiruvadikal. Listen to the concept in Swamiji's own words below.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yRyplkcVAc&feature=youtu.be

Cow Sacrifice - The misinterpretation of Pasumedham.



Cow Sacrifice-The misinterpretation of Pasumedham.

ശ്രീനാരായണഗുരുവിന്റെ പരമഭക്തനായ സി.വി ,ഗോപലന്‍ മുന്‍സിഫിനുണ്ടായ അനുഭവം

ഗുരുദേവന്റെ പരമഭക്തനായ സി.വി ,ഗോപലന്‍ മുന്‍സിഫ്‌ തനിക്കുണ്ടായ അനുഭവം ശിവഗിരി മാസികയില്‍ (1948 ല്‍ ) പ്രസിദ്ധപെടുത്തിയിട്ടുണ്ട്.ഗുരുദേവന്റെ മഹാസമാധിക്കു ശേഷം അദ്ദേഹം മണ്ഡലമഹോത്സവം സംബന്ധിച്ചു ശിവ ഗിരിക്ക് പോകുവാന്‍ പോകുവാന്‍ തീരുമാനിച്ചു .യാത്രക്കിടയില്‍ അദ്ദേഹം വിചാരിച്ചു ' ഗുരുദേവന്‍ സശരീരന്‍ ആയിരുന്ന കാലത്ത് ജനങ്ങളെ അവിടുന്ന് കാരുണ്യ പൂര്‍വ്വം അനുഗ്രഹിച്ചിരുന്നു,രോഗവും ,ദുരിതവും,കഷ്ടപാടുകളും നീക്കിയിരുന്നു .ഗുരുദേവന്‍ ഇപ്പോള്‍ മഹാസമാധി പ്രാപിച്ചിരിക്കുന്നു .ഗുരുദേവന്റെ ജഡത്തിനല്ലേ മാറ്റം വന്നിട്ടുള്ളൂ ,അവിടുന്ന് ആത്മസത്തയണല്ലോ.അങ്ങനെ എങ്കില്‍ ഗുരുവിന്റെ സാനിധ്യം ഇപ്പോഴും ഉണ്ടാകണമല്ലോ .ഉപ്പന്‍ എന്ന പക്ഷി ചിലക്കുന്നത്‌ ശുഭ കാരമാണ് ,ഞാന്‍ ശിവഗിരിയില്‍ എത്തി മഹാസമാധി പീഠത്തില്‍തൊഴുതു നില്‍ക്കുമ്പോള്‍ ഉപ്പന്‍ നാലുപ്രാവശ്യം ചിലച്ചാല്‍ ഞാന്‍ ഗുരു സാന്നിധ്യത്തില്‍ വിശ്വസിക്കും.അല്ലെങ്ങില്‍ ഇതെല്ലാം അസത്യമാണെന്ന് വിചാരിക്കും .ഈ ചിന്തയോടെ അദ്ദേഹം ശിവഗിരിയില്‍ എത്തി .കുളിച്ചു വൃത്തിയായി ഭക്തിപൂര്‍വ്വം മഹാസമാധി പീഠത്തില്‍ മേല്പറഞ്ഞ വിചാരത്തോടെ നിന്ന് പ്രാര്‍ത്ഥിക്കുമ്പോള്‍ അതാ ഉപ്പന്‍ ചിലക്കുന്നു ഒന്നല്ല നാലുവട്ടം .അപ്പോള്‍ അദ്ദേഹത്തിന് ഉണ്ടായ അവസ്ഥ വര്‍ണ്ണിക്കാന്‍ സാധിക്കുമോ ... ( ഗുരുദേവന്‍ മാസിക 2011 ഡിസംബര്‍ -വാല്യം-49 ) .. . ഗുരുദേവന്‍ ശരീരധാരണം ചെയ്തിരുന്നപ്പോഴും,മഹാസമാധിക്ക് ശേഷവും സംഭവിച്ചിട്ടുള്ള അത്ഭുതകരമായ അനുഭവങ്ങള്‍ പലര്‍ക്കും അവിശ്വസിനീയം എന്ന് തോന്നിയേക്കാം,അതുകൊണ്ടാണല്ലോ ഗുരുദേവന്‍ നടരാജഗുരുവിനോടും,ടി .കെ .മാധവനോടും പറഞ്ഞത് '' നമ്മുടെ ജീവചരിത്രം എഴുതിയാല്‍ ആളുകള്‍ വിശ്വസിക്കുമോ ? ഇനി അവിശ്യാസികളുടെ കാലമാണ് വരാന്‍ പോകുന്നത് " . അതെ ഗുരുദേവ സ്വരൂപവും തത്വവും തികഞ്ഞ പഠനത്തിനും മനനത്തിനും വിധേയമാക്കുക .... അല്ലെങ്ങില്‍ പത്രോസുമാരും ,ബാബുമാരും ഇനിയും ഉണ്ടാകും

ശ്രീനാരായണഗുരുവിന്റെ ചില വചനങ്ങൾ


“വാദിക്കാനും ജയിക്കുവാനും അല്ല, അറിയാനും അറിയിക്കുവാനും ആണ് വിദ്യ”.

“വിവേകം താനേ വരില്ല, യത്നിക്കണം ധാരാളം വായിക്കണം”.

“ഈ ലോകം സത്യത്തിലാണ് സ്ഥിതിചെയ്യുന്നത് അതുകൊണ്ട് കള്ളം പറയരുത്, സത്യം മാത്രം പറയുക”.

“മതം ഈശ്വര സാക്ഷാത്കാരത്തിനുള്ള ഒരു ഉപാധിമാത്രം, മതം അല്ല ദൈവം”.

“നിസ്വാര്ത്ഥമായ സേവനത്തിനു എപ്പോഴും ഈശ്വരാനുഗ്രഹം ഉണ്ടാകും”.

“പലമതസാരവുമേകം”

“മടിയന്മാരായി ജീവിക്കുന്നത് നീതിക്ക് നിരക്കാത്തത്”.



“ശുചിത്വം അടുക്കളയില്‍ നിന്ന് തുടങ്ങുക”.

“വ്യവസായം കൊണ്ടല്ലാതെ ധനാഭിവൃധി ഉണ്ടാക്കുവാന്‍ സാധിക്കുന്നതല്ല”.



“ഭക്തിയില്ലാത്ത ജീവിതത്തിനു ഉപ്പില്ലാത്ത ചോറ് കൊടുക്കണം”.

“ശീലിച്ചാല്‍ ഒന്നും പ്രയാസം ഇല്ലാ, തീയിലും നടക്കാം”.

“കൃഷി ചെയ്യണം, കൃഷിയാണ് ജീവരാശിയുടേ നട്ടെല്ല്”.

“നാം ദൈവത്തിന്റെ പ്രതിപുരുഷന്‍ മാത്രം, ശരീരം വെറും ജഡം”.

“അനാവശ്യമായ ധനവ്യയം ഒരു മംഗളകര്മത്തിനും പാടില്ല”.

“എല്ലാവരും ഈശ്വരനെ ആണ് ആരാധിക്കുന്നത് ബിംബത്തെ അല്ല”.

“അവനവനാത്മ സുഖതിന്നാചരിക്കുന്നവ അപരന് സുഖത്തിനായ് വരേണം”.

ശ്രീനാരായണഗുരു നടത്തിയ ഹോമം


ചെമ്പഴന്തി മണയ്‌ക്കല്‍ ക്ഷേത്രം അതിന്റെ അവകാശികള്‍ ഗുരുവിന്റെ പേര്‍ക്ക്‌ പ്രമാണം ചെയ്‌തു കൊടുത്തു. അതിന്റെ രേഖകള്‍ കൈപ്പറ്റാനായി ഗുരു മണയ്‌ക്കല്‍ ക്ഷേത്രത്തില്‍ എത്തിയപ്പോള്‍ നാനാജാതിമതസ്ഥരായ ധാരാളം ആളുകള്‍ അവിടെ കൂടി. അവരില്‍ ഒരു നായര്‍ തറവാട്ടിലെ അമ്മയും മകളുമുണ്ടായിരുന്നു. അവരുടെ തറവാട്‌ നാശോന്മുഖമായിത്തീര്‍ന്നിരുന്നു. രോഗപീഢയാലും മരണങ്ങളാലും അവരുടെ കുടുംബത്തില്‍ പ്രിയപ്പെട്ടവരെല്ലാം മരണമടഞ്ഞിരുന്നു. പല ജ്യോതിഷികളെയും കണ്ടു. അവരിലെ അതിപ്രശസ്‌തനായ ഒരു ജ്യോതിഷി എഴുതിക്കൊടുത്ത പരിഹാരകര്‍മ്മങ്ങളുടെ ഓലകളുമായാണ്‌ അവര്‍ ഗുരുവിനെ സമീപിച്ചത്‌. അതില്‍ പറഞ്ഞിരിക്കുന്ന പ്രകാരം കര്‍മ്മങ്ങള്‍ ചെയ്യണമെങ്കില്‍ അന്ന്‌ 1000 രൂപ അവശ്യമായിരുന്നു. ഗുരുവിനെ സമീപിച്ച്‌ കാര്യങ്ങള്‍ പറഞ്ഞശേഷം ആ അമ്മ ഓല ഗുരുവിന്റെ കൈയ്യില്‍ കൊടുത്തു. ഗുരു ആ ഓല വായിച്ചശേഷം അടുത്തുനിന്ന പണ്ഡിതനും മഹാ മാന്ത്രികനുമായ വേലുവൈദ്യന്റെ കൈയ്യില്‍ കൊടുത്തു. എന്നിട്ട്‌ ഈ കര്‍മ്മങ്ങള്‍ ചെയ്‌തു തീര്‍ക്കുമോ എന്ന്‌ ചോദിച്ചു. വൈദ്യന്‍ ഇതിന്‌ മറുപടി പറഞ്ഞത്‌ ഇതിന്‌ ആയിരം രൂപയാകും എന്നാണ്‌. അവര്‍ സ്വത്തെല്ലാം നഷ്‌ടപ്പെട്ടവരാണ്‌. ചെലവുകൂടാതെ ചെയ്യണം എന്ന്‌ ഗുരു ആവശ്യപ്പെട്ടു. എന്നാല്‍ അദ്ദേഹത്തിനോ മറ്റ്‌ മാന്ത്രികര്‍ക്കോ അതിന്‌ സാധിച്ചില്ല. ഓല മടക്കിവാങ്ങിയിട്ട്‌ ഗുരു ആ അമ്മയോട്‌ ചോദിച്ചു. നാം ഒരു ഹോമം ചെയ്യുന്നതില്‍ വിരോധമുണ്ടോ എന്ന്‌. ഗുരുവിന്റെ വാക്കുകളെ അനുഗ്രഹമായി കണ്ട്‌ അവര്‍ സമ്മതം അറിയിച്ചു. ഗുരു ആ ഓലകള്‍ കിഴുക്കാം തൂക്കായി പിടിച്ച്‌ അതിന്റെ ചുവട്ടില്‍ തീ കൊളുത്തി. അഗ്നിപടര്‍ന്ന്‌ മുകളറ്റംവരെ എത്തി, വിരലുകള്‍ക്കിടയിലൂടെ ഉയര്‍ന്നിട്ടും പിടിവിട്ടില്ല. മൂഴുവന്‍ കത്തിച്ചാമ്പലായപ്പോള്‍ ഗുരു അനുഗ്രഹപൂര്‍വ്വം പറഞ്ഞു. കുടുംബത്തിലെ അരിഷ്‌ടതകളും ദുരിതങ്ങളും എല്ലാം നശിച്ചു. അതോടെ ആ കുടുംബം ഐശ്വര്യത്തിലും ക്ഷേമത്തിലും ഉയര്‍ന്നുതുടങ്ങി.

Judicial Separation and Divorce in India


JUDICIAL SEPARATION
SECTION 10 HINDU MARRIAGE ACT


Judicial separation is an instrument devised under law to afford some time for introspection to both the parties to a troubled marriage. Law allows an opportunity to both the husband and the wife to think about the continuance of their relationship while at the same time directing them to live separate, thus allowing them the much needed space and independence to choose their path.

Judicial Separation and Divorce in India as per Hindu Marriage Act

Judicial separation is a sort of a last resort before the actual legal break up of marriage i.e. divorce. The reason for the presence of such a provision under Hindu Marriage Act is the anxiety of the legislature that the tensions and wear and tear of every day life and the strain of living together do not result in abrupt break – up of a marital relationship. There is no effect of a decree for judicial separation on the subsistence and continuance of the legal relationship of marriage as such between the parties. The effect however is on their co-habitation. Once a decree for judicial separation is passed, a husband or a wife, whosoever has approached the court, is under no obligation to live with his / her spouse .

The provision for judicial separation is contained in section 10 of the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955. The section reads as under:

A decree for judicial separation can be sought on all those ground on which decree for dissolution of marriage, i.e. divorce can be sought.

Hence, judicial separation can be had on any of the following grounds:
Adultery
Cruelty
Desertion
Apostacy (Conversion of religion)
Insanity
Virulent and incurable form of leprosy
Venereal disease in a communicable form
Renunciation of world by entering any religious order
Has not been heard of as being alive for seven years

If the person applying for judicial separation is the wife, then the following grounds are also available to her:
Remarriage or earlier marriage of the husband but solemnised before the commencement of Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, provided the other wife is alive at the time of presentation of petition forjudicial separation by the petitioner wife.
Rape, sodomy or bestiality by the husband committed after the solemnization of his marriage with the petitioner.
Non-resumption of co-habitation between the parties till at least one year after an award of maintenance was made by any court against the husband and in favour of the petitioner wife.
Solemnization of the petitioner wife’s marriage with the respondent husband before she had attained the age of 15 years provided she had repudiated the marriage on attaining the age of 15 years but before attaining the age of 18 years.

It is on all the above grounds that judicial separation can be sought. The first 9 grounds are available to both the husband and the wife but the last four grounds are available only to the wife. It is to be noted that it is on these grounds that divorce is also to be granted. It has been held that unless a case for divorce is made out, the question of granting judicial separation does not arise. Therefore, the Courts while dealing with the applications for judicial separation shall bear in mind the specific grounds raised for grant of relief claimed and insist on strict proof to establish those grounds and shall not grant some relief or the other as a matter of course. Thus on a petition for divorce, the Court has discretion in respect of the grounds for divorce other than those mentioned in section 13 (1A) and also some other grounds to grant restricted relief of judicial separation instead of divorce straightway

if it is just having regard to the facts and circumstances.

Another question that arises is of decree of maintenance vis-à-vis decree for judicial separation. Where a decree for judicial separation was obtained by the husband against her wife who had deserted him, the wife not being of unchaste character nor her conduct being flagrantly vicious, the order of alimony made in favour of the wife was not interfered with by the Court.

ILR (1964) 2 Punj 732.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has also held that a reading of sec 24 and 26 (maintenance) does not show that if a petition under section 9, 10 12 or 13 is disposed of, the jurisdiction of the court to award maintenance pendent lite by an order to be passed is taken away.

AIR 1981 Punj 305 ; 1981 Hindu LR 345

The above decisions go on to show that even where a decree for judicial separation is passed in favour of the husband, maintenance may still be awarded to a wife and judicial separation is no defence to a claim for maintenance under Hindu Marriage Act.

Though section 10 of the Hindu Marriage Act does not provide any time as to how long judicial separation can last. But section 13 of the Act provides that if there is no resumption of co-habitation between the parties one year after the decree for judicial separation is passed, the parties can get a decree for divorce on this ground itself. But divorce on this ground will be given only when one year has expired after the passing of the decree for judicial separation and not earlier. The reason for this is that one year is a long period and it provides sufficient time to the parties for reconciliation or to arrive at a decision. If the parties fail to overcome their differences within this period, then there is no fun in allowing the legality of the marriage to just linger on when in substance the relationship of marriage has long expired.

It is to be noted, however, that if the parties do agree to resume co-habitation any time after the passing of the decree for judicial separation, they can get the decree rescinded by applying to the court. The Act does not refer to any specific grounds on which a decree for judicial separation can be annulled or rescinded. Section 10(2) however, empowers the Court to rescind the decree for judicial separation if it considers it just and reasonable to do so. However Courts have repeatedly warned that this power of rescission has to be exercised with great circumspection and not in a hurry and only after satisfying themselves that it would be just and reasonable to allow such rescission.

Caste systems in the world


Caste systems are any ranked, hereditary, endogamous occupational groups that constitute traditional societies in certain regions of the world, particularly amongHindus in India. There, caste is rooted in antiquity and specifies the rules and restrictions governing social intercourse and activity for each group based on their occupation and social status. The different castes practiced mutual exclusion in many social activities, including eating, as well as marriage. In addition to the major castes, there also existed another group, the "outcastes," who were relegated to the worst occupations if any employment at all. Ranked below the castes, they were treated as sub-human—"unseeable" and "untouchable."

Definition
While the Indian caste system is the most well-known, other cultures have had similar structures. While most are no longer in force, one common attribute, and one that persists despite official rulings against it, is the existence of an "outcaste" group. Those classified in this way, whether they be Dalit in India, Burakumin in Japan, or Baekjeong in Korea, have suffered discrimination throughout their history. While the caste system in general is no longer considered acceptable as it denies people many opportunities now considered human rights based on their lineage, it is those that suffer the greatest loss of rights and opportunity, the outcastes, for whom the caste system remains most strongly a reality.
Caste is defined by the American Heritage Dictionary as "an endogamous and hereditary social group limited to persons of the same rank, occupation, and economic position." The word caste is derived from the Romance word casta (seen in Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian), which (in addition to representing the same concept as English caste) can mean "lineage" or "race." It comes from Romance casto, which can mean "pure" or "chaste." Casto in Latin means "chaste," which is derived from castus, meaning "pure, cut off, separated."[1]
As a religious concept relating to Hinduism, the Oxford English Dictionary recognizes caste as "each of the hereditary classes of Hindu society, distinguished by relative degrees of ritual purity and of social status" and as "any exclusive social class".[2] Anthropologists use the term more generally, to refer to a social group that is endogamous and occupationally specialized. Such groups are common in societies with a low degree of social mobility. In its broadest sense, examples of caste-based societies include colonial Latin America under Spanish and Portuguese rule, Japan,Korea, some parts of Africa, as well as across the Indian subcontinent.
Many of these cultures show only the remnants of a caste system that divided the population into what might today be regarded as different social classes, based on lineage and on the role they performed in society. What remains, however, and is common to many cultures is the "outcaste," the people considered below the level of common humanity of all the others, "untouchable." They and their descendants, the dalit in India, the burakumin in Japan, the baekjeong in Korea, all have faced discrimination, and some continue to do so today.

Castes in India

Caste system in India

The traditional hereditary system of social stratification of India, in which all social classes exist in thousands of endogamous groups is termed as Jāti. The jāti system, usually with politically and economically derived hierarchies, has been followed across the Indian subcontinent with regional variations across India, PakistanBangladesh, and Nepal. Different religious denominations have traditionally followed different kinds of jāti stratification. While the prevalence of thejāti system has reduced significantly over the course of the twentieth century, remote and rural areas of the subcontinent continue to adhere to the system of jāti segregation.
"Caste," on the other hand is a theoretical construct of the Brahmin scholars to describe and categorize (Varna) the complex social arrangement of which they were themselves a part. In the absence of any other better word, Varna was translated as "Caste" by the Europeans, with its connotations of racial purity. Contrary to popular belief, historically there was a great deal of mobility and intermingling within Indian castes, other than Brahmins, largely based on economic or political status of the concerned group.
The Brahmins were enjoined by their scriptures and texts (including the Manusmriti) to live in poverty and to shun possessions and temporal power, and instead devote themselves to study the teachings of scriptures, pure conduct and spiritual growth. They subsisted mainly on alms from the rest society.
Caste became an important element of Indian politics after the British used the entirely theoretical construct of Varna (literally meaning "color") as the basis of classifying the Indian population, especially the Hindus, in the Population Censuses of late nineteenth century. This became more specific in the 1901 Census, because the Indian population did not understand what was meant by "Caste" and gave their occupation, religion and education as their "Caste." In the 1901 Census, the people were asked to classify themselves, or were classified by enumerators, as members of the specific castes of Brahmin, Khshatriya, Vaishya, or Shudra. This was ostensibly done to simplify an otherwise difficult to categorize society, with subtle hierarchies, for the purposes of better statistical manipulation.
Outside the caste system (literally "outcastes") is the fifth and lowest class called the Dalit or "Untouchables," seen as untouchable because of the job functions they performed. Some of the untouchables were so polluted that they were called "unseeables" and therefore were supposed to keep out of sight, being able to do their jobs only at night.
Thus, a purely theoretical construct of "Varna" or "Caste" now became a living entity and became embedded in the minds of intellectuals and common people alike as an "ancient" system of social segregation.

Hindu caste system

The Indian caste system, prevalent also among local Muslims and Christians, exhibits some differences from those of other countries. Elsewhere, the separation between one group and the other is usually along racial lines. Within India, that is not so. Nor is there any discernable dichotomy (white/black or high/low) because the caste system forms a continuum that defies such ready definition. Lower-caste people live in conditions of great poverty and social disadvantage, though efforts by the Indian government to emancipate the lower castes with affirmative action have achieved some success in recent years.
The concept of 'upper' and 'lower' caste is simply a matter of social standing and assimilation. Some castes do not allow other caste members (whom they consider to be "lower") to touch them, and in such case would wash themselves or their possessions. In some parts of India, there was the practice of defining the physical distance one should keep from persons of another caste. As a result of this, children who attended a school where children of lower castes were present had to bathe before returning home. In some parts of the world, as well as in India, such discrimination still exists, though it is punishable by law and unconstitutional in India. The Indian constitution was drafted by Ambedkar, himself of low-caste origins, who is regarded as an emancipator of the Dalits.

Mythical origin of castes

In the Puranas, it is said that the creator of the universe Lord Brahma created some humans from his mouth—they became reciters of the Veda and became the Brahmins. Then he created other humans from his arms, they became the Kshatriyas, bearers of arms, the warrior and ruling class. Brahma then created some from his abdomen, who became the Vaishyas or merchants. Finally, Brahma created humans from his feet. They served the other castes even as the feet serve the man; they came to become the Sudras (manual laborers and artisans). Thus, the whole universe is held to be one organic entity, the body of the almighty.

Jāti

Major castes were subdivided into hundreds of sub-castes or Jātis. Each jāti typically has an association with a traditional job function in Hindu society, although religious beliefs or linguistic groupings define some jātis. A person's surname typically reflects a jāti association: asari meaning carpenter, thattar meaning goldsmith,muusaari coppersmith, karuvar ironsmith, ambattar clothes-washer, parayar cobbler.
In any given location in India five-hundred or more jātis may co-exist, although the exact composition could differ from district to district. Endogamous marriages(including polyandry) and other associations within caste were strongly enforced. Since most marriages were arranged, based on the existing networks of kinship and caste, it was very unusual to marry someone of different status. People were born into their jāti, and that defined their occupation and lifestyle.

Modern developments

With rapid urbanization and education of India's largely rural, agrarian population, the significance of caste has diminished, except in government mediated interventions in the form of quotas and reservations in education, jobs, and promotions for the socially "lower," but numerous and thus politically important, castes.
The caste system and its attendant practices have been outlawed and declared punishable offenses, but these laws are difficult to implement. There are occasional violations of human rights of Dalits (outcasts - also called untouchables) by the higher castes, including forcing Dalits into their traditional professions. Dalits in rural areas have often been victimized by other castes. The government of India provides freeships, scholarships, reservations for government jobs and of university seats in programs of higher education for people hailing from Scheduled castes, Scheduled tribes, and Other Backward Castes. Upper caste Hindus and several secular elements counter-argue that unmeritorious Dalits are exploiting this constitutionally obligatory discrimination to their unfair advantage and meritorious candidates are being sidelined.

Caste system among Indian Muslims

There is also several caste systems among some Muslims in India. They are broadly divided into two castes, Ashraf and Ajlaf, or oonchi zaat (high caste) and niichi zaat (low caste). The Muslim Caste system in India was analyzed by Ambedkar, who had a very dim view of the rampant discrimination against the Ajlaf castes by the Ashraf caste, who base their superiority on lineage. In addition to the Ashraf and Ajlaf castes exists the Arzal (under-caste) or the Dalit. They are Muslims who are regarded by the Ashraf and the Ajlaf as ritually impure and are relegated to professions regarded as "menial" such as scavenging and the carrying of night soil. They are not allowed to enter the Mosque, and their dead are buried apart from the public Muslim cemetery.
In addition, Muslims in Bengal organize their society according to social strata called "Quoms," where division of labor is granted by birth, rather than by economic status. Professions perceived as "lowly" are provided to people of certain ostracized Quoms; higher Quoms get professions perceived as superior. The Quoms are rigidly segregated with little or no intermarriage or cohabitation.

Caste system among Indian Christians

Converts to Christianity have retained the old caste practices. In particular, Dalit Christians are regarded as an undercaste by upper caste Christian clergy and nuns and are discriminated against in society.

Caste systems similar to India

Balinese caste system

The Balinese caste system resembles the Indian system with a four-fold division of society. Shudras make up approximately 97 percent of the society.

Nepalese caste system

The Nepalese caste system, like the Indian caste system, is highly complex and continues the traditional system of social stratification of Nepal. The caste system defines social classes by a number of hierarchical endogamous groups often termed as Jāti. This custom is found in both the Hindu and Buddhist communities of Nepal.
In ancient times, Muslims attacked Aryans in India causing them to move east into Nepal. Over the years they slowly moved west to east. Thus, the Aryans came in contact with native tribes (most of Mongolian descent) of modern Nepal. There were 36 tribes at that time, classified as 36 Varnas. Aryans treated the people of the 36 Varnas as Baishyas of their society.

Pakistani caste system

The same caste system practiced by Indian Muslims is practiced in Pakistan, with divisions into tribes such as the Pushtun, Pathan, as well as divisions by religious denomination such as Ahmadiyya, Mojahir, and so forth. Pogroms against Ahmadiyya Muslims and Mojahir Muslims in Pakistan have occurred. Gang-rapes of lower caste women such as Mukhtaran Mai by upper caste men have also occurred in Pakistan. The ethnic Balochi in Pakistan are often discriminated against by the Punjabi and Sindhi people in Pakistan, leading to an armed separatist insurgency in Balochistan formerly led by the late Nawab Akbar Bugti.
Educated Pakistani women from the lower castes are often persecuted by the higher castes for attempting to break the shackles of the restrictive system (that traditionally denied education to the lower castes, particularly the women). An example is the case of Ghazala Shaheen, a low caste Muslim woman in Pakistan who, in addition to getting a higher education, had an uncle who eloped with a woman of a high caste family. She was accosted and gang-raped by the upper-caste family. The chances of any legal action are low due to the Pakistani government's inability to repeal the Huddood ordinance.
The social stratification among Muslims in the "Swat" area of North Pakistan has been compared to the caste system in India. The society is rigidly divided into subgroups where each Quom is assigned a profession. Different Quoms are not permitted to intermarry or live in the same community. These Muslims practice a ritual-based system of social stratification. The Quoms who deal with human emissions are ranked the lowest.

Sri Lankan caste system

The Sri Lankan system resembles the South Indian Jāti system with numerous Jāti divisions without a Varna system superimposition. Furthermore, the Sri Lankan Tamils see themselves as superior to Tamils of Indian background.

Castes in Japan

Burakumin (buraku community or hamlet + min people), or hisabetsu buraku "discriminated communities/discriminated hamlets") are a Japanese social minority group. The burakumin are one of the main minority groups in Japan, along with the Ainu of Hokkaido and residents of Korean and Chinese descent.
Japan has historically subscribed to a feudal caste system. While modern law has officially abolished the caste hierarchy, there are reports of discrimination against the Burakumin undercastes, historically referred to by the insulting term Eta. Studies comparing the caste systems in India and Japan have been performed, with similar discriminations against the Burakumin as the Dalits, with the Burakumin regarded as "ostracized".
As early as 1922, leaders of the hisabetsu buraku organized a movement, the "Levelers Association of Japan" (Suiheisha), to advance their rights. The Declaration of the Suiheisha encouraged the Burakumin to unite in resistance to discrimination, and sought to frame a positive identity for the victims of discrimination, insisting that the time had come to be "proud of being eta." The Levelers Association remained active until the late 1930s.
After World War II, the National Committee for Burakumin Liberation was founded, changing its name to the Buraku Liberation League (Buraku Kaihou Doumei) in the 1950s. The league, with the support of the socialist and communist parties, pressured the government into making important concessions in the late 1960s and 1970s. One concession was the passing of the Special Measures Law for Assimilation Projects, which provided financial aid for the discriminated communities.
Even into the early 1990s, however, discussion of the 'liberation' of these discriminated communities, or even their existence, was taboo in public discussion. In the 1960s, the Sayama incident, which involved a murder conviction of a member of the discriminated communities based on circumstantial evidence, focused public attention on the problems of the group. In the 1980s, some educators and local governments, particularly in areas with relatively large hisabetsu buraku populations, began special education programs, which they hoped would encourage greater educational and economic success for young members of the group and decrease the discrimination they faced.

Korean caste system

The baekjeong were an “untouchable” outcaste group of Korea, often compared with the burakumin of Japan and the dalits of India and Nepal. The term baekjeongitself means “common people.” In the early part of the Goryeo period (918 - 1392), the outcaste groups were largely settled in fixed communities. However the Mongolian invasion left Korea in disarray and anomie, and these groups saw the beginning of a nomadic period.
Before the Mongol invasions in mid-thirteenth century the outcastes in Korea, called the kolisuchae, were divided very lightly into two camps; the hwachae or suchae,who hunted and butchered, and were seen as crude; and the chaein, who were principally actors, entertainers, kisaeng, minstrels, prostitutes, and so on, and were sometimes described as “frivolous.” Near the end of the Goryeo era the term hwachae-suchae replaced kolisuchae to refer to the outcastes, before the groups were divided into separate classes altogether, the hwachae and the chaein, who were then seen as distinct groups. Initial attempts by King Sejong to assimilate the outcastes of Korea were a failure, and they were forced to live in ghettos outside mainstream habitations.
Throughout the history of the Joseon Empire, the baekjeong were forced into specific professions like dog catching, killing feral dogs, and performing executions. They were also considered in moral violation of Buddhist principles, which lead Koreans to see work involving meat as polluting and sinful, even if they saw the consumption as acceptable. The group had long suffered severe social discrimination in Korean society. The baekjeong were seen as a contemptible and polluted people that others feared and avoided meeting. Restrictions on how the baekjeong could compose themselves served to mark their lower status. These restrictions were numerous, and included forbidding the use of ornamental hairpins by women, and requiring that sandals be made of straw rather than leather. The extent to which they were seen as a polluted people is well-illustrated in the fact that their corpses were kept in separate graveyards so as not to mingle with those of the yangmin dead. By the end of the Joseon dynasty, legal reforms were underway to emancipate the status of the baekjeong. However, this legal equality did not equate to social equality. Many remain segregated from larger society, and conditions have worsened in some respects.
Towards the end of the nineteenth century, there was an increasing impetus on human dignity and liberalization. Of particular importance was the growth of certain religions supportive of change. However, the baekjeong had benefited much less from these changes than other groups, such as the slaves. The other major religious influence on human rights came through Christianity. Some missionaries had success converting baekjeong to Christianity, emphasizing that everyone has equal rights under God. However, everyone was not equal for the Christian congregation, and protests erupted when missionaries attempted to integrate them into worship services, with non-baekjeong finding such an attempt insensitive to traditional notions of hierarchical advantage.
Beginning in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the baekjeong began to resist the open social discrimination that existed against them. The Hyŏngp'yŏngsa was launched in Chinju on April 23, 1923 through the alliance of wealthy or educated baekjeong and non-baekjeong proponents of change, advocating for “the abolition of classes and of contemptuous appellations, the enlightenment of members, and the promotion of mutual friendship among members.”  It advocated both for individual civil rights as well as communal fellowship. Thus, the Hyŏngp'yŏngsa pursued both an equality of human rights and the right to assimilate into the broader public, even as it worked to forge a common identity. The Hyeongpyeongsa finally disbanded in 1935, claiming the movement's aims had successfully been met. Although today the traditional occupations of the group are considered acceptable, the caste continues to be seen and treated as polluted by larger society.

Yemeni caste system

In Yemen there exists a caste-like system that keeps Al-Akhdam social group as the perennial manual workers for the society through practices that mirror untouchability. Al-Akhdam (literally "servants"; Khadem being plural) is the lowest rung in the Yemeni caste system and by far the poorest.
The Khadem are not members of the three tribes (BedouinBerber, and Rif) that comprise mainstream Arab society. They are believed to be of Ethiopian ancestry. Some sociologists theorize that the Khadem are descendants of Ethiopian soldiers who had occupied Yemen in the fifth century but were driven out in the sixth century. According to this theory the al-Akhdham are descended from the soldiers who stayed behind and were forced into menial labor as a punitive measure.
The Khadem live in small shanty towns and are marginalized and shunned by mainstream society in Yemen. The Khadem slums exist mostly in big cities, including the capital, Sana’a. Their segregated communities have poor housing conditions. As a result of their low position in society, very few children in the Khadem community are enrolled in school and often have little choice but to beg for money and intoxicate themselves with crushed glass. A traditional Arabic saying in the region goes: “Clean your plate if it is touched by a dog, but break it if it’s touched by a Khadem. Though conditions have improved somewhat, the Khadem are still stereotyped by mainstream Yemenese society, considering them lowly, dirty, ill-mannered and immoral.

African caste system

Countries in Africa that have societies with caste systems within their borders include Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Niger, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Algeria, Nigeria, Chad, Ethiopia and Somalia.
The Osu caste system practiced by the Igbo in Nigeria and southern Cameroon is derived from indigenous religious beliefs that discriminate against the "Osus" people as "owned by deities" and outcastes.
Caste systems in Somalia mandate non-Arab descended "outcastes" such as Midgan-Madhiban, Yibir, Tumal and other groups deemed to be impure and are ostracized from society. Similarly, the Mande societies in SenegalThe Gambia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast and Ghana have caste systems that divide society by occupation and ethnic ties. The Mande caste system regards the "Jonow" slave castes as inferior. Similarly, the Wolof caste system in Senegal is divided into three main groups, the Geer (freeborn/nobles), jaam (slaves and slave descendants) and the outcasted neeno (people of caste).
Other caste systems in Africa include the Borana-speaking caste system of North East Kenya with the Watta as the lowest caste. The highest class is Borana Gutu(Pure), followed by Gabra, then Sakuye, with wealth and prestige being measured in cattle and livestock. To understand the nature of "Ubuhake" caste in Rwanda andBurundi, one must know the structure of society in pre-Colonial Rwanda, where caste was largely an economic division between landed gentry living a sedentary lifestyle, and less-wealthy who did not own land. The "Hutu" were largely a service-based class (the underclass) in Rwanda who later, as the majority population, committed genocide against the "Tutsi" overlords in the now infamous Rwandan Genocide.

Castes in Latin America

The word "Caste" is Portuguese in origin, from the word Casta. Many Latin American countries have caste systems based on classification by race and inter-ethnic marriages. The caste system was imposed during colonial rule by the Spanish. Under Spanish rule, a detailed caste system was instituted in Mexico at one time, classifying individuals according to the race of each parent. For example, Mestizo had a Spanish father and Indian mother, Castizo had a Spanish father and Mestizo mother, Espomolo a Spanish mother and Castizo father, Mulatto a Spanish father and black African mother, and so forth.
Many Latin American countries in the present time have rendered the system officially illegal through legislation, but that does not mean societal prejudices and economic exploitation are not present. Even though overt racial oppression is no longer permissible by law, people may still hold personal opinions about members of other races based upon preconceived notions.

There is a clash between the Buddha's teachings and different sects.


In Theravada Buddhism, God does not exist,
prayers and worshipping are not important ( practising and cultivation is more important), and devotees do not vow to be
reborned in the Buddha Lands but to just attain Nirvana by themselves.

I've heard of no Theravada Buddhists speaking of to be reborned in the Buddhalands).

In Mahayana Buddhism, especially the Pure Land Sect, God and divine being exist. But is not Supreme ( Brahma, Indra..etc..), chanting prayers like "Namo Amitabha" and praying to Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (a.k.a. Guan Yin in Chinese) to seek spiritual help and getting rid of suffering is encouraged, and the
devotees make great vow to be reborned in the Buddhalands like Sukhavati of The West.

While Tibetan Buddhism believes that that some skandhas (identity) of high lamas are preserved through rebirth (known as tulkus) such as the Dalai Lama, belief that a Buddha can manifest in human form, such as in the person of Padmasambhava, the saint who brought Tibetan Buddhism to the Himalayas.( Which makes a clash here. A Buddha is supposed to be free from the cycles of birth and death. Only a Bodhisattva wills to manifest, but the Buddha...

Words of Wisdom: 8 Famous Quotes to Help You Embrace Fear and Achieve Success

 The following are 8 notable quotes from these “leaders” that have inspired me and helped to shape my principles as a business owner.
  • “Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.” – Dale Carnegie
  • "There are only two ways to live life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is." – Albert Einstein
  • "Do not look for approval except for the consciousness of doing your best." – Andrew Carnegie
  • "The true measure of a person is how they treat someone who can do him absolutely no good." – Samuel Johnson
  • "You've got to be very careful if you don't know where you are going because you might not get there." – Yogi Berra
  • “Expect more than others think possible.” – Howard Schultz
  • "If people aren't calling you crazy, you aren't thinking big enough." – Richard Branson
  • “Never, never, never give up.” – Winston Churchill
To me, the key takeaway is to push yourself through fear and uncertainty and place your best foot forward no matter what happens. I am not embarrassed to admit how frightened I was when I started SkyBridge in 2005. Swirling in my head were all of the things that could go wrong. Of course all of those things happened and, by the way, then there was a financial crisis. The point is -- put your plans in motion, work hard and be willing to adapt along the way.

The Essential Hallmarks of a Good Leader- Jamie Dimon -Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at JPMorgan Chase


Over the years I have written about the importance of strong leadership in business and the essential qualities a leader must have. These qualities are timeless, and they are especially important when times get tough. In the face of difficult challenges, great leaders do not retrench. Just the opposite – they step up.

In a great company, you need to institutionalize and perpetuate a great culture and excellent leaders. To do this, you must do several things well, including the training, the retention of talent and the creation of a company that is continually learning. You must have a culture of character and integrity. This comes from fostering an open environment, where people speak their minds freely, to treating people with respect – at all levels, from the CEO to clerks in the mailroom – to setting the highest standards combined with recognizing and admitting mistakes.

Leadership is an honor, a privilege and a deep obligation. When leaders make mistakes, a lot of people can get hurt. Being true to oneself and avoiding self-deception are as important to a leader as having people to turn to for thoughtful, unbiased advice. I believe social intelligence and “emotional quotient,” or EQ, matter in management. EQ can include empathy, clarity of thought, compassion and strength of character.

Good people want to work for good leaders. Bad leaders can drive out almost anyone who’s good because they are corrosive to an organization; and since many are manipulative and deceptive, it often is a challenge to find them and root them out.

At many of the best companies throughout history, the constant creation of good leaders is what has enabled the organizations to stand the true test of greatness – the test of time. Look at our great military. We love hiring veterans – more than 5,000 in the past couple years. These veterans are outstanding employees and team members.

Below are some essential hallmarks of a good leader that I have written about in my previous letters to shareholders. While we cannot be great at all of these traits – I know I’m not – to be successful, a leader needs to get most of them right.

Discipline

This means holding regular business reviews, talent reviews and team meetings and constantly striving for improvement – from having a strong work ethic to making lists and doing real, detailed follow-up. Leadership is like exercise; the effect has to be sustained for it to do any good.

Fortitude

This attribute often is missing in leaders: they need to have a fierce resolve to act. It means driving change, fighting bureaucracy and politics, and taking ownership and responsibility.

High standards

Abraham Lincoln said, “Things may come
to those who wait ... but only the things left
by those who hustle.” Leaders must set high standards of performance all the time, at a detailed level and with a real sense of urgency. Leaders must compare themselves with the best. Huge institutions have a tendency toward slowing things down, which demands that leaders push forward constantly. True leaders must set the highest standards of integrity
– those standards are not embedded in the business but require conscious choices. Such standards demand that we treat customers
and employees the way we would want to be treated ourselves or the way we would want our own mother to be treated.

Ability to face facts

In a cold-blooded, honest way, leaders emphasize the negatives at management meetings and focus on what can be improved (of course, it’s okay to celebrate the successes, too). All reporting must be accurate, and all relevant facts must be reported, with full disclosure and on one set of books.

Openness

Sharing information all the time is vital –
we should debate the issues and alternative approaches, not the facts. The best leaders kill bureaucracy – it can cripple an organization 
– and watch for signs of politics, like sidebar meetings after the real meeting because people wouldn’t speak their mind at the right time.

Equally important, leaders get out in the field regularly so as not to lose touch. Anyone in a meeting should feel free to speak his or her mind without fear of offending anyone else. 
I once heard someone describe the importance of having “at least one truth-teller at the table.” Well, if there is just one truth-teller at the table, you’re in trouble – everyone should be a truth-teller.

Setup for success


An effective leader makes sure all the right people are in the room – from Legal, Systems and Operations to Human Resources, Finance and Risk. It’s also necessary to set up the right structure. When tri-heads report to co-heads, all decisions become political – a setup for failure, not success.

Morale-building
High morale is developed through fixing problems, dealing directly and honestly with issues, earning respect and winning. It does not come from overpaying people or delivering sweet talk, which permits the avoidance of hard decision making and fosters passive-aggressive behaviors.

Loyalty, meritocracy and teamwork

While I deeply believe in loyalty, it often is misused. Loyalty should be to the principles for which someone stands and to the institution: Loyalty to an individual frequently is another form of cronyism. Leaders demand a lot from their employees and should be loyal to them – but loyalty and mutual respect are two-way streets. Loyalty to employees does not mean that a manager owes them a particular job. Loyalty to employees means building a healthy, vibrant company; telling them the truth; and giving them meaningful work, training and opportunities. If employees fall down, we should get them the help they need. Meritocracy and teamwork also are critical but frequently misunderstood. Meritocracy means putting the best person in the job, which promotes a sense of justice in the organization rather than the appearance of cynicism: “here they go again, taking care of their friends.” Finally, while teamwork is important and often code for “getting along,” equally important is an individual’s ability to have the courage to stand alone and do the right thing.

Fair treatment


The best leaders treat all people properly and respectfully, from clerks to CEOs. Everyone needs to help everyone else at the company because everyone’s collective purpose is to serve clients. When strong leaders consider promoting people, they pick those who are respected and ask themselves, Would I want to work for him? Would I want my kid to report to her?

Humility
Leaders need to acknowledge those who came before them and helped shape the enterprise – it’s not all their own doing. There’s a lot of luck involved in anyone’s success, and a little humility is important. The overall goal must be to help build a great company – then we can do more for our employees, our customers and our communities.

The grey area of leadership

There are many aspects of the leadership process that are open for interpretation. This grey area contributes to the complexity of the challenges that leaders – and those who govern them – face. I would like to share with you where I stand with regard to a few of these issues.

Successful leaders are hard to find

There are examples of individuals who have been thrust, wholly unprepared, into positions of leadership and actually perform well
– I think of President Harry Truman, among others. I would submit, however, that relying on luck is a risky proposition. History shows that bad or inexperienced leaders can produce disastrous results. While there are possibly innate and genetic parts of leadership (perhaps broad intelligence and natural energy), other parts are deeply embedded in the internal values of an individual; for example, work ethic, integrity, knowledge and good judgment. Many leaders have worked their entire lives to get where they are, and while perhaps some achieved their stature through accident or politics, that is not true for most. Anyone on a sports team, in government or in virtually any other endeavor knows when he or she encounters the rare combination of emotional skill, integrity and knowledge that makes a leader.

Successful leaders are working to build something

Most leaders I know are working to build something of which they can be proud. They usually work hard, not because they must
but because they want to do so; they set high standards because as long as leaders are going to do something, they are going to do the best they can. They believe in things larger than themselves, and the highest obligation is to the team or the organization. Leaders demand loyalty, not to themselves but to the cause for which they stand.

Nonetheless, compensation does matter

While I agree that money should not be the primary motivation for leaders, it is not realistic to say that compensation should not count at any level. People have responsibilities to themselves and to their families. They also have a deep sense of “compensation justice,” which means they often are upset when they feel they are not fairly compensated against peers both within and outside the company. There are markets for talent, just like products, and a company must pay a reasonable price to compete.

Big business needs entrepreneurs, too

The popular perception is that entrepreneurs – those who believe in free enterprise – exist only in small companies and that entrepreneurs in small companies should be free to pursue happiness or monetary gain as appropriate. Free enterprise, entrepreneurship and the pursuit of happiness also exist in most large enterprises. And you, our shareholders, should insist on it. Without the capacity to innovate, respond to new and rapidly changing markets, and anticipate enormous challenges, large companies would cease to exist. The people who achieve these objectives want to be compensated fairly, just as they would be if they had built a successful start-up.

Performance isn’t always easy to judge

Managers responsible for businesses must necessarily evaluate individuals along a spectrum of factors. Did these individuals act with integrity? Did they hire and train good people? Did they build the systems and products that will strengthen the company, not just in the current year but in future years? Did they develop real management teams? In essence, are they building something with sustainable, long-term value? Making these determinations requires courage and judgment.

One of the reasons I am so proud of our company is because of our great people, our great leaders. These past five years have been a period of turmoil, crisis and stress for our industry and sometimes for our company. What our people have accomplished during these difficult circumstances has been extraordinary – a testament to the critical importance of strong leaders.

Great Leaders Communication..


You’ve just been promoted into one of your organization’s Big Jobs. Now you’ve got an impressive office, a hefty budget and vast expectations about how you will lead dozens or even thousands of people. Can you stick with the leadership style that brought you this far? Or do you need to recalibrate your approach, starting with the way you communicate?

Some fascinating rethinking is under way on exactly that topic. Scholars such as Harvard Business School’s Boris Groysberg argue that effective leadership no longer revolves around brilliant speeches and heroic exhortations. (We can call that the Fidel Castro approach – and it doesn’t work especially well in either government or mainstream business.) Instead, Groysberg and co-author Michael Slind argue in their 2012 book “Talk Inc.” that the higher you go in an organization, the more you must engage other people in conversations, rather than trying to shout them into submission.

I’m in favor of traveling 70% of the way down that road with Groysberg and Slind, without becoming so chatty that you lose the ability to stretch people’s horizons. Over the past 25 years, as a business-book author and writer for the likes of Forbes, Fast Company and The Wall Street Journal, I’ve seen a lot of corporate leaders in action. Here are seven ways that the best leaders increase their effectiveness by the ways they communicate.

1. Bring the vision to life. Anyone can write a mission statement, full of lofty words that sound good. But you aren’t communicating that vision unless you repeatedly signal how those values translate into concrete actions. What people learn from your routine decision-making matters far more than what you pack into your speeches.

A case in point: Jeff Bezos’s insistence that Amazon.com is “the most customer-centric company in the world.” Nice slogan. What does it really mean? Hang around the Amazon CEO for a while, and you will notice that he vetoes sassy ads that mock customers. He insists that mid-level meetings include one person serving solely as the customer advocate – with the power to veto actions that undermine customers’ interests. And when Amazon reorganizes departments, which it does fairly often, each regrouping is justified as a way of serving the customer better.

In the same spirit, bring your bedrock values into the daily workplace. Salute other people’s actions that reinforce what you prize. Call out conduct that doesn’t. And infuse these principles into other people’s thought patterns by referencing key values as decisions are being made.

2. Ask smart questions. In his new book, “To Sell Is Human,” best-selling author Daniel H. Pink cites studies showing that when you want to persuade someone, questions can be more powerful than statements. The reason: you engage another person’s heart and mind more strongly. You get him or her thinking about the ideal answer – and then all the steps necessary to get there. By being less dogmatic, you let people on your team build game plans that they believe in, rather than trapping them in a helpless state until you issue your next command.

While developing my most recent book, “The Rare Find,” I was impressed with the way that David Evans, the former head of the computer science department at the University of Utah, got great work out of his graduate students by asking simple but profound questions that pointed the way to revolutionary advances. He inspired the engineers who later built Pixar, Adobe and Netscape. Often that could be done simply by pointing at a big goal on the horizon and saying: “How would you get there?”

3. Take time to read the room. Once you’re in senior leadership, you will meet a lot of outsiders that you hardly know ... but whose support or forbearance is crucial to your company's success. Do 90% of the talking, and it’s tempting to think that you carried the day with Washington regulators, Chinese suppliers, that big customer in Dallas or the investigative reporter from New York. Guess what? If you don’t know what the other party really wanted, all that bluster was in vain.

Take a tip from Silicon Valley executive Meg Whitman, early in her career, when she was building eBay into a global e-commerce powerhouse. Some of her most important meetings were with eBay’s Power Sellers. These merchants booked huge amounts of business on the site, yet for a time they felt the company didn’t understand their frustrations with fees and service issues. Every few months, she would visit Power Sellers on their turf, looking for ways to fix their problems or at least offer sympathy. Her keen ear helped eBay stay ahead of its competitors.

Don’t fall prey to the belief that careful listening is only for the little people in the room. When you listen carefully, you win people’s trust – and that’s crucial to everything else you want to accomplish. There’s a maxim in the public speaking business: “The more your audience talks, the more they think they have learned from you.” Use that sly insight to your advantage.

4. Create a climate where things get done. In any organization, there's a huge gap between projects that are headed to the finish line, right now -- and ones that live indefinitely in limbo, hardly moving forward. Which do you prefer? If you're looking for results, make sure your employees and front-line managers are repeatedly aware of your top priorities. Help set interim mileposts. Get roadblocks out of the way. Walk through the areas where specific tasks are being done. Even a 10-minute visit by the boss conveys the clear and uplifting message: "This is important."

Be mindful of how many "top priorities" your organization can handle successfully. Better to win two big campaigns a year than to stumble in the midst of 20. I've seen ambitious but unfocused organizations end up with overcrowded agendas that create internal strife -- with the unpleasant consequences of missed deadlines, constant changes of directions and ugly battles for resources and recognition. The higher up you go in an organization, the more important it is for you to communicate key goals with clarity and brevity.

Tim Boyle, the CEO of Columbia Sportswear, is remarkably good at peeling away the clutter. I’ve chatted with him since 2005, and he keeps his business centered on three simple concepts: innovation, enhanced design and compelling marketing. Zoom in on each idea, and details abound. He’s a remarkably hard-working and well-read boss. Those core concepts, however, help ensure that Columbia’s 4,000 employees are pulling in the right direction.

5. Use stories to get your points across. When you’re at the top of an organization, you can seem pretty distant from the people on the front lines. Now you’re in a job where it may be impossible to schedule enough face time with everyone you’d like to influence. One of your best ways to compensate: sharing teaching anecdotes, so that even people who hardly know you will still feel they know your human, authentic side.

Nobody does this better than Warren Buffett, the 82-year-old chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. His conglomerate has $143 billion in annual revenue, with interests that range from insurance to energy, furniture and chocolate. But when you read Buffett'sannual letters to shareholders, his dry wit and wise-uncle judgment come through on every page. Countless investors and managers who have never met him still feel that they know him – and like him.

You don’t need to be nearly as polished as Buffett to succeed in this domain. Just think how you would explain your week’s battles and goals to a neighbor, a spouse or a college roommate, and you’ll find the right tone.

6. Be mindful of what you don’t know. If your subordinates are any good at all, you often won’t know the fine-grain details as well as they do. Expect to be learning constantly on the job. Find ways that your in-house experts can quietly bring you up to speed on emerging issues that are catching your eye. You’ve got vital strengths that other people don’t, particularly in terms of experience, broad perspectives and judgment. As you work toward important decisions, make sure your remarks and conversations are opening the way for other people to keep augmenting your knowledge base.

Two of the most skillful learners I ever encountered are Sheryl Sandberg (the chief operating officer of Facebook), and Lou Gerstner, the former CEO of RJR Nabisco and then IBM. I traveled with Gerstner during his RJR era as part of a Wall Street Journal front-page profile. He was still mastering the company’s endless product line, but he got up to speed shrewdly, calling some meetings on a supermarket floor so he could walk the aisles as people talked, looking around to see whose brands dominated each category.

7. Make people feel they work for a winner. Can you single-handedly improve your organization’s morale – in ways that genuinely translate into better performance and innovation? That’s one of the great mysteries of leadership. Some executives try smothering their employees in perks. Others praise good work, hoping that it will lead to greater doings in the future. Still others scold slackers and kick out the weakest performers, believing that some situations call for toughness.

Any of those approaches can work; yet I’ve seen executives try all three and still come up short. A memorable insight here came from John Young, who was CEO of Hewlett Packard for many years during its prime. We chatted after his retirement, and he contended that what shapes morale the most is employees’ conviction that they are working for the best company in their field. Earn that honor, he said, and you gain a level of employee commitment that cash and perks alone can’t buy.

All the other six techniques in this article point toward this final priority. If you’re conveying a clear vision, asking good questions, setting the right priorities and so on, you’re creating that winners’ aura that is the ultimate reward for great leadership communication.