I've been deep reading Inside Chanakya's Mind by Radhakrishnan Pillai.

In it, Pillai describes the ideal corpus of knowledge that every king, leader, or CEO should master. Any major gaps in any of these four domains, which require lifelong dedication to learn, will cause weaknesses in the strength of the leader's rule. The original four are as follows:

Aanvikshiki-The Science of Thinking
Trai-The Three Vedas
Vaartha-Economics(back then associated with farming and trade)
Dandaniti-political science

These timeless domains are just as important then as they are now.

Aanvikshiki

Before a ruler can rule, they must think.

A CEO has to constantly sharpen their minds. In today's landscape, this can take the form of meta-learning and rapid skill acquisition. You'll also need a firm grounding in mental models and philosophy-east and west. They both have perspectives on phenomena that can radically enhance how you lead.

A sharp mind is the most dangerous tool in a ruler's toolbox.

Trai

A CEO must be firmly established in the Dharma.

The three Vedas are forged by the ears of the rishis and given to humanity as a gift. While seen as sacred, don't be afraid to dive in. When the Dharmic spiritual warrior dives into Indian scriptures, we recommend the following in order of difficulty for the beginner:

Ramayana
Mahabarat/Bhagavad Gita
The Puranas, especially:
1. Bhagavata Purana -> For Vaishnavism
2. Shiva Purana -> For Shaivites
3. Devi-Bhagavata -> For Shaktism
Upanishads
Vedas (take your time and find a guru to walk you through. These are difficult and dense)

When a Dharmic practitioner has a strong scriptural base, they remain unshakable. They always operate within the order of the cosmos and act in whatever way is required for the situation.

With the Gods as your guide, who can stand against you?

Vaarta

Vaarta means having a firm understanding of economics.

For a leader, this isn't just getting good at napkin math. It means understanding the stock market, learning trade, and studying economic fluctuations that might affect your business. It means studying trends in the economic trajectory of your customer base and a deep understanding of how they spend their money. It means watching your industry for financial trends in such nuance that you look like you can tell the future.

By mastering money and the energy of abundance, you become keen-eyed about creating abundance.

Dandaniti-Political Science

Dandaniti might feel irrelevant to the entrepreneur--until you realize the business landscape is a political arena.

There are opposing rulers with their kingdoms (businesses), and they may use similar strategies that older rulers have with a modern twist. You would be wise to study military strategists, and ancient rulers (the older the better since many new "memoirs" have been whitewashed.) Study the major players in your industry, and practice maneuvering. Treat your company as a military band, and your employees as an army you can send to attack an issue with finesse.

You'll become a force of nature.

Once you master these four, which will be a lifelong endeavor, the more successful you'll become.

4 Types of Modern Knowledge(Vidya) Every Dharmic Spiritual Entrepreneur Should Master

The Four Types of Knowledge Every Dharmic Entrepreneur Should Master.

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