Publication: The Economic Times Mumbai; Date: Aug 31, 2012; Section: Corporate Dossier; Page: 24 Fear Factor I am a senior manager who has been given a mandate to reduce my workforce. I have to choose the employees to be fired from my team this week. No matter what I tell them, they will feel hurt and curse me for wreaking havoc on their families and their careers. How do I deal with this guilt and make it less painful for all of us? In the Mahabharata, when the Pandava brothers inherit a forest, Khandava-prastha, and want to build on it a great city, named Indra-prastha, the city of Indra, Krishna says, "Then burn the forest. Set aflame every plant, every animal, every bird and every bee. Offer them to agni." When the Pandavas express their horror at the suggestion, Krishna says, "Then do not dream of a city."     Hunger (bhook) demands food (bhog). Consumption demands sacrifice (bali). Sacrifice has consequences (karma). This...