Listening types as delineated in Business Communication: A re-reading in the light of Srimad Bhagavad Gita

Abstract

From time immemorial listening and the art of listening has been emphasized as one of the major mediums of learning. In the ancient ages, shruti had been one of the major techniques of passing down the legacy of vedic hymns to the future generations. The etymological origin of the word ‘listen’ from ‘hlysnan’ (Northumbrian ‘lysna’) means ‘to attend to’ originates from the IE root *kleu which is also the source of the Sanskrit word ‘srnoti’ meaning ‘to hear’. The archetypal importance given to the art of effective listening and its benefits is also evident in the preaching of The Mahabharata:

(He who listens patiently and comprehends quickly and acts accordingly and not by his own sweet will; and does not meddle with others' business unless asked to, is truly a wise person.)
Listening is the first of the four major pillars of language acquisition and is one of the predominating areas of study and research even in the modern times. A typical study as mentioned by B. Balaji Reddy in his research paper “Effective Listening: A very important skill to acquire in today’s high-speed world” shows that most of us spend 70 to 80 percent of our waking time by communicating in some form. The papers aims to delve into the nuances of effective listening techniques in the light of Srimad Bhagavad Gita
Keywords: EfSrimad Bhagavad Gita, fective Listening Techniques, Types of Listening, Dialogues between Krishna and Arjun.