Indian Journal of Positive Psychology © 2013 Indian Association of Health,

2013, 4(1), 182-184 Research and Welfare

The Bhagavad Gita : A mirror of positive psychology

Harasankar Adhikari
Social Worker and Independent Scholar, Kolkata, West Bangal

The psychology is a branch of social sciences dealing with mental health of human being particular when they are in
some crises aiming to re-establish the power and potentialities of individual. The positive psychology, an emerging
branch of psychology has been taken initiative to help the individual become more happier. The basic instrument of
this is to revitalize the individual self-energy and self-confidence. The Bhagavad Gita is a testament of guidelines
for positive psychology. Lord Sri Krishna has been explained how to regenerate the will power of people through his
everyday work and work culture. The present paper has been discussed the importance of Gita in dealing with
branch of positive psychology. It would be surely a helpful guideline to save the human being from conflict and
crises of present day globalized world.

Keywords: positive psychology, Bhagavad Gita, work and work culture, self confidence

Generally the subject, psychology tends to focus on dysfunction and
abnormal behavior. But positive psychology, an emerging branch of
psychology is centred on helping people become happier (Gable &
Haidt, 2005). According to Martin and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi,
(2000) it is a scientific understanding and effective interventions to
build the thriving in individuals, families and communities (Gable &
Haidt, 2005). This new branch of psychology guides to strengthen
the human efficacy and self energy. It starts from zero, not after
reaching the minus level(negative) of mental state. So, the human
mental power towards more positivity would be revitalized through
the positive psychological deal. Surprisingly for this purpose there is
no drug to be prescribed. Only guidance for development of will
power is the prescription because the treatment is the implication of
self energy and self confidence.
The Bhagavad Gita, a scripture of the Hindu epic Mahabharata
contains a conversation between Pandava prince Arjun and his guide
Lord Krihsna, is a theological and philosophical guides to every
human being regardless of race, caste and class (Radhakrishnan,
1993), In this context it expounded thousands of years ago by
Bhagawan Sri Krishna enlightens us on self management techniques
leading to a harmonious and blissful state against conflicts, tensions,
lowest efficiency and least productivity and absence of motivation,
etc (Gambhirananda, 1997). Bhagavad Gita discusses the nature of
individual, leadership, motivation, meaning of work, attitude
towards work, decision making, etc with sharp insight and finest
analysis. It tackles basic thinking of man for automatic enhancement
of his actions and their result. Fundamentally it proclaims that 'you
try to management yourself'.
Thus every individual should sum up his/her functions as like
(a)Forming vision with strategic plan to realize it; (b) cultivating art
of leadership; (c ) strengthening own motivation; (d) cultivating 'we
feeling'; (f) motivation, communication, self appraisal of
performance and rectified strategies for further proceedings(Londhe,
Sushama, 2008), ;
The globalization has brought changes in almost all spheres of
people's daily living. The movement of people towards urban area is
significant when the unemployment is an alarming threat due to
surplus agriculture labour and no alternative earning in rural area
Correspondence should be sent to Harasankar Adhikari
Social Worker and Independent Scholar, Kolkata, West Bangal
(Srinivas & Subrahamanya, 2003). The conflict with consumerism
changes the standard of living while corruption, more and more
social violence, exploitation and such other vices have gone deep to
the body of politic. These are the prime causes for changing mental
state of people towards negativity which enshrines to commit
different indulgences. The need and importance of application of
positive psychology are urgent to make our society prosperous
where the individual's strength would be redefined.
Here, the guidelines of Bhagavad Gita are significant resource as
mirror for the professional dealing with positive psychology and its
application to every individual would be the main object of this
paper. It would practically enrich area of the particular branch of the
psychology.
Bhagavad Gita and its effectiveness
Resources and its self-actualization by individual : The first lesson is
to actualize of self and individuals' strength to imply it wisely and
optimally if one has to succeed in his venture. Before Kurukshetra
battle in Mahabharata Duryondhan chose Sri Krishna's large army
for his help while Arjun selected Sri Kirshna's wisdom for his
support. The result gives us a clue of self actualization. The
individual can make success in his life if his determination of choice
of resources and its implication in any stage of life.
Individual's attitude towards work: Gita tells us to develop the
visionary perspective in the work we do. It cultivates a sense of
larger vision in one's work for the common good. It would make
oneself judgmental.
Individual commitment to work: Gita advices non-attachment to the
fruit or results of actions performed in the course of one's duty.
Dedicated work has to mean work for the sake of work. If we
calculates own efforts in terms of results it would be an inevitable
disappointment. The quality of performance would suffer on
account of the mental agitations caused by the anxieties of the future.
The commitment should not mortgage to an uncertain future. If we
fail to measure up the height, them surely the fault lies with us and
not with the teaching.
While a significant portion of people is attached to the
consequences of one's action, it would make one un-accountable as
accountability is a much touted word. Bhagavad Gita is full of
advice on the theory of cause and effect, making the doer responsible
for the consequence of his deeds. It tells us to detach from the avarice