Presentation made to ECU Students while in India

1. Shrimad Bhagavad Gita
Psychological Perspectives
Prof. Nigam Dave
Pandit Deendayal Petroleum Uni.

2. • Each human being operates in a specific
‘cultural space’ and thus the psyche is
affected by the cultural consciousness.
• Northrop Frye’s ‘Archetypes in Myth’
• Internet, International Travels, Cross
nation migration of workers – students –
need of the industry.

3. • Indian psyche has been more of an introversion and observation,
not empirical.
• Socio-Philosophical Psyche.
• Dual philosophy: Negation and Acceptance.
• Interdependent concept of self – family names and shared identity.
• Individualist culture – individual is detached and therefore more
action oriented.
• Arranged Marriages – Love Marriages.
• Interdependent self leads to observance of norms and social values
than individual goals.
• Oedipus Complex Vs. Yayati – Dasharath – Bhishma Syndrome.

4. Mahabharata
• In grandeur Mahabharata alone is more than
double of both the famous Greek epics, Iliad and
Odyssey.
• 18 Parvas and 82136 stanzas.
• Some say authentically there were 88,000
stanzas.
• Lot of interpolations.
• Vyasa wrote Jay, Vaishampayan gave it a title of
Bharata which later on assumed the name of
Mahabharata.

5. • Some say, in olden days any poem which
dealt with victory of Kings was named Jay.
• Epic poem of heroism.
• Descriptions of society, rajadharma,
history, mythology, Gita and diplomacy
have given it a dimension of encyclopedia
in itself. It is said that ‘Something which is
not found in (Maha) Bharata is not to be
found anywhere in Bharata.”

7. • Chapter – 1
Bhagwad Gita

8. • Curiosity of a blind man. ‘Blindness’ is
metaphorical. Arjuna also shows the same
possessiveness and infatuation to
relatives later on.
• Why does Dhrtarashtra use the word
‘Dharmakshetre’?
• War on the name of religion, Jehad.
• When wars are justified in the name of
religion they get very destructive.

9. • The problem of ‘the other’ Vs. ‘In his death
I die too’.
• Dhrtarashtra had to give up his throne to
Pandu his younger brother. This led to
jealousy and his psyche of insecurity.
• Rhetorical question. The mind only wants
to hear or see what it wants to hear or see.

11. • Fatal error of judgment by Duryodhana.
Pandavas are not protected by Bhima as
he calculates.
• However Duryodhana has a fatal fixation
with Bhima.

13. • It must be noted that Arjuna is in a dilemma
• Duryodhana would never have asked “who are the
warriors with whom I have to fight?”
• One who is eager to fight would create an enemy in ‘the
other’.
• To fight you need ‘thoughtlessness’.
• Arjuna wants to participate in action without being
responsible for it.
• He is in the same situation as Hamlet pondering whether
to act or not. In both cases indecision springs from being
responsible for action.

19. • Arjuna talks about bodily syndromes but
actually he has anxiety and stress.
• Salivary glands don’t secrete enough so
mouth becomes dry, heart beats increase,
mind is not able to think coherently.

22. • Arjuna says ‘I don’t want to kill’. Problem is
not killing. Problem is killing one’s own.
• Anxious mind selects extremes. Arjuna
says ‘even if my enemies were to kill me, I
don’t want to do that.’ Buddha – Madhyam
Marg.
• Focus all the time in this monologue is ‘I’.

23. • Yaksha Prashna
• Death of others would not bother us.
• Arjuna is the author of Gita, Krishna is the
perfect teacher. He doesn’t say – trust me,
do this. He lets Arjuna ask as many
questions as he wants. Arjuna indirectly
wants ‘assurance’, Krishna is ready to
churn his dilemma.

24. Bhagvad Gita is a treatise of psycho-analysis.
When Krishna says that Arjuna is talking like ‘Anarya’ he is not encouraging
war.
He has caught up words of Arjuna that he would prefer his own death rather
than killing the relatives.
In Psychology, there are two types of behavioral patterns – Masochism and
Sadism.
Arjuna is confusing his duties with a hint of masochism.
Krishna wants Arjuna to get rid of this confusion of ‘I may save them’ or ‘I
may kill them’.

25. Bhagvad Gita is considered the best example of a discourse between a guru and a disciple.
Krishna has all the patience in the world to listen to Arjuna, but initially instead of asking questions to Krishna,
Arjuna seems to inform Krishna about what is morally correct and what is not.

26. One good thing about people worthy of enlightenment is that
they know they are confused. People who believe that they are
‘sure’ can not be taught anything. Light can only have meaning
in darkness. (Ex – Zen Monk)
Gita emphasizes on surrender. (Ex – Krishna/Disciple/Stoning)

27. Arjuna has expressed his doubts first in the form of rhetoric
questions and from the things he has read somewhere. Now even
before Krishna can answer, he gives up and clearly gives his verdict
‘I wont fight’.
This is a decision in indecisiveness – an act of self deception.

28. Ex – Film Screen
“There are some who want to stand by truth, there
are some who want truth to stand by them.” –
Samuel Wells

29. • Example of Bodhidharma who was
approached by a monk to explain to him
the book by Buddha.
• Content is eternal – form changes.

30. • Existence and Expression.
• A seed has a hidden tree in it.
• Form is expression but existence is un
manifested.
• Radio and song.

31. Ex – Passing Stations while travelling by Train.
“someone is not a child, is being in the process of
childhood. Some one is not old, is in the process of being
old”.
Form is always in the process of dying.

32. This is also not true and that was also not
true.

33. Thanks