Developing Personality: The Geeta Way

For the youths globally, Bhagavad Geeta is the best textbook on personality development. Western psychiatry gave undue emphasis on the senses and emotions, which belong to the smaller self, in their therapeutic objective. Bhagavad Geeta (2.64; 5.11) says this as Kevalair Indriyaischaran (moving with the mere sense organs). Psychology, as illustrated in the Bhagavad Geeta, gives a study of the development of the mind from a lower state of sufferings, anxiety and depression to the most evolved state of human evolution in which the intelligence is established in the divine consciousness. Aurobindo had said: “The degree of consciousness is the degree of evolution.”

Freud found Super ego as the highest stage of mind, where as Jung saw it the self or Atma. Bhagavad Geeta (3.42) talks about different levels of human self: “The senses are subtle, mind is more subtle than the senses, intellect is finer than mind and that which is beyond even the intellect is Atman.” Bhagavad Geeta (2:62-63) explains how psychological changes take place: “While contemplating the objects of the senses (vishaya vasthu dhyan), a person develops attachment (sangam) for them, and from such attachment lust (kama) develops, and from lust frustration (krodha) arises. From frustration, complete delusion (sammoha in which wisdom is destroyed) arises, and from delusion bewilderment of memory (smriti bhramsa). When memory is bewildered, intelligence (buddhi naasha) is lost, and when intelligence is lost one falls to total destruction (sarva naasa).” Detachment is the solution prescribed.

Deendayalji was against suppression of instincts in ‘Integral Humanism’ page 5 said: “Psychology informs us how by suppression of various natural instincts different mental disorders ensue. Such a person remains restless and dejected. His abilities slowly deteriorate and become perverted.” Bhagavad Geeta 6.5 says, “Atmanam avasadayet” i.e. you shall not depress the self. Viveka chudamani 24 says enduring sorrows without suppressing it is titiksha.

Bhagavad Geeta 6.34 mentions about the unstable nature of the mind: “chanchalam hi manah”. Mind become wavering due to desire to outside objects. Second law of thermodynamics says that everything proceeds towards increasing entropy (disorder, uncertainty etc). Bhagavad Geeta (15.1) also says, the universe is asthir (unstable) like an ashvaddha (banyan tree) standing upside down. Hence, Hindus have proposed the concept of a highly balanced personality. Collection of such individuals will make a spiritualised society. Regarding mental illness Bhagavad Geeta 6.6 says: “For those who have conquered their minds, the mind will be the best of friends; but for those who have failed to do so, the mind will remain the greatest enemy.” Bhagavad-Geeta (7.28) says that purvaarjia vasanas or instincts accumulate in one’s personality: “After many births of good deeds, one is completely freed from all contaminations and from all illusory dualities. Then he finally attains moksha by himself.”

Bhagavad Geeta divides human personalities into three according to three guna prakriti—Satva, Rajas and Tamas. All these are present in the same. Satvika personality does all his actions in dharmic way without desire and expecting returns (phala apeksha), without thinking about victory or failure. Rajasika personality desires for result and fame. They do even tapas, yajna and even good deeds with desire. They are emotional and carried by victory and defeat. Tamasika personality is not concerned with others. They are ignorant, think in opposite way and disturb others. Bhattanayaka in his Sankhya study says, Satva rajas tamo gunas create sukh or happinesss, dukh or sorrow and moha. But the more powerful mind determines one’s personality.

There is the fourth one which is ideal- thri gunatita state, one which is above or untouched by these three gunas. Bhagavad Geeta (7.12) says: “All states of goodness (Satvik), passion (rajas) or ignorance (tamas) are manifestations of My energy.” Triguanatita is the height of personality development. It means one who has transcended the three gunas, i.e. above (beyond) the three gunas. Triguanatita does not have raga even when he is involved in worldy affairs, dualities like sukha and dukha, praise and ridicule, honour or insult, enemy-friend etc. are the same for him, he is not moved by likes and dislikes. He is neutral to result of actions. In the midst of change, he is changeless. For him mud and gold are the same- Kanchana loshtaval. The balance in extremities like happiness and sorrow is repeated in Geeta. Bhagavad Geeta is a book propagating balance of mind. Such a personality gets elevated to the domain of Transcendental Psychology.

Bhagavad Geeta describes 14 such types of ideal spiritual personalities who are the highest evolved human beings and who have psychologically controlled mind. They are Dheeran (2.15), Yoga buddhi (2.39), trigunaateetan (2.45, 14.24-25), stitaprajna (2.55), Muni (2.56, 5.28), Vidvan (3.26), Yoga muktan (4.18), Pandita (5.18), Nitya sanyasin (5.3), Yukta (5.23, 6.18), Yogi (5.24, 6.32, 6.46), Yogaarutan (6.4), Yujna (6.19), Jnani (7.18), Priya mukta (12.14-20), Tyagi (18.11) and Satvika karta (18.26). Out of this, Bhagavad Geeta (2:54-56) puts forwards the best human personality as Sthitaprajna. He is a person undisturbed in adversity, free from fear and desire. It gives the idea of the spiritualised mind or yogic mind.

Bhagavad Geeta 5.19 says, the world is conquered by people whose minds are balanced. Bhagavan also likes such people, says Bhagavad Geeta 12.13-14, 18-19; 14.24: “One who is balanced in sorrow and happiness and is patient, such a devotee of Mine is very dear to Me.” It is because Krishna himself is the divine master of the Yoga (Geeta, 18.75&78)

Yoga in Geeta means samatva or equilibrium. Yoga achieves balance and harmony between body, mind and soul. Yoga is the practice of building a balanced personality, says Bhagavad Geeta 6.17: “He who is balanced in his habits of eating, travelling, actions, sleeping and work, he is practicing yoga and can remove all worldly sorrows.” A yogi has to choose the madhyamika marga (middle path) with samyak jnana (balanced thought) and samyak karma (balanced action). Bhagavad Geeta 6.16 says: “There is no possibility of one becoming a yogi, if you eat too much or too little, sleep too much or too less.” After controlling mind, the next step of controlling self remains the Highest Yoga. The entire aim of yoga is the reunion of the individual soul with the Supreme Spirit. It is like the falling of a small drop into the vast Immortal Sea.

Hindu psychology teaches to train and bring control over the mind. In Bhagavad Geeta (6:34) Krishna says, it is hard to tame mind just as the wind. Only through spiritual thoughts shall mind be controlled and not by any other means. Attachment to the emotions is a hurdle against realising one’s higher self. Mind, if left idle and without firm direction and control, can become very dangerous. Bhagavad Geeta 7.11 says strength is attained when there is no desire. With two things, abhyas and vairagya, you can tame the mind (Bhagavad Geeta 6.35). Bhagavad Geeta 2.48, 50 says do actions by fixing in yoga and Yoga is skill in works. Bhagavad Geeta 3.30 says even you have to fight without grief. It says about abhyasa yoga (12.6-12), mental tapas (7.15-16) and self control (18.51-53). It has to be a habit and part of our life style. Bhagavad Geeta (8:5-10) advises: “Make a habit of practicing meditation, and do not let your mind be distracted. In this way you will come finally to the Lord, Who is the light-giver, the highest of the high.”

By yoga practice one can have miracles as psychic power. Yoga siddhi is the perfection which comes by the practice of yoga. But Bhagavad Geeta (7.3) says, only one among thousands endeavour to be perfect.

In Yoga meditation, the keeping up of body posture is important. Bhagavad Geeta (6:13) says: “Let him firmly hold his body, head and neck erect and perfectly still.” Meditation help a patient quiet his distracting thoughts or ageetating emotions. The miraculous result of practice of Yoga is mentioned in Bhagavad Geeta (6.20-23): “The stage of perfection is called trance or samadhi, when one’s mind is completely restrained from material mental activities by practice of yoga. This is characterised by one’s ability to see the self by the pure mind and to relish and rejoice in the self. In that joyous state, one is situated in boundless transcendental happiness and enjoys himself through transcendental senses. Established thus, one never departs from the truth and upon gaining this he thinks there is no greater gain. Being situated in such a position, one is never shaken, even in the midst of greatest difficulty. This indeed is actual freedom from all miseries arising from material contact.” Bhagavad Geeta (2.65) says: In tranquillity, all the sorrow is destroyed. Bhagavad Geeta (2.59) says even if desires and senses were controlled, raga will not be destroyed fully. By experiencing the higher things it can be destroyed: “para drishtvaa nivartate” (2.59).

It is not that psychotherapy is absent in Hindu tradition. This can be done without the patient’s feeling punished or criticised. Shrimad Bhagavad Geeta is a great example of psychotherapy and counselling conducted by Krishna upon the depressed Arjuna (Arjuna vishada yoga) (Bhagavad Geeta 1.45-46). At the end after the counselling (Bhagavad Geeta 18.73) Arjuna relieved of his depression, dejection and hopelessness (vishada) says: “My dear Krisha, my illusion (moha) is now gone. I have regained my memory by your assistance. I am now firm and free from doubt and am prepared to act according to your words.” Bhagavad Geeta 18.62 says about “Param santim” i.e. supreme peace. Like Arjuna in Bhagavad Geeta, Narada also was depressed in Chandogyopanishad who was advised Atma bodha by Sanat Kumara. Narada’s condition was similar to the position of Descartes who said “Dubito ergo sum” (I doubt, so I am).

The great declaration of Sri Krishna in Bhagavad Geeta (6.40) is good people never degrades. Bhagavad Geeta (6.41) says, even a Yoga bhrashta (one who happen to fall from Yogic practice) will not get destroyed, if he had done good deeds (punya karma) he will take rebirth in good people’s company.

Today’s India witnesses many of our intelligentsia saying about our inability and lack of confidence to face challenging situations. In Indian economics, Unlimited wants lead to contradictions and contradictions lead to struggle. Even to businessmen Bhagavad Geeta 2.48 says: “O winner of wealth (Dhananjaya), perform actions established in Yoga, having abandoned attachment and having balanced in success and failure.”

Freud called sex energy as libido. Bhagavad Geeta (16:8) describes the view of Freud seeing kama in everything as ‘Asurik’. At the same time, Bhagavad Geeta (7.11) accepts kama which is not against Dharma. Bhagavad Geeta (16.11) says demonic (asurik) people are those who believe in Indulging in sexual gratification as supreme. For that purpose, making money by illegal means is asurik. This applies to consumerism, materialism, Market capitalism etc. Story of the sensuousness of Yayati shows kama cannot be fulfilled forever. Even while enjoying pleasure, we should realise its limitation.

Balance between ethics, economy, ecology, energy and employment are required for a beautiful world to live in. When balance is lost in social organisations, problems arise in the society. There is a total balance in the entire universe by which it exists. Bhagavad Geeta 3.11 proposes the fundamental principle of “parasparam bhavayantah” i.e. nourishing each other. Thus Bhagavad Geeta is a wonderful text that teaches how to develop your personality to a higher spiritual level. Such elements of Hindu psychology are scattered in Vedas, Brahmanas, Upanishads, Puranas, Bhagavat Geeta, Tantras, Sankhya, Patanjala, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Purva mimamsa, and uttara meemamsa, Tripura Rahasya, Ayurvedic literatures of Charaka, Susruta, etc. All these are to be studied in detail in the context of modern science.