Bhagavad Gita: An Encyclopaedia of Mental Health Education

Bhagavad Gita: An Encyclopaedia of Mental Health Education

Dr. N. Amareswaran*

* Assistant Professor, Dept. of Education, North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, Meghalaya-793022, e-mail: amareswaran@gmail.com, Mobile: 9441910359.

Dr. Franky Rani**

** Assistant Professor, Dept. of Education, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar,  Punjab-143005, e-mail: frankyshubh@gmail.com.

Abstract

            The main aim of education is all-round development i.e. physical development, mental development, spiritual development, social development, political development, technological development, economic development and so on. Education and development are two sides of the same coin. Many ancient Indian scripts are available to deal with mental health issues for the wellbeing of all human beings. Bhagavad Gita is the most prominent ancient Indian script which talks about all the aspects of the mental health of human beings. The very first word in Bhagavad Gita is “Dharma” and the last word is “Mama”. “Mama Dharma” – My duties, responsibilities, rights, ethics, morals, attitude, action, activities and so on. Some commentators recommend Gita as an elaborate detailing of MAMA DHARMA (Chinmayananda, 2002). The main aims of Mental Health Education are to promote the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities through excellence in teaching, research, and extension. Bhagavad Gita highlights on various ways to avoid negative thinking, right knowledge, selfless, faithful, high consciousness, learn & live, blessings, accept the truth, devotional towards God, detach from materialistic pleasure, lifestyle, goodness, true power and so on. These things are very important not only to maintain mental health constantly but also to improve mental health for wellbeing. In the present paper, the investigators have made an attempt to explore important thoughts of Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita for Mental Health Education.

Keywords: Bhagvad Gita, Mental health Education, and Encyclopedia.

Bhagavad Gita: An Encyclopaedia of Mental Health Education

INTRODUCTION

            Life is beautiful. The past is beyond recovery. We are not sure of the future. The given moment is the right time to do right action without delay. Education helps an individual to get the right knowledge for a happy and healthy life. The main aim of education is all-round development i.e. physical development, mental development, spiritual development, social development, political development, technological development, economic development and so on. Education and development are two sides of the same coin. Many ancient Indian scripts are available to deal with mental health issues for the wellbeing of all human beings. Bhagavad Gita is the most prominent ancient Indian script which talks about all the aspects of the mental health of human beings. The very first word in Bhagavad Gita is “Dharma” and the last word is “Mama”. “Mama Dharma” – My duties, responsibilities, rights, ethics, morals, attitude, action, activities and so on. Some commentators recommend Gita as an elaborate detailing of MAMA DHARMA (Chinmayananda, 2002). The main aims of Mental Health Education are to promote the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities through excellence in teaching, research, and extension. Bhagavad Gita highlights on various ways to avoid negative thinking, right knowledge, selfless, faithful, high consciousness, learn & live, blessings, accept the truth, devotional towards God, detach from materialistic pleasure, lifestyle, goodness, true power and so on. These things are very important not only to maintain mental health constantly but also to improve mental health for wellbeing.

BHAGAVAD GITA

            The Bhagavad Gita (Song of the Lord) often referred to as simply the Gita. Bhagavad Gita comprises 18 chapters (section 25 to 42) in the Bhishma Parva of the epic Mahabharata consists of 700 verses. The Gita is set in a narrative framework of a dialogue between Pandava prince Arjuna and his guide and charioteer Lord Krishna. The Bhagavad Gita's call for selfless action inspired many leaders of the Indian independence movement including Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Mahatma Gandhi. Gandhi referred to the Gita as his “spiritual dictionary”. Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita…”There is neither this world nor the world beyond, nor happiness for the one who doubts.”

Principles Emphasized by the Bhagavad Gita

            The three principles which have been emphasized by the Bhagavad Gita are…

1)      The management of mind

2)      The management of duty and

3)      The principles of self-management

            The principles propounded therein, seem to have universal application and useful for all human beings to mould their character and strengthen themselves to develop their managerial effectiveness. Bhagavad Gita is increasing in mind management and reducing mental and physical illnesses is an important stimulus of human growth and creativity as well an inevitable part of life.

BHAGAVAD GITA-MIND & MENTAL HEALTH

            According to Bhagavad “the mind acts like an enemy for those who do not control it”. In Gita Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita that the mind can be controlled by constant “practice and detachment.”(Bhagavad Gita, 6.35). Lord says that wherever and whenever the mind wanders, due to its flickering and unsteady nature, we must bring it back under the control of the Self (Bhagavad Gita, 6.26). The mind is like a child; a child is attracted to everything. The mind can be controlled through intelligence and spiritual power. Mental Health is a state of mind. It is possible through constant practice and detachment. Happiness is within. It is internal. Lord Krishna says, “The embodied soul may be restricted from sense enjoyment, though the taste for sense objects remains. But, ceasing such engagements by experiencing a higher taste, he is fixed in consciousness.” (Bhagavad Ggita 2:59). People are unnecessarily bothering by thinking wrongly. Gita says that “there is nothing lost or wasted in this life”.

LESSONS FROM BHAGAVAD GITA FOR MENTAL HEALTH

            Lord Krishna had mentioned many things to keep the mind in a peaceful state for mental health. Krishna says....

ü  Undoubtedly, the mind is fickle and difficult to take control over. But O sons of Kunti, control it with practice and abstinence.

ü  Little by little, through patience and repeated effort, the mind will become stilled in the self.

ü  The mind is restless and difficult to restrain, but it is subdued by practice.

ü  For him who has conquered the mind, the mind is the best of friends; but for one who has failed to do so; his very mind will be the greatest enemy.

ü  A man must elevate and not degrade himself using his mind. The mind is a friend of the conditioned soul, as well as its enemy.

ü  Fill your mind with me; love me; serve me; worship me always. Seeking me in your heart, you will at last be united with me.

ü  Just as the wind can carry away a boat on the water. The mind that gives in to one of the roaming senses, can carry away the intelligence of a person.

ü  Whatever you do, make it an offering to me – the food you eat, the sacrifices you make, the help you give, even your suffering.

ü  There is no official coronation ceremony held to declare lion the king of jungle. He becomes the king y his own attributes and heroic actions. Similarly, a person can achieve a position above other with his virtues and efforts.

ü  The sun looks alike while rising and setting. Similarly, a virtues person’s attitude and behaviour remains the same whether it’s prosperity or adversity.

ü  The way gold’s purity is tested by rubbing, cutting, heating and pounding, similarly, a person’s qualities are tested by gentleness, manners, habits and deeds.

ü  A human without knowledge, respect for elders, charity, wisdom, good conduct, virtues and unaware of his duties, is a burden to the earth. He is equal to an animal grazing in the form of human.

ü  Those with a narrow thinking have two different outlooks towards common matters relating to themselves and others. For those who are magnanimous and noble, the entire world is like a family, and their approach towards all matters is uniform.

ü  Truth is God and all virtues follow truth. All are rooted in truth and there is nothing higher than the truth.

ü  Knowledge brings humility; humility comes worthiness; with worthiness one attains wealth; with wealth one is able to perform his duties in a better way; and in performing his duties one attains happiness.

ü  One never knows what will happen to tomorrow. Therefore, wise men should do tomorrow’s task today itself.

ü  The one who is lazy and doesn’t put in efforts is unable to acquire knowledge. Wealth does not come to the one without knowledge and qualification. In such bad times, one cannot make good friends and happiness is far away from him.

ü  Without rigorous efforts nothing can be accomplished. Just like a deer does not enter a lion’s mouth on its own, without him going for a hunt.

ü  One should indulge in such deeds during day time by which he gets a comfortable and carefree sleep during the night.

ü  Rain over an ocean is meaningless, meaningless is feeding a well fed person, charity to a rich person is meaningless, meaningless is lighting a lamp in the daylight.

ü  Man is made by his belief. As he believes, so he is.

ü  The working senses are superior to dull matter; mind is higher than the senses; intelligence is still higher than the mind; and he (the soul) is even higher than the intelligence.

ü  Real independence means complete faith in the mercy of the lord without dependence on the conditions of matter.

ü  A self-realized person does not depend on anybody (except God) for anything.

ü  Let not the fruit of action be your motive to action. Your business is with action alone, not with the fruit of action.

ü  Only by love can men see me, and know me, and come into me.

ü  No one who does good work will never come to a bad end; neither here, nor in the world to come.

ü  The power of God is with you at all times; through the activities of mind, senses, breathing, and emotions; and is constantly doing all the work using you as a mere instrument.

ü  Having obtained real knowledge from a self-realized soul, you will never fall again into such illusion, for y this knowledge you will see that all living beings are but part of the Supreme, or, in other words, that they are mind (Verse 4.35).

ü  Still your mind in me, still yourself in me, and without a doubt you shall be united with me, Lord of Love, dwelling in your heart.

ü  These bodies are perishable, but the dwellers in these bodies are eternal, indestructible and impenetrable.

ü  When your discrimination is no longer tossed about by opinions, but abides unshaken in soul-bliss, then you will attain final union with God.

ü  When meditation is mastered, the mind is unwavering like the flame of a candle in a windless place.

ü  When you feel the suffering of every living thing in your own heart, that’s consciousness.

ü  If you want to see the brave, look to those who can return love for hatred. If you want to see the heroic, look to those who can forgive.

ü  Whatever he remembers when departing from the body, that alone is reached by him because of his constant thinking of that.

ü  Those who eat too much or eat too little, who sleep too much or sleep too little will not succeed in meditation. But those who are temperate in eating and sleeping; work and recreation, will come to the end of sorrow through meditation.

ü  Through meditation, the higher self is experienced.

ü  Wrong thinking is the only problem in life.

ü  The immature think that knowledge and action are different, but the wise see them as the same.

ü  But those who realize the self are always satisfied. Having found the source of joy and fulfillment, they no longer seek happiness from the external world. They have nothing to gain or lose by any action; neither people nor things can affect their security.

ü  After many births and deaths, he who actually in knowledge surrenders unto me, knows me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very race.

ü  The wise man lets go of all results, whether good or bad, and is focused on the action along.

ü  When you move amidst the world of sense, free from attachments and aversion alike, there comes the peace in which all sorrows end, and you live in the wisdom of the self.

ü  The answers you seek never come when the mind is busy; they come when the mind is still.

ü  As a person puts on new garments, giving up the old ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones.

ü  Dwelling mentally on sense objects breeds attachment to them. From attachment arises craving. From craving (when frustrated) springs anger. Anger produces delusion. Delusion causes forgetfulness (of the Self). Loss of memory (as to what one is, in truth) causes decay of the power of discrimination. From loss of discrimination ensues the annihilation of all right understanding.

ü  When a person responds to the joys and sorrows of others as though they were his own, he or she has attained the highest spiritual union.

ü  Yoga is the practice of tolerating the consequences of being yourself.

ü  Meet this transient world with neither grasping nor fear; trust the unfolding of life, and you will attain true serenity.

ü  A gift is pure when it is given from the heart to the right person at the right time and at the right place, and when we expect nothing in return.

ü  One should not show disrespect to any person. In reality it would tantamount to disrespecting his own self, as the whole world is God itself.

ü  Never let your inner mental peace be disturbed by external circumstances.

ü  Shut out the physical world. Control the mind. Then you will become free.

ü  The secret of human freedom is to act well, without attachment to the results.

ü  Far better to live your own path imperfectly than to live another’s perfectly.

ü  Free from all thoughts of ‘I’ and ‘Mine’, that man finds utter peace.

ü  Hell has three gates: Lust, anger, and greed. Try to away from these three things.

10 MENTAL HEALTH TIPS FROM BHAGAVAD GITA

            The following tips are very useful for an individual to keep his/her mind healthy for happy life. They are;

1.      Be Your self -find out your temperament and act in line with it (Swadhrama- Ch.3).

2.      Perform duties without attachments and insistence on particular results. Accept the results gracefully, gratefully (Karmanyevadhikarste-Ch.2)

3.      Spend some time in doing Pranayama (apnejuhvatipranam-Ch.4)

4.      Fallow the moderation-yoga, moderation food, sleep, speech, exercise, recreation and meditation eliminate stress. (Yuktaaharaviharsya-Ch.6)

5.      Like a tortoise cultivate perfect sense mastery, when required the senses are fully employed to act and archive. When necessary one should be able to with draw the sense. (Yedaasamharatechaayam-Ch.2).
6.      There is nothing which is more purifying the knowledge, clarity in thinking about the roles and the reality is essential. Understand that the roles we are playing are temporary & relative. The Reality in me is the Truth, is absolute. (Na hi gnanena sadrisham pavitramiha vidyate - Ch.4).
7.      Develop Purity in feeling. Overcome the impulsiveness of negative emotions like anger, lust, etc. (shaknotihaiva yah sodhum - Ch.16).
8.      Faith in the Higher Reality is a great source of strength. A man is what his faith is. As the faith so will be our desires, thoughts and action. (Shraddhamayoyam purushah. Yo yat shraddhah sa eva saha…Ch.17).
9.      Few minutes of Prayers & Meditation daily, go a long way in building up reserves of Peace and happiness within. (Swalpam apyasya dharmasy trayate mahato bhayat - Ch.2).
10.  Harmonise the head, the heart and the hands to be happy. Be an integrated personality. Disintegration causes stress. Integration gives tremendous satisfaction(Nasti buddhirayuktasya…Ch.2)

LESSONS FROM BHAGAVAD GITA FOR HAPPY AND SUCCESSFUL LIFE

            According to Bhagavad Gita everything is a lesson for an individual. Mistake is not a wrong. It is a lesson not to repeat again. The following lessons are very useful for an individual to keep his/her mind peacefully for mental health. They are;

1.      NEGATIVE THINKING: This is the main cause for human failures.

2.      RIGHT KNOWLEDGE: Problems are with everyone. But the right knowledge about the underlying cause will always help to search for the solution. It is the ultimate solution for every problem.

3.      ALWAYS REMAIN SELFLESS: Selflessness is the correct way to proceed in life and achieve success.

4.      PRAY: Having faith in God , the supreme power that rules the world is always helpful.

5.      CONNECT TO HIGHER CONSCIOUSNESS DAILY: Every day each one of us should work to improve ourselves. This will help us to grow physically, mentally as well as spiritually.

6.      LEARN AND LIVE: Every passing day teaches us something or the other so it is wise to keep in mind the lessons learned and try to live with what we learn.

7.      VALUE YOUR BLESSINGS: It is always good to keep a count of the blessings that God has bestowed upon us.

8.      ACCEPT THE TRUTH: You should always remain true to self and accept the reality.

9.      DEVOTION TOWARDS GOD: There is no other substitute to clean and pure body and mind.

10.  DETACH FROM MATERIALISTIC PLEASURES: It is good that realize that materialistic pleasures give only temporary happiness. The real happiness and contentment lies far away from all this.

11.  LIFE STYLE: You should always adapt a lifestyle that matches your vision.

12.  BEING GOOD ALWAYS PAYS: If you are good at heart this is the biggest reward for yourself in itself. You don’t need others praise for this. You yourself are praiseworthy for being like this.

13.  CHOOSING THE RIGHT OVER PLEASANT IS A SIGN OF TRUE POWER: Life always gives enough chances to choose between the right and the wrong.

14.  NEVER GIVE UP: The greatest power that resides in this world lies in YOU. A famous quote said by Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita: “If you don’t want to fight for what you want, and then don’t cry for what you lost”.

CONCLUSION

            Bhagavad Gita is an encyclopedia of mental health education. It had covered the 360-degree life of human beings. There is an urgent need to teach Bhagavad Gita at schools and colleges to prepare better citizens. The investigators have tried their best to provide valuable information related to Mental Health covered by Lord Krishna in Bhagavad Gita. Lord Krishna says “Whatever has happened, has happened for good. Whatever is happening, is happening for good. Whatever will happen, shall also happen for good. What have you lost, that you cry for? What did you bring, that you lost? What did you create, that was destroyed? You came empty handed and will go empty-handed. Whatever is yours today, was somebody else’s yesterday, and will be somebody else’s tomorrow”. For better mental health, it is good to follow the direction of the inner voice. Everything is within you only. Let’s try to read Bhagavad Gita and follow the tips for a happy and healthy life and live mentally healthy forever.

REFERENCES 

Pattabhiram, B. &. (2017). Mental health in Bhagavad Gita. International Journal of Neuroscience Research , 1 (5), 0001-0006.

Swatmananda, S. (2017, 09 04). Onlymyhealth. Retrieved 01 15, 2018, from http://www.onlymyhealth.com/10-stress-management-tips-from-the-bhagavad-geeta-1449149027