In the field of contemporary psychology, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is accepted as the gold standard treatment for depression and anxiety. However, ancient Indian philosophy, particularly the Śrīmad Bhagabad Gītā, provides a well-structured framework for managing human consciousness and mental health that is comparable to modern psychotherapy. The primary objective of this research paper is to evaluate the similarities between the psychological principles of the Bhagabad Gītā and cognitive Behavioural therapy through an experimental study. In this study, 60 participants (who were victims of moderate depression and anxiety) were randomly divided into three groups: Gītā-Based Intervention (GBI), standard Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, and a waitlist control group. After 10 weeks of treatment, data was collected using the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) scores. The results revealed that the Gītā's principles of 'Nishkama Karma' (selfless action) and 'Sthitaprajña' (equanimity) are not only equivalent to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy in reducing symptoms but are also more effective in fostering meaning-making and resilience in the patient's life. This research proves that the Gītā is an ancient model of cognitive Behavioural therapy.
Pal et al. (Sun,) studied this question.