Self-management and Social Welfare: Insights from Bhagavad Gita

Various scholars have considered the Bhagavad Gita as a vast ocean of ever-flowing bhakti and knowledge. Learners have gained deep and profound insights that continue to nourish them through devoted learning. It is also interesting to note that what one understands from the Gita often depends upon one’s orientation and life experiences. The text has implications across multiple domains, among which self-management is one of the prominent areas discussed in this article. Adopting an interpretive qualitative approach grounded in an indigenous epistemological stance, the study examines select teachings of the Gita to understand their relevance for contemporary life. The approach suggested by Bhawuk (2011) for developing frameworks, models and theories from scriptures was reviewed and Hermeneutics for studying ancient scriptures was adopted to guide the interpretive process. A step-by-step analytical approach was followed for the research. The text of the Bhagavad Gita was read repeatedly to examine and arrive at a comprehensive understanding with respect to self-management and social welfare.