Guruji, you told earlier that Bhagavad Gita is psychology and comes close to modern psychology. So do you limit it by calling psyche as mind? Because the original meaning of psyche is soul. So will you stop at just calling Gita psychology or will you also call it spiritual science? Please clarify.
I refer to the Gita as a text on psychology, not because I seek to diminish its spiritual significance, but rather to highlight the profound impact it has on the human mind. By mind, I strictly mean the mental faculties, not the soul. Some might argue that by calling the Gita a psychological scripture, I am lowering its stature, insisting that it should be recognized as a spiritual science. However, I must assert that there is no scripture solely dedicated to spirituality. At best, a scripture can guide the mind to the threshold where spirituality begins, but it cannot encapsulate spirituality itself. Spirituality is not something that can be confined to words or doctrines—it is an experience, a living reality that transcends the limitations of scripture.
The highest function of a scripture is to guide one to the ultimate depths and heights of the mind. Beyond that, it cannot take you. Therefore, I choose not to call the Gita a spiritual scripture because no such scripture can truly exist. Spirituality, by its very nature, defies verbal expression; it is indescribable and beyond explanation. Scriptures, no matter how profound, continuously remind us that true spirituality cannot be grasped through the mind alone—it exists beyond the mind’s reach. If something lies beyond the mind, how can it be captured in words? Thus, the ultimate purpose of any scripture is to guide the mind. If it accomplishes this, then it has fulfilled its highest potential.
I refer to the Gita as “Manas Shastra,” a scripture of the mind, because it contains the essential teachings needed to reach the point where the leap into spirituality can occur. But let us be clear: spiritual science is not a scripture. Spiritual statements, like those found in the Upanishads, are not science—they are profound declarations, but they do not serve as practical guides for the human experience. The Upanishads are valuable, but only for those who have already attained spiritual realization. For such individuals, the Upanishads can serve as a confirmation of their own experiences, but for those still on the path, these texts remain abstract and elusive.
When one truly knows, the need for external validation, even from the Upanishads, disappears. The realized individual becomes a living testament to the truths contained within these ancient texts. However, for the seeker, or sadhak, the Gita holds unparalleled value. The Gita speaks directly to the psychological struggles that arise on the path to self-realization. For the accomplished master, or siddha, the Gita may no longer be necessary, but for the seeker, it is an indispensable guide.
Arjuna’s struggles, as presented in the Gita, are not spiritual in nature—they are mental and psychological. His entanglement is within the mind. If someone were to claim that Krishna is addressing Arjuna’s spiritual problems with spiritual solutions, they would be missing the point entirely. A solution must be offered at the level where the problem exists; only then can it be effective. Arjuna’s dilemma is rooted in his mind, not in his spirit. The Gita, therefore, is a psychological scripture that addresses the mind’s turmoil, not a spiritual text solving spiritual dilemmas.
This distinction is crucial because, in truth, there is no such thing as a spiritual problem. Where spirituality exists, problems do not; and where problems exist, spirituality does not. The analogy is like darkness and light. If you claim there is darkness in your home and I bring a lamp to see it, the moment the light enters, the darkness disappears. You might then say, “Show me where the darkness is,” but I cannot, because light and darkness cannot coexist. Similarly, spirituality and problems cannot coexist. Spirituality is not a problem; it is the solution. The very term “Samadhi” represents the state where all problems cease, and only solutions remain. Until one reaches the door of Samadhi, the challenges faced are purely mental. The mind itself is the source of all problems, and spirituality is the state where the mind, and thus all problems, dissolve.
Therefore, when I call the Gita a “Manas Shastra,” I am acknowledging the highest function of any scripture—it is the ultimate guide to the mind. Those who elevate the Gita to the level of a spiritual scripture may inadvertently strip it of its practical relevance. Everyone’s problems are of the mind, not of the spirit. When I say that Krishna is the first great psychologist, I am making the strongest possible statement within the realm of human understanding. The game is entirely within the mind. All suffering, all turmoil, originates in the mind, and spirituality is the state where the mind ceases to be.
This is why there is no scripture beyond the mind. The relationship between a guru and disciple exists only as long as the mind exists. Beyond the mind, there is no guru, no disciple, no Arjuna, no Krishna. What lies beyond the mind is nameless and formless. Everything we know, everything we experience, occurs within the realm of the mind, and that is why the Gita holds such unique significance. There are many spiritual statements, and they are valuable, but they are just that—statements. They do not address the practical challenges faced by those still bound by the mind.
Krishna’s genius lies in his ability to address Arjuna at the level where he is struggling. If Krishna had spoken solely from the perspective of a knower of Brahman, there would have been no connection with Arjuna. Arjuna, mired in his mental struggles, would have been unable to comprehend Krishna’s teachings. Instead, Krishna meets Arjuna where he is, addressing his psychological dilemmas, guiding him step by step, rising and falling with Arjuna’s own emotional states. The Gita is thus a dynamic psychological system, not a static spiritual doctrine.
Krishna’s teachings in the Gita stand in contrast to the statements of the sages in the Upanishads, who speak from the heights of their own realization, often with little regard for the listener’s capacity to understand. Krishna, however, is a teacher who walks with his student, helping him navigate the complexities of the mind. When Arjuna falls, Krishna bends down to lift him up; when Arjuna rises, Krishna rises with him. Krishna is not at the center of the Gita—Arjuna is. This is what makes the Gita such a profound psychological scripture. It is not a metaphysical text concerned with abstract spiritual concepts; it is a practical guide for the mind.
In conclusion, the future belongs to texts that address the psychological needs of humanity, not to those that dwell in metaphysical abstractions. The world is no longer captivated by the philosophies of ancient metaphysicians; it is driven by the practical insights of psychologists like Freud, Jung, and Adler. If Krishna’s teachings in the Gita are to remain relevant in the future, they must be understood as a psychological guide, not a metaphysical treatise. The Gita has a future only if it stands alongside the great psychological insights of our time, offering solutions to the real problems faced by people today.
I have come to this understanding after much contemplation and study. The Gita is a profound psychological text, and this recognition does not diminish its value—it elevates it to its true purpose: guiding the mind to the threshold where spirituality begins.