Individual Development in the Light of the Bhagavad Gita

Abstract

An attempt is made in the paper to discuss individual development in the light of the Bhagavad Gita. The need arises primarily due to the fact that while the western worldview recognizes interpersonal skills as the most dominating factor in an individual’s qualitative development, the Bhagavad Gita expounds the importance and development of the intrapersonal skills for the holistic development of individuals. According to the Bhagavad Gita, an individual/self is a combination of three dimensions: physical, psychological and spiritual. The process of self-development involves the subjugation/sublimation of the physical dimension under the psychological dimension and the subjugation/ sublimation of the psychological dimension under the spiritual dimension. In the background of the Bhagavad Gita, we may develop an Indian version of soft skills and that of humanities and social sciences that would make this world a better place to live in.