Keywords
Bhagavad Gita
Adolescents
Readers
How to Cite
Abstract
Anxiety is a common psychological challenge in today’s fast-paced world, affecting individuals in various ways. Many people seek solace in spiritual texts such as the Bhagavad Gita, which offers profound wisdom on inner peace and mental resilience. This study investigates whether regular reading of the Bhagavad Gita has a measurable impact on anxiety levels by comparing readers and non-readers. An ex post facto research design was employed. The study examines differences in anxiety levels between individuals who regularly read the Bhagavad Gita and those who do not. A sample of 80 adolescents (40 Bhagavad Gita readers and 40 non-readers) was assessed using the standardized Comprehensive Anxiety Scale. Quota sampling technique was used. The study found a statistically significant difference at the 0.01 level of significance, indicating that Bhagavad Gita readers exhibited significantly lower anxiety levels compared to non-readers. The findings suggest that engagement with spiritual literature such as the Bhagavad Gita may contribute to improved mental well-being.
References
Grover S, et al. Prevalence of Anxiety Disorder in Adolescents in India: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Cureus. 2022;14(9):e28084. doi:10.7759/cureus.28084 href{https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.28084}{[DOI Link]}
Gita Press. Shrimad Bhagavadgita (With Sanskrit Text and English Translation). Gita Press, Gorakhpur; 2015. (Code 1658 or similar editions; English translation based on Jayadayal Goyandka's rendering). href{https://archive.org/details/gitapress-gita-roman}{[Archived Scan on Internet Archive]}
Mishra S. Anxiety, Stress and Depression in Orphans With Special Reference to Intervention Effect of Bhagavad Gita. Pulsus Group; 2021. Available from: href{https://www.pulsus.com/scholarly-articles/anxiety-stress-and-depression-in-orphans-with-special-reference-to-intervention-effect-of-bhagwat-gita.pdf}{[PDF Link]}
Reddy MS. Psychotherapy - insights from Bhagavad Gita. Indian J Psychol Med. 2012;34(1):100-104. doi:10.4103/0253-7176.96131 href{https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3361835/}{[PMC Full Text]})
Deshpande A, Behura S. Registered report: The effectiveness of a Bhagavad Gita intervention to reduce psychological distress in homeless people—A randomised controlled trial. PLOS ONE. 2024;19(10):e0310795. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0310795 href{https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0310795}{[DOI Link]}
Akartuna D, et al. Lived experiences of spiritual emotional intelligence: a Bhagavad Gitā-based indigenous model of psychological wellbeing. Front Psychol. 2025;16:1730103. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1730103 href{https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1730103}{[DOI Link]}
Dhillon R. Ancient Indian perspectives and practices of mental well-being. Front Psychol. 2025;16:1616802. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1616802 href{https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1616802}{[DOI Link]}
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2025 Nivedita Pathania, Prama Sharma, Manish Gupta, Santosh Vishwkarma (Author)