Yoga, defined in the classical Yogasutras as the cessation of mental fluctuations, can serve as a holistic intervention for anxiety, depression, and PTSD. By integrating ancient philosophical insights with modern neuroscience, the paper reviews evidence that rhythmic breathing (Pranayama) and physical postures (Asana) increase GABA levels and reduce serum cortisol, thereby regulating the autonomic nervous system and HPA axis. Yoga functions as both a top-down and bottom-up therapeutic tool for emotional regulation and cognitive space. However, commercial dilution and the need for trauma-informed, standardized protocols are critical challenges. An integrative approach merging subjective yogic wisdom with scientific rigor is essential for addressing the global mental health crisis.
Emperor Ashoka's governance model, articulated through his Edicts, established an external ethical framework (Dhamma) that enabled meditative practices like Dhyana to function at a societal scale. Drawing on epigraphic evidence and Yogic and Buddhist traditions, the paper argues that Ashoka's rule constituted a form of state-supported psychological infrastructure. Interpreted through Post-Traumatic Growth and environmental psychology, the Mauryan state cultivated conditions for individual and collective mental wellbeing, offering a historical model for integrating ethical governance with mental health policy. Ashoka's Dhamma is characterized not as religious conversion but as a sophisticated public health intervention and a top-down cognitive behavioral framework.
A qualitative, hermeneutic analysis of two philosophical discourses within the eleventh skandha of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam—the Bhikṣu Gītā and the Avadhūta Gītā—argues that the Indian Knowledge System offers a sophisticated psychological technology for mental health. The Bhikṣu Gītā describes a miserly Brahmin's cognitive shift from external blame to radical self-accountability, identifying suffering as stemming from an undisciplined mind and ego-driven constructs of 'I-ness' and 'My-ness.' The Avadhūta Gītā presents a universal learning model through observing twenty-four gurus in nature, advocating humility and wisdom assimilation. Synthesizing these with Aaron Beck's cognitive-behavioral theories on automatic thoughts, the paper concludes that integrating the Avadhūta's pedagogical lessons with the Bhikṣu's cognitive discipline provides a sustainable framework for psychological equilibrium.