From Gita to Meditations: Traversing the Indic Insights on Stoicism

"Shiva The Adiyogi"

It was one of those mornings where everything seems to go wrong, when for some reason you don’t wake after your alarm buzzes, or when your heater doesn’t work. Later, you go and somehow get ready just to find there’s no rickshaw around you and the quickest Uber is 17 mins away. And then, this divine comedy keeps on escalating as your metro stops for more than 5 mins at Vishwavidyalaya for no apparent reason, but you persevere through and still show up, just to find out that you forgot your membership card and now have to quarrel to enter the facility. This does only happen when you are in hurry and makes me always remember Kunal Kamra who jokingly says “Agar kahi kabhi samay se pohochna ho toh jaldi mein matt rehna, because jo bhi banda maine late aate hue dekha hain wo hamesha jaldi mein raha hain!” I often find myself cursing the universe for what seemed like a series of unfortunate events or do dwell on finding solutions that do not exist. But the thing was that morning, stuck in the chaos, I realized I do have a choice that, I could allow my frustration to dictate the rest of my day, or I could pause, take a deep breath, and choose a different response. Philosophically, this is stoicism. I had previously stumbled upon stoicism, reading philosophers in my free time and watching Modern Wisdom on YouTube, a podcast by Chris Williamson.

Stoicism, an ancient Greek philosophy and a prominent school of thought, founded by Zeno of Citium in early 3^rd century BCE, has long served as a guide for individuals seeking to navigate the complexities of life with resilience and virtue. At its core, Stoicism teaches that the key to a good life lies not in the pursuit of wealth, fame, or pleasure, but in living according to nature and reason, mastering one’s desire and emotions, and maintaining an unwavering focus on what is within one’s control. Wisdom, courage, justice and temperance are some cardinal values in this philosophy. The Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, one of the last stoics, encapsulates the idea in his book ‘The Meditations’: “You have power over your mind and not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”

Let me tell you a story about Cato the Younger, who was known for his unwavering integrity and defiance of tyranny. During Julius Caesar’s rise to power, Cato stood as lone voice of resistance in the Roman Senate. His refusal to compromise his principles earned him both admiration and enmity. When offered a bribe to support a measure he disagreed with, Cato rejected it outright, famously declaring that virtue cannot be bought. Even in the face of personal risk, Cato held firm, embodying the Stoic ideal of courage in action. His life serves as a reminder that standing by one’s principles often requires enduring hardship, but it is a path that leads to true inner freedom. I wonder if the bureaucratic stronghold of India ever heard about Cato or they just smell the same desire that Viktor Yanukovych when he was the President as well as the Prime Minister until he was impeached in 2014.

Stoicism is about learning to control what you can control and letting go of what you cannot. The stoics understood that life is full of external events—loss, failure, disappointment, and even success—that are beyond our direct influence. The key to living well, they believed, is in our response to these events. It’s not the external circumstances that determine our happiness, but how we choose to react to them. They teach us that there are things that lie within our control—our thoughts, our actions, our judgements—and there are things that are beyond our control—other people’s actions, the weather, the course of nature. The distinction between these two is fundamental. The Stoics emphasized that we should focus our energy only on what we can control, and accept the equanimity what we cannot. But Stoicism doesn’t account for passivity or recognition as you might be thinking. Far from it. The Stoics believed that we should act with virtue in all things, strive for excellence, and pursue our goals. But we must do so with the understanding that the outcome is not guaranteed. Life is unpredictable, and external events will unfold according to their own nature. The Stoic response is to do your best and then let go of attachment of outcome. We should not measure our worth or happiness by what happens to us, but by how we conduct ourselves in the face of adversity.

A Stoic escaping from the shackles of his mind

At first glance, Stoicism and India might seem worlds apart. Stoicism—a philosophy born in ancient Greece and Rome—is often associated with marble temples, toga-clad philosophers, and an emphasis on reason. India, on the other hand, is a land of vibrant chaos, colour, and spiritual mysticism. But scratch beneath the surface, and you’ll find an extraordinary alignment in values, in the way life’s challenges are approached, and in the enduring pursuit of inner peace. In the ‘Bhagawad Geeta,’ which is one of the most sacred and revered books in Hindu way of life, Lord Krishna advises Arjuna about Nishkama Karma, which literally means self-less or desireless action. Seneca would definitely have found an ally in Lord Krishna. The stoic idea of virtue—the highest in good life—finds a parrel in Dharma, the concept in Indian philosophy that refers to living in alignment with one’s purpose, values, and moral duties. Just as the Stoics believed that a virtuous life led to peace and happiness, Indian traditions emphasize the importance of fulfilling one’s Dharma in order to achieve both spiritual and material well-being. In the Mahabharata, Yudhishthira, eldest among the Pandavas, known for his righteousness and integrity, being called as Dharmaraja Yudhishthira, remains committed to his duty even in the face of war and great personal loss, seeking to uphold truth and virtue. Another prime example is Lord Rama, despite facing immense hardship, exile, and the loss of his beloved wife, he embodies Vairagya, which means renunciation or detachment from the material world, by accepting each trial with a steady, calm mind. Rather than being swept away by emotions, he remains focussed on his duty, teaching us that life’s struggles should not define us, instead, our responses to these struggles are what shape our character and destiny.

There is a concept known as mindfulness, or the practice of focusing on the present moment without judgement. Epictetus advises, “Don’t explain your philosophy. Embody it.” This resonates with Dhyana, the meditation practice found in Yog, where one learns to quiet the mind and focus inward, a central element of Indian Philosophy that emphasizes mindfulness, awareness, and presence in every moment. Much like Stoics who practices Ataraxia, which translates to freedom from distress and anxiety, an individual who practices Dhyana is trained to remain unaffected by external distractions. Lord Krishna, talks about Karma Yog in Bhagawad Geeta, the yoga of self-less action. He instructs the prince Arjuna, to act without attachment to results, focusing solely on the present action rather than worrying about the outcome.

Nietzsche’s idea of Amor Fati, or the love of one’s fate, teaches us to accept and even love the circumstances of life, whether they are good or bad. This finds so much parallel in Indian tradition that it amazes me. We, as Indians, do believe in destiny or fate as a guide. There exists manys popuar sayings in Hindi which goes like “Jo bhi hoga, dekha jayega” or “Jo bhi hota hain acche ke liye hota hain.” Nietzsche surely must be very proud somewhere in afterlife. This is also embodied in the concept of Shraddha and Bhakti which means faith and devotion, respectively, as it was seen in the lives of popular saints and even spiritual figures like Swami Vivekananda. He taught us that everything is a part of a divine plan, and it is up to us to accept it with faith and devotion. Whether one’s life is full of joy or hardship, Shraddha invites a belief that everything has a purpose, even if we don’t immediately understand it. Swami Vivekananda despite facing immense personal hardship and loss, including the death of his beloved teacher, Sri Ramakrishna, embraced the philosophy of Shraddha and Karma Yog. His acceptance of life’s trials as part of a larger divine plan allowed him to continue his mission of spreading spiritual wisdom. Like the Stoic who embraces every challenge, Vivekananda’s ability to accept life’s uncertainties with faith and devotion is a powerful illustration of Amor Fati.

The convergence of Indian wisdom and Stoicism serves as a powerful reminder that the key to mastering life’s complexities lies not in external achievements or the pursuit of fleeting desires, but in the cultivation of inner strength and resilience. Both traditions, though born in different corners of the world, converge on a singular truth: peace is not something to be found, but something to be created from within. So, when you are having a bad start to the day like me, do not fumble the future because of the mischiefs if the past, rather embrace stoicism and remember what Albert Einstein said, "A calm and modest mind brings more happiness than the pursuit of success combined with constant restlessness."