The Gita Reset
1. What inspired you to write The Gita Reset?
Honestly, the idea came from my work as a counsellor. I meet a lot of young people who are dealing with stress, confusion, career pressure, relationships, expectations from parents, and sometimes just not knowing what they want from life. And when I started looking at the Bhagavad Gita more deeply, I realised that Arjuna was also going through something very similar. His situation was completely different, of course, but the emotions were very human: confusion, fear, self-doubt, and not knowing what the right thing to do was. So, I started thinking: what if we looked at the Gita from the perspective of a young person living today? That was really the starting point of The Gita Reset. I wanted to make these ideas feel less distant and more like a conversation about the problems we deal with today.
2. Why did you feel the Bhagavad Gita needed to be presented in a modern and conversational way?
I think the Gita has always been relevant. The problem is that sometimes we make it feel very complicated. If you give a young person a traditional explanation and start talking about Sanskrit terminology, philosophy, and different interpretations, they may lose interest before they even understand the basic idea. So, I wanted to start where they were. For example, we talk about overthinking, social media, career pressure, relationships, comparison, and the constant need for validation. Then we connect those experiences to what Krishna was actually trying to teach Arjuna. I’m not trying to replace the original Gita. In fact, I want people to become curious enough to go back and read it. I want to create a bridge.
3. How can the teachings of Krishna help young people deal with anxiety, pressure, and confusion?
I think one of the most practical lessons is understanding what is in our control. We spend so much time worrying about things we can’t control. Take, for example, a student. You can study sincerely, but you can’t completely control your marks. You can prepare well for an interview, but you can’t control whether the company selects you. You can genuinely love somebody, but you can’t control whether they will love you back. Once you understand that difference, I think a lot of unnecessary anxiety reduces. The Gita doesn’t tell us not to care. It tells us to do our part sincerely without allowing the outcome to completely control our peace of mind. I think that’s a message young people really need today.
4. You describe Arjuna’s struggle as something we can all relate to. Why is Arjuna so relevant today?
Because Arjuna is confused. That’s probably the simplest answer. He’s standing in front of a huge decision, and suddenly he doesn’t know what to do. He questions himself, becomes emotionally overwhelmed, and wants to step away from the situation. We may not be standing on a battlefield, but we have our own battlefields. A student is deciding on a career. Someone is wondering whether to stay in a relationship. A person dealing with family expectations. Someone is wondering whether they are good enough. The circumstances are different, but the emotional struggle is very similar. That’s why I see Arjuna as a mirror for us.
5. What does “reset” mean in the context of the Gita and modern life?
For me, a reset doesn’t mean that you completely change your life. Sometimes you just need to change the way you look at your life. We all have moments when our mind becomes cluttered. We overthink, compare ourselves with others, worry about the future, and lose sight of what actually matters. A reset is that pause. You step back, understand what’s happening inside you, rethink your priorities, and then move forward. That’s where the idea of Reflect, Realign, and Rise came from. You reflect on where you are, realign yourself with what matters, and then get back up and move forward.
6. How can a person follow their Dharma while dealing with fear and self-doubt?
I don’t think you have to wait until you’re completely fearless. That’s actually one thing I really like about Arjuna’s story. He was afraid. He was confused. He had doubts. And Krishna didn’t simply say, “Don’t be afraid.” He helped Arjuna understand the situation, his responsibility, and himself. So, I think following your Dharma doesn’t mean you have no fear. Sometimes it simply means you are scared, but you still do what you know is right. Courage isn’t the absence of fear. Sometimes it’s just moving forward despite it.
7. The book talks about working without being attached to results. How can readers apply this in everyday life?
I think we can make this very simple. Before doing something, ask yourself: “What part of this is actually in my control?” Your preparation is in your control. Your effort is in your control. Your attitude is in your control. But the final result isn’t always in your control. And that’s where we get into trouble. We start judging ourselves based on things we never completely controlled in the first place. So do your best. Give it everything you have. But when the result comes, learn from it rather than allowing it to decide your entire self-worth. I’m still learning this myself.
8. As a counsellor, how have the teachings of the Gita influenced your work with people?
Quite a lot , actually. In counselling, I’ve noticed that people often come with one problem, but underneath that problem there are several other things : fear, expectations, guilt, comparison, insecurity or confusion about themselves. The Gita has helped me look at some of these things from a different perspective. But I don’t believe counselling should become preaching. If somebody comes to me with a problem, I’m not going to simply tell them, “Krishna says this, so you should do this.” That’s not counselling. Instead, the ideas from the Gita can help us ask better questions : What is really bothering me? What can I control? Why am I attached to this particular outcome? What is actually important to me? For me, that’s where spirituality and counselling can have a meaningful connection.
9. What is one lesson from Krishna that you personally try to practise in your own life?
Do your work without constantly looking for validation. That’s probably the one I’m still working on. As human beings, we naturally want appreciation. We want people to recognise what we’re doing. We want people to agree with us. But if your happiness depends completely on other people’s approval, you’re giving them too much control over your life. So, I try to remind myself to focus on the work. Do it sincerely. Do it well. Learn from the outcome and move on. Have I mastered it? Definitely not. I’m still practising. And I think that’s the point. The Gita isn’t something you read once and suddenly become perfect. It’s something you keep coming back to at different stages of your life.
10. If readers remember only one message from The Gita Reset, what would you want it to be?
I would probably say: You don’t have to control everything. Life is always going to have uncertainty. There will be failure, rejection, difficult relationships, unexpected situations, and things that don’t go according to our plans. We can’t control all of that. But we can control how we respond. And that’s probably what I want readers to take away from The Gita Reset. You don’t necessarily need a completely different life. Sometimes you just need to see your life differently. And that’s what a reset is. Reflect. Realign & Rise.
