Emotional Intelligence – Universal or Culture Specific? An Analysis with Reference to the Indian Philosophical Text, the Bhagavad-Gita.

Emotional Intelligence, perhaps one of the most popular and extensively researched constructs of the twentieth century does not need any introduction. Its importance and relevance in various fields has been scientifically researched and asserted. Yet, the cross-cultural relevance of the concept still remains an unexplored area. Emotions being predominantly culture specific, the applicability of the various tests proposed by the theorists across cultures raises pertinent questions. This paper, though does not go into the empirical study, rather restricts itself to a qualitative analysis of the ‘ability model’ proposed by Mayer and Salovey against the background of Indian culture through the Bhagavad- Gita. Also, it does not take the entire text of the Bhagavad-Gita, as it is beyond the scope and limit of this paper to do so. It draws attention to a few slokas in the text which throws open fresh prospects of research and an understanding of Emotional Intelligence in the east, specifically, India. It draws attention to the similarities and the contrasts between an emotionally intelligent person as surmised by Mayer and Salovey, and the ‘Sthithapragnya’ as described by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-Gita.