Author Name: – Aishani Pandey Date:- 17 March 2026
Background: The American film director Hal Hartley said: ‘We discover and invent new ways of finding the same old thing.’ Since the settlement of civilisation, the human race has been confronted with the question of self-actualisation — ‘Who are we?’ and ‘Why are we here?’ This enquiry has continued through philosophy, religion and today in behavioural sciences. This paper explores the Vedantic concept of Atman (the pure innate self) and Jnan (knowledge) and their parallels with modern psychological theories of self. Key intersections include the Panchakoshas as a hierarchy of needs, Antahkarana (Manas/Buddhi/Chitta/Ahankara) paralleling Freudian personality structure, the Rasa-Bhava theory of Natya Shastra as ancient emotional intelligence, and the six pramanas (Pratyaksha, Anumana, Upamana, Arthapatti, Anupalabdhi, Sabda) as ancient epistemological methodology. The paper advocates the integration of meditation and yoga with modern CBT and clinical approaches to address the current epidemic of mental health disorders.
Keywords: Atman, Jnan, self-concept, Vedanta, Panchakoshas, Antahkarana, behavioural science
