Ashwini Mokashi

Philosopher Ashwini Mokashi argues there is much in common between the Hindu scripture Bhagavad Gita and Seneca’s writings even though they were composed two centuries and a continent apart.

Mokashi says both describe how a wise person has both virtue and wisdom, is moral, makes the right judgements and takes responsibility for their actions. Both Seneca and the Bhagavad Gita call for intellectual rigour and wisdom to lead a virtuous, effective and happy life. However, there are differences in the way each is applied. The Bhagavad Gita demands the sage should meditate while the Stoics call on a sage to be rational and analyse and intellectualise any situation.

Mokashi taught philosophy at the University of Pune including a comparative course in Ancient Greek and Sanskrit. She now works as an independent research scholar and is a former president of Princeton Research Forum, a community of independent scholars. She is a fellow of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies and also provides counselling and business consultancy based on philosophical principles.