Author Priya Arora- From Kurukshetra to Daily Life
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On October 03, 2025
Welcome to this special session of Talk Time with Samata. Today, I am delighted to be in conversation with author Priya Arora, whose latest book Life Is a Battlefield: Insights from the Eternal Wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita (Penguin India) presents timeless spiritual wisdom for modern readers.
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Drawing from her own journey through health challenges, parenting, and a shift from a corporate career in the U.S. to the path of Vedanta, Priya frames the Gita not as a religious scripture but as a powerful guide to mastering the mind, finding resilience, and navigating the everyday battles of life with clarity and calm.
Welcome to this session of Talk Time with Samata. Author Priya I am glad to have you on board. Life Is a Battlefield frames the Bhagavad Gita for modern readers. What inspired you to present this ancient text in a contemporary context?
The wisdom in our ancient Vedic texts is a treasure we’ve forgotten. When I began studying the Bhagavad Gita, I realized it holds the key to overcoming the mental anxiety we face today. I wrote this book based on my personal experience of applying the principles taught by Shri Krishna to find peace. I believed that if it helped me handle difficult situations, it could also help others.
How did your personal experiences, including health challenges and parenting, shape the way you interpreted the Gita’s teachings?
I did not interpret the Bhagavad Gita myself; I learned the Advaita Vedanta interpretation of the text in the footsteps of Adi Shankaracharya. The Bhagavad Gita is not a religious text. It’s a masterpiece on mind management. Shri Krishna is perhaps the greatest psychologist ever, as he expertly identifies the cause of anxiety and provides a solution. The Gita’s teachings reorient one’s thinking, minimizing the effect of problems. The parenting and health challenges I faced did not disappear, but I found the strength to face them without falling apart. That is the power of the Gita.
The title suggests life is a battlefield. Could you explain what that “battlefield” looks like in everyday life?
Which verse or teaching of the Gita has been most transformative for you personally, and why?
The most powerful verse in the Gita for me is also one of the most famous.
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन |
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि || 2.47
karmaṇy-evādhikāras te mā phaleṣhu kadāchana
mā karma-phala-hetur bhūr mā te saṅgo ’stvakarmaṇ
If this verse is understood and imbibed, it has a miraculous effect on the mind. It helped me know what was within my power to do and let go of what was beyond my scope of influence. Krishna reminds us that we only exercise control over our effort, and we have no control over the outcome. This is a powerful lesson to internalize.
You speak about acting without attachment and staying grounded amid chaos. How can ordinary readers practically apply these lessons in high-pressure or stressful situations?
Stress is created by attachment to the result; it comes from worrying about the outcome. If we concentrate our minds on the task at hand and not on the expectation of how it will turn out, we are relieved of anxiety. This may seem like simple advice, but it’s the opposite of what we often do. We instinctively focus on the result, and this generates stress. Some of the greatest sports stars use the same method Krishna teaches to achieve success. Roger Federer said in a commencement speech at Dartmouth that when he plays a point, his entire focus is on the point. He does not think of the one he lost or the one he hopes to win. M.S. Dhoni said the same, that his mind is always squarely on the game and not the result. This strategy earned him the nickname “Captain Cool.”
How did your journey from a banking and tech career in the U.S. to becoming a spiritual seeker influence your approach to writing and teaching?
My writing is entirely inspired by my spiritual journey. The beauty of Vedanta is that it doesn’t require giving up secular life. It combines spirituality with your everyday work, so you can succeed in what you do. I still own and operate a technology company in the USA. Nothing has changed except my approach to life.
Could you share how studying Sanskrit and Vedanta deepened your connection to the Gita?
The Bhagavad Gita is a summary of Vedanta in 700 verses. Therefore, if you study the Bhagavad Gita, you are in fact studying Vedic philosophy. I initially began my learning through English translations, but I soon realized that to relate to the teachings in a more meaningful way, it was necessary to understand them in Sanskrit, the language in which they were originally composed. Lost in translation is very real, and I can truly say that learning Sanskrit deepened my connection with the Gita.
How has confronting illness and raising a child with autism shaped your understanding of resilience and inner strength?
To be honest, before I came to the Gita, I found it very challenging to parent a child with autism. I felt tired and worn out by anxiety and depression. The Gita changed everything. Instead of feeling like a victim of misfortune, my perspective changed. The lessons of the Gita taught me to be grateful for the many blessings I have in life and instilled the coping skills to face difficult situations with inner strength. Each one of us can rise above our difficulties if we adjust our outlook.
What role does self-reflection play in bridging ancient wisdom and modern challenges?
The true Self within us is the Atman, the eternal spirit that never dies. Sadly, we often identify with the temporary body-mind complex, and through this, we suffer. Ancient wisdom advises us to self-reflect and introspect, as doing so allows us to connect with our higher self. Great strength arises from recognizing the divinity within.
Many readers struggle with self-doubt and anxiety. Which Gita-inspired practices do you suggest for cultivating mental clarity and peace?
The Gita was taught to Arjuna to help him overcome doubt and anxiety. In a way, each of us is Arjuna. My book ‘Life is a Battlefield’ discusses the practices Krishna suggests for cultivating mental clarity and peace in detail. These include understanding that life is a mix of joy and sorrow. The real Self never dies. We are responsible for our own happiness, and it lies within us. Think before speaking or acting because actions have consequences. Respond thoughtfully rather than reacting instinctively—the value of cultivating self-control and equanimity.
How can someone use the Gita’s teachings to make decisions without being paralyzed by fear or uncertainty?
There are two key takeaways from studying the Gita sincerely: happiness (sukham) and fearlessness (abhayam). After Krishna’s teachings, Arjuna picks up his bow that he had despondently cast aside and is ready to face the battle with renewed conviction. He says, ‘My delusion is gone and I have remembered my purpose.’
How does the idea of viewing adversity as a teacher transform the way we perceive failure or setbacks?
In today’s world, we are not conditioned to expect difficulties, even though they are unavoidable. We grow up believing life will be a fairytale of ‘happily ever after,’ so when setbacks occur, we often lack the mental strength to handle them. The Gita teaches that success and failure are like summer and winter. They cycle through our lives, but with the right attitude, we can stay grounded in success and calm despite failure. It may not seem like it at the time, but adversity is the greatest teacher. The difference between a diamond and a piece of coal is in the pressure each has endured.
In a world driven by constant change and digital distractions, how can one cultivate the inner discipline advocated by the Gita?
Your first book explored Rama as a model of ethical leadership. How do you see Life Is a Battlefield complementing or expanding on that work?
Rama exemplifies Vedic philosophy perfectly, and the Gita serves as an excellent lesson in the same. Every teaching in the Gita is demonstrated through Rama’s life. The Ramayana illustrates the teachings of Vedanta. Valmiki composed the Ramayana to make Vedanta more accessible, as people generally prefer a story to a sermon. Both my books are about the same subject. One is the theory; the other is the practice.
If you could leave readers with one central takeaway from Life Is a Battlefield, what would it be, and how can it be applied immediately in daily life?
Be emotionally independent. Love deeply but without unhealthy attachment that is like an addiction. The Gita repeatedly urges us to stop clinging (sangam tyatkva). If we do this, we are not dependent on anyone or anything for our happiness. Can you imagine the freedom you gain from not craving external validation or chasing endless desires that keep us on a treadmill?
TOPICS Author InterviewKurukshetraMahabharataPenguine PublishingPriya Arora
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