India, Jan. 29 -- By Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik - Author, Speaker, Illustrator, Mythologist

Krishna uses three powerful words in the Gita to understand relationships: adhyatma, adhidaivam and adhiyajnam. They appear in chapters 7 and 8, when Arjun asks how to understand the layers of existence and why humans struggle to deal with the world.

These Sanskrit words can sound exotic, especially when teachers lean into mystique, but Krishna's intent is strikingly practical. He is explaining how to understand oneself, how to deal with others and how to navigate the constant give and take of relationships.

Adhyatma is the world within: how we imagine ourselves. It means being aware of oneself. Who am I? What frightens me? What makes me jealous or i...