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No. 2(27) (2024): The Spirit of Capitalism

The Digital Hindu Spirit of Capitalism: The Justification Strategies of Sadhguru and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51196/srz.27.9
Submitted
23 December 2025
Published
23-12-2025

Abstract

This paper introduces and investigates the concept of the Digital Hindu Spirit of Capitalism (DHSC). It explores the nexus where contemporary spirituality, rooted in diverse Hindu traditions, intersects with global capitalism and digital technologies. Focusing on two influential global figures, Sadhguru (the Isha Foundation) and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (the Art of Living), this article examines how they navigate and legitimise their digital mediation, political alignment, and large-scale, commercially engaged spiritual enterprises. Building on Weber’s and Boltanski and Chiapello’s work on the spirit of capitalism, and Huberman’s analysis of digital capitalism, DHSC denotes the specific constellation of values and justifications arising when digital platform logics intersect with adapted Hindu concepts (e.g., seva, guru authority, spiritual technologies). Applying qualitative thematic analysis to Sadhguru’s and Shankar’s primary websites, selected video content, and newspaper articles, the paper addresses two questions: (1) What capitalistic practices are embedded in the digital presence and organisations of these individuals? (2) How, when analysed through Boltanski & Thévenot’s Orders of Worth framework, do they appear to mobilise justificatory strategies to legitimise these practices and manage inherent tensions? The findings reveal shared DHSC characteristics, including adaptive justifications, hybrid discourses, techno-solutionist framings, and reliance on digital platforms (Techno-Seva). However, a comparative analysis highlights distinct foundational logics, which are particularly visible during challenges (épreuves): Sri Sri Ravi Shankar predominantly relies on Projective worth (network capacity, scale), while Sadhguru employs a tightly integrated blend of Market, Industrial, Projective, Inspired, and Fame logics, and often frames commercial aspects as intrinsic to the mission. By delineating these strategies, the study contributes to understanding the operational features and legitimating mechanisms of the DHSC, offering insights into contemporary Digital Hinduism and the relationship between religion, the media, and capitalism.

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