Introduction to Acharya Prashant's Live Sessions and Gita Mission
Welcome to Live Gita Sessions with Acharya Prashant. We hope you have a great learning journey with us.
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Introductory Mandatory Sessions
We have observed that new participants in the Gita sessions often struggle with certain terminology, preventing them from fully benefiting from the live sessions. We have selected some key sessions for you. These sessions clearly explain core concepts that Acharya Ji frequently refers to. Please watch the sessions below and share your reflections on the Gita Feed.
Vocabulary (मूलभूत शब्दावली)
The words we commonly use in everyday life often carry very different meanings in the context of Adhyatm (spirituality). In Acharya Prashant’s sessions, certain words are referred to regularly, and it is important to understand them first so that you can derive the maximum benefit from the upcoming sessions. A list of such words along with their definitions is given below — read them and share your insights on the app.
1. Aham or Ahankār (The Ego)
No matter which religion, sect, or community a person belongs to, no matter what stage of life they are in — one thing is common to all: everyone says “I”. This very “I” is what the scriptures refer to as aham or ahankār — the ego. This “I”, or ego, by its very definition is an incomplete entity, and yet it becomes the center of your life. Ego is the root of bondage and restlessness.
2. Prakriti
The combination of body, society, and circumstances is referred to as 'Prakriti'. In the language of spiritual wisdom, Prakriti does not mean rivers, mountains, forests, or animals. It is the collective name for both — all that you are seeing, and you, the one who is seeing it.
3. Ātman (The Self)
Ātman (The Self) is not an object in itself; the absence of the ego is what is referred to as the Self. The Self has no relation with the body, nor does the body have any relation with the Self. Ātman is a most revered word — it cannot be used casually.
4. Satya (Truth)
Ātman, Satya (Truth), Brahman — these are all synonymous words. Since the ego lives in falsehood, the absence of the ego itself is called Satya (Truth).
5. Māyā (The Illusion)
That which appears real to us — something we become completely certain about — but soon after, or in a different situation, we find that what once seemed unquestionably true has either disappeared or changed — this is what is called Māyā. To regard oneself as special is also Māyā.
6. Agyān (False Knowledge)
The knowledge that comes from the ego, or is centered in the ego, is not true knowledge — it is ignorance or false knowledge. There is no such thing as a lack of knowledge; what exists is false knowledge.
7. Ātma-jñāna (Self Knowledge)
Ātma means “I”; therefore, ātma-jñāna means the knowledge of “I” — the knowledge of the ego. Ātma-jñāna does not mean knowledge of the soul or of God. It means having clear insight into who is behind your actions. Ātma-jñāna is to become aware — right in the midst of the movement of life — of what is driving it. It reveals that you are merely a bundle of tendencies, traits, and ego.
8. Niṣkāma Karma (Desireless Action)
Ātma-jñāna reveals to us that we are living in suffering and bondage, whereas our true nature is joy and freedom. Any action done with this understanding at the center — with the intention of liberation from bondage — is called niṣkāma karma. Without self-knowledge, true niṣkāmatā is not possible.
9. Mann (Mind)
The collection of what the ego gathers around itself is called the mind. That is, in its pursuit of desires, the ego accumulates objects, thoughts, people, and relationships around itself. This very accumulation is what we call the mind.
10. Bandhan (Bondage)
That which pulls you away from your highest potential — that is bondage. Whatever holds back your true nature is what is called bondage.
11. Mukti (Liberation)
Mukti is when the ego clearly sees that its involvement is only suffering, and its withdrawal is the only thing truly helpful — even for itself. Liberation means being free from all bondage. There is no such thing as personal liberation. To be free from everything personal — from all identification and attachment — is what liberation truly is.
12. Adhyātma (Spirituality)
Adhyātma (Spirituality) means: whatever you do, do it with awareness. Adhyātma = Adhi + Atma; Adhi means more or greater, and Atma means ‘I’. To keep knowing yourself more deeply — that alone is spirituality.
13. Kāmnā (Desire)
The expression of inner delusion is called desire (kāmnā). Most of the time, we act from the center of desire. Wherever there is a sense of incompleteness, there is desire. Since the ego considers itself incomplete, desire becomes its compulsion. When the ego, out of ignorance, searches for the Self in the world of objects (Prakriti), that very search is called desire.
14. Prem (Love)
When the ego is drawn toward the Ātman (the Self) and dissolves, that is called love. Love is not desire, nor is it sensory excitement.
15. Jhunnu Lal or Dhaniya
Acharya Prashant, in his sessions, often refers to the ego — Aham or Ahankār — using playful names like "Jhunnu", "Jhunnu Lal", or "Dhaniya".
16. Prārabdha
Prārabdha means that freedom is your true nature, and until you are free, you will remain restless. Freedom is your true nature—it is your destiny; all your movement is towards that alone. It depends on us how soon we become what we are meant to be. This is the true meaning of prārabdha.