A 19-year-old girl, who has been listening to Acharya Prashant for two months, asks for guidance. She explains that after facing opposition from her family regarding her spiritual interests, they allowed her to pursue her path after her medical entrance exam. However, they still want her to build a career in the medical field. She feels she must first become financially independent to walk the path of truth fearlessly. She is ready for the struggle but is confused about which work to choose that aligns with the center of truth. Acharya Prashant advises the young questioner to first complete her medical studies properly, stating that there is nothing wrong with gaining knowledge. He explains that the talks he delivers are not limited to just spiritual knowledge. He cites his own educational background in engineering and management, his corporate experience, and his continuous reading on various subjects like economics, politics, history, and philosophy. He emphasizes that merely reading the Upanishads is not enough; one must also study the Puranas, Smritis, and historical epics. He clarifies that his knowledge is not confined to Sanatana Dharma but includes scriptures like the Bible and Quran, as well as Western philosophers. A comprehensive understanding, he says, comes from studying all these diverse fields. He strongly advises against quitting studies for the sake of serving the truth, pointing out that he did not abandon his own education. He believes that his experiences at IIT and IIM have enriched his ability to communicate his message. His primary advice to the student community is to complete their education thoroughly, as this provides a crucial understanding of the world's ways. He defines a worldly person (sansari) as someone who does not understand the world, whereas a spiritual person is one who understands it completely. He illustrates this by saying a worldly person makes a micro issue, like a missing pajama string, a macro problem that consumes their entire world. Acharya Prashant concludes by stressing the importance of gaining complete knowledge of the world to see the whole picture. The goal is not to get entangled in the world but to know it fully. He uses the analogy of Hanuman ji entering Lanka: one must enter the world, see everything, and then set the falsehoods on fire, all while remaining dedicated to the Truth (Ram), not getting tempted by the world's allure (the gold of Lanka).
