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कठिनाई नहीं तो आनंद नहीं || आचार्य प्रशांत, वेदांत महोत्सव ऋषिकेश में (2021)
82K views
3 years ago
Spiritual Work
Sadhana (Spiritual Practice)
Responsibility
PrashantAdvait Foundation
Society
Attention
Hardship
Joy
Description

A questioner asks Acharya Prashant about the work that keeps him so occupied that he finds it difficult to make time for sessions. In response, Acharya Prashant explains the extensive and multifaceted nature of the work carried out by him and his foundation. He begins by having his team members describe their roles. One team member, who handles finances, explains that his work requires constant guidance and correction from Acharya Prashant, even for minor tasks. Acharya Prashant adds that this person handles five other responsibilities besides finance. Another team member, responsible for personal contact lists, is in touch with four to five thousand people via phone, a task that also involves managing the organization's finances, issuing 80G certificates, and coordinating with the CA. Acharya Prashant elaborates on the immense effort behind the content that reaches the audience. He explains that the daily broadcasts sent via WhatsApp are not automated but are carefully written and sent with great effort. Every video published undergoes a rigorous process of transcription, error-checking, editing, titling, and thumbnail creation, all of which he personally supervises. He gives an example of the book 'Maya', where 3,000 copies had to be destroyed and reprinted because he found errors in the sample, and he personally remade the book. He also mentions the seven-member promotion team that works all day spending money to ensure the videos reach the audience, as the platform's algorithms do not favor them. This work is thankless, and they often face complaints about minor issues from the very people they are trying to serve. He further explains that there are no courses for 'spiritual management,' so he has to personally train everyone for their roles, which they learn on the job. This includes managing their internal pressures and distractions. He states that he has not had a proper holiday or a peaceful sleep in years, as his mind is constantly occupied with the foundation's work. He describes the work as being in a furnace, with immense pressure and challenges from all directions. The work is to change society, which resists this change in every possible way. However, he says there is a hidden joy in this work, and the support from a small, handful of people who understand and contribute keeps them going. He concludes that doing the right work throughout the day is true spiritual practice (sadhana), and attention is the energy required for that work, not a separate activity.