Acharya Prashant states that such useless talks remain prevalent because, in the name of Hinduism and Indian pride, we never dismiss them. We say, "Look how great our religion is, and how great our country is." He sarcastically gives examples of extraordinary yogis, such as those who roam naked in -20 degree temperatures, or a yogi who is at least 800,000 years old, with a disciple who is 1,000,000 years old. He also mentions yogis who haven't eaten or drunk anything for ten years, which is celebrated with chants of "My India is great." He explains that when people feel pride in such things, more superstitions are spread to fuel that pride. This, he argues, is the reason India had to remain enslaved for so long. When imagination is considered greater than reality, there is no incentive to generate real power. Why would one strive to become an economically prosperous nation when one can go to a yogi who magically produces gold ash? Why build military strength when enemies attack, if one believes a yogi can fire flying snakes with willpower, which he mockingly calls "intercontinental ballistic reptiles"? Similarly, why develop agricultural technology when a holy man can supposedly create heaps of food during a drought? Acharya Prashant criticizes educated people, especially those educated in English, for having their own level of superstition, often saying, "Not everything runs on logic." He questions if spirituality means being illogical and talking nonsense. He clarifies that spirituality is a very simple, clean, and straightforward matter: getting rid of the ego. He refers to Rishi Patanjali to define yoga as the cessation of the modifications of the mind. The absurd claims about yogis, he asserts, are not the cessation but the derangement and excitation of mental modifications. He concludes that India has become a hub of such foolishness. While the West was inventing the steam engine, India was busy flying snakes. He laments that this trend continues today, especially among the educated. He identifies those who spread such superstitions in the name of religion as the primary criminals who have weakened India from within, more so than any external invaders.
