In response to a question about whether his act of teaching stems from fear, Acharya Prashant agrees and elaborates on two types of fear. The first is personal (vaiyaktik) fear, which is for oneself. The second is impersonal (nirvaiyaktik) fear, which is not for oneself and is known as compassion (karuna). This impersonal fear is not about the worry of losing something personal. It is so different from ordinary fear that a separate word has been coined for it. The fundamental feeling in fear is that something is wrong and should not be happening. In ordinary fear, this feeling is tied to narrow self-interests and personal loss. Acharya Prashant explains that there is a higher fear, and if one holds onto it, one can be free from all other fears. He asserts that without this higher fear, there would be no one to teach or learn in the world. He quotes the wise, saying, "Fear is the philosopher's stone for the being; may no one be fearless." This special fear is said to transform a person from iron to gold, and it is a prayer that no one should be without it. This is a distinct and special kind of fear. One must overcome ordinary fears to reach this final fear. This ultimate fear is what led Shri Krishna to narrate the Gita to Arjun. Shri Krishna was afraid that unrighteousness (adharma) would prevail, which is why he explicitly stated his purpose: "For the protection of the good and the destruction of the wicked, I am born in every age." This shows his fear was a sense of responsibility that if his work wasn't done, something wrong would happen. However, Acharya Prashant clarifies that this is a very ultimate state. Humans typically live with small, constricted, everyday fears. We get scared when the phone rings, when we hear a police siren, or when someone unexpectedly touches our shoulder. This constant state of being startled reveals the hidden fear within. It is these petty, insignificant fears that one must get rid of first.
