Acharya Prashant addresses a question regarding the fear of sexual motives in others, rooted in childhood trauma and negative news. He explains that one should not single out lust or sexual motives as the only danger. He argues that any activity or person that distracts one from meaningful work—whether it be playing chess, discussing politics, or sexual advances—is equally problematic. The core issue is not just lust, but anything that wastes time and leads one away from the right path. He emphasizes that focusing solely on avoiding one specific vice, like sex, while remaining indulgent in others like gossip, laziness, or politics, is ineffective. He further clarifies that the primary concern should be whether a person brings meaning and upliftment to one's life. If a person is wrong for one's consciousness, they are unacceptable even if they have no sexual motives. Conversely, if a person contributes to one's spiritual growth, physical contact or a relationship with them is not a sin, because one is a consciousness first and a body much later. The fundamental problem is the ego-tendency, not sex itself. Regarding 'Maya' (illusion), he advises that the ultimate goal is liberation. Whether one must fight Maya or surrender to it is secondary; the only thing that matters is achieving freedom from its bondage.
