A questioner asks for guidance on choosing a life partner, presenting three options: overcoming the need for a partner, becoming successful before choosing one, or finding a like-minded companion for the journey. Acharya Prashant responds by questioning the very concept of needing a 'partner' (saathi). He asks what a partner truly means, noting that while a child needs parents, an adult at the peak of their physical, financial, and intellectual capabilities should question the sudden feeling of weakness that makes them seek a partner. He probes into the purpose of this partner, asking if they are meant to be a guide and what role they would play. Acharya Prashant emphasizes the need for honesty regarding the true motivation behind seeking a partner. He observes that people often use euphemisms like 'soulmate' when their actual need is different. He directly states that what people often seek is not a companion in the spiritual sense but a sex partner. He points out that the problem lies in the dishonesty of calling this need for a sex partner 'love' or a 'bond for seven lifetimes.' He clarifies that there is nothing inherently wrong with needing a sex partner, but the hypocrisy surrounding it creates issues. Love, he explains, is a much higher state that is earned through sacrifice and cannot be obtained through rituals like marriage vows or legal registrations. He asserts that the search for a spouse is fundamentally a sexual matter, not a quest for love. If both individuals honestly acknowledge that their relationship is a transactional one based on sex, they would not harbor unrealistic expectations of each other. He criticizes the hypocrisy in societal practices like arranged marriages, where the process is veiled as a union of souls or families, while the underlying basis is physical. He suggests that if the union is physical, it should be approached with honesty, including practical steps like medical check-ups for both parties. This lack of honesty and the pretense at the beginning of a relationship is what leads to unhappiness in married life. He concludes by stating that once a person honestly accepts that their search for a partner is often a search for a body, they will feel a sense of self-insult, which might then compel them to seek true love. He acknowledges that his perspective might seem impractical because it is meant for free individuals, which are rare in a society that does not value freedom, beauty, or liberation.
