Acharya Prashant explains that the desire of the small to become big is not a matter of psychology but of foolishness. He states that one cannot become big from being small; instead, smallness must be renounced. These are two entirely different paths. The desire to become big is like a small person trying to wear oversized shoes or a double XL shirt, which is futile. The renunciation of smallness is an internal event, whereas the desire to become big from being small is merely a quantitative change, like a snowball that grows in size as it rolls down a hill but remains fundamentally just snow. Applying this to human life, the speaker clarifies that what we call progress, development, or advancement—whether in age, wealth, or fame—does not fundamentally change a person. The basic instincts of a 5-year-old child and a 50-year-old adult are very similar. The toys children play with, such as miniature ambulances, fire trucks, and guns, are just smaller versions of adult tools, indicating that the conditioning remains the same from childhood. Similarly, becoming a millionaire due to currency exchange rates in another country doesn't alter one's core being; the underlying game of satisfaction and dissatisfaction continues. The spiritual perspective, he explains, is not about becoming big but about renouncing smallness. The very desire to become big is an affirmation of one's own smallness. Spirituality begins with questioning one's identity, asking, "Am I really what I think I am?" The speaker points out that many spiritual terms are based on negation, such as 'Ahimsa' (non-violence), 'Advaita' (non-duality), 'Alaghu' (not small), 'Achaurya' (non-stealing), and 'Aparigraha' (non-possessiveness). This reflects the path of 'Neti Neti' (not this, not this), which is about negating the false, not acquiring something new. Acharya Prashant concludes by emphasizing the internal struggle against the 'Chhotumal' (the small self). One must constantly be aware of this small self to fight against it and not remain in that state. This requires being a critic of oneself. One should praise oneself for fighting against this small self and condemn oneself for indulging it. The path is to take the 'Chhotumal' seriously, but only to challenge and overcome it. The mind is the only tool available for this; as the Upanishads say, the mind is the cause of both bondage and liberation, and one must use the mind to illuminate the mind.
