A questioner, having studied various philosophies, concludes that everything is one and asks if any desire remains after this realization. He posits that the individual self (Jeev) and the ultimate reality (Brahman) are not separate, except until the Jeev realizes Brahman. Acharya Prashant challenges this premise by questioning who is making these claims. He asks, "For whom are Jeev and Brahman one? For the Jeev or for Brahman?" He explains that for the Jeev, it exists in duality, separate from Brahman. The very definition of Jeev is one who lives in duality. He dismisses the questioner's claim of being Brahman as a deception, pointing out the contradiction: if one is Brahman, which is non-dual (Advaita), one cannot ask a question as there is no 'other' to ask. Brahman neither speaks nor listens. The speaker sarcastically remarks that one cannot simply claim to be Brahman while engaging in dualistic activities like brushing teeth, as that would imply the dirt is also Brahman. Acharya Prashant emphasizes the concept of eligibility (paatrata). He states that only Brahman, or one established in Brahman, has the right to say that Jeev and Brahman are one. For a Jeev to make this claim is mere ego. He cites Acharya Shankar as an example of someone who paid the price for this realization through a life of renunciation, travel, and tireless work for Dharma. One cannot attain this state merely by reading a book. The speaker criticizes the popular notion that "you are great just as you are," calling it a sentiment that pleases the ego. The true spiritual path, according to the speaker, begins with the honest admission, "I am not okay." This must be accompanied by an indomitable desire and unwavering faith to become okay, as that is one's true nature. This requires effort, renouncing the unreal, and being prepared to give up everything, including one's life, for the Real. This is the price one must pay. The speaker clarifies that attaining Brahman is not about gaining something new but about the dissolution of everything else. When one has thoroughly examined and seen the futility of all that is false and is ready to renounce it, only Brahman remains. It is only then, when the ego-self (Jeev) is gone, that Jeev and Brahman become one.
