Acharya Prashant responds to a question about a Sanskrit verse that advises one to wish to live for a hundred years while doing Karma. He identifies the verse as coming from the Ishavasya Upanishad, not a random text, and explains its profound meaning. He begins by stating that things can never be great once a person is born as a human being; the world was not great 2,500 years ago when the verse was written, and it is not great now. The seer (Rishi) saw the need for a hundred-year lifespan because a certain great project demands that much time. This project is not about happy living, consumption, or self-gratification, but about liberation. He elaborates that humans are born into bondage, which is ignorance or a lack of knowledge. This state of ignorance about the universe, oneself, relationships, and life decisions continues throughout life and is the source of all sorrow (dukh). This aligns with the Buddhist view that life is sorrow. Therefore, the purpose of life is to achieve liberation from this sorrow, a project he calls "Project Liberation." This project involves the liberation of the self and the welfare of others, which are intertwined and not easy to accomplish, hence the need for a long life. The desire to live for liberation (mumuksha) is distinct from the mere desire to live for consumption (jijivisha). Acharya Prashant further explains that the purpose of life is to beat this sorrow. Vedanta, he says, posits that the purpose of life is joy. He cautions that since the task is immense and even a hundred years might be insufficient, there is no time to waste. He addresses the questioner's choice to study physics, noting that in a society that disrespects science and spirituality in favor of technology and religion, choosing science is an auspicious decision. However, he warns that the questioner will be tested and tempted by lucrative careers, and he must stick to his path. The purpose of life is not self-gratification but liberation, which is true joy.