Acharya Prashant begins by defining discipleship as a valuable process of ripening. He clarifies that it is not something that can be approached arbitrarily with any kind of mind or attitude. The Upanishadic tradition is full of examples of worldly and materially successful people, such as kings and lords, who go to the sages. These individuals are talented, industrious, and know the ways of the world; they are not victims of others' shrewdness or their own indolence and dullness. They are successful because they are not naive, ignorant, or greedy, and they are not slothful or lazy. The speaker explains that there are two primary reasons for worldly failure: either one is a victim of others' shrewdness and their own dullness, or one is a victim of their own indolent tendencies, which prevents any well-directed effort. The disciples in the Upanishads were not like this; they knew the ways of Maya (illusion) and were successful against it to some extent. The qualification for discipleship is not merely being a king, but knowing Maya and being successful against it. The ideal disciple is a great fighter externally and very humble internally. They understand that no external problem is insurmountable, but they realize that the internal problem requires transcendental guidance. The speaker then refers to the Upanishadic dialogue where the sage Angiras tells Shaunaka that there are two kinds of knowledge: higher and lower. The lower knowledge includes the four Vedas, chanting, rituals, grammar, etymological interpretations, prosody, and astronomy. The speaker highlights the profound humility of the Upanishads, which, despite being part of the Vedas, classify themselves as lower knowledge. Acharya Prashant further elaborates on who is not fit to be a disciple. This includes those who cannot see evil at all and remain blissfully ignorant, those who are charmed by evil, and those who become evil themselves to fight evil. True simplicity is not ignorance but the ability to see Maya and walk past it untouched, without being tempted or overwhelmed. It is the ability to know Maya without being consumed by it. The speaker advises that when one feels overwhelmed by excitement or pleasure, one should recognize it as a preparation for disaster and apply the inner brakes. This practice of inquiry and discretion in pleasure is crucial. The true disciple is one who, having dealt with the external world, turns their focus inward, realizing that internal problems require a different kind of guidance.