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पढ़ने बैठता हूँ तो मन नहीं लगता || आचार्य प्रशांत, आर.डी.वी.वी. के साथ (2023)
642.3K views
2 years ago
Yoga
Sannyasa (Renunciation)
Imagination
Concentration
Detachment
Love for work
Consciousness
Shri Krishna
Description

Acharya Prashant addresses a student's question about being distracted by daydreaming and overthinking while studying. He explains that there are two paths to deal with this, which, in Shri Krishna's language, are the path of Yoga and the path of Sannyasa (renunciation). The path of Sannyasa suggests confronting the flow of thoughts and daydreams directly. If you find yourself constantly leaning towards your imaginations instead of your work, the path of renunciation says to go close to those imaginations and see their futility. For instance, if you are repeatedly tempted by the thought of a delicious dish in the kitchen, you should go and taste it. Upon tasting, you will realize it wasn't as special as imagined, and you will be freed from that craving. This is renunciation: becoming free from something by experiencing its reality. This path involves investigating your imaginations, confronting them, and seeing what they truly have to offer. By examining the practicalities, like the possibility of getting a visa for a fantasized trip to France or the cost involved, the root of the imagination is cut. Similarly, if you are obsessed with someone, confronting the reality of the situation, whether through acceptance or rejection, ends the fantasy. The goal is to end the state of inner conflict. The second path is Yoga, which means union. This path suggests choosing your work so wisely that you fall in love with it. When you love your work, there is no space left for imagination. Just as one gets completely absorbed while watching a great film or solving a challenging math problem, you should choose work that is so important and captivating that it leaves no room for other thoughts. This is akin to an athlete being 'in the zone,' a state of one-pointedness (ek-nishth) where performance reaches a different level. The advice is to make one's entire life one-pointed. Acharya Prashant concludes by suggesting that one can choose either path or a combination of both. Bring something great and lofty into your life (Yoga), and simultaneously, investigate your distractions and desires (Sannyasa). He cautions that investigation (chhanbeen) must be done with awareness and is different from indulgence (bhog). One should proceed only as far as one's consciousness remains intact, without getting lost in the process.