Acharya Prashant addresses a question regarding the apparent contradiction between advising a purposeless life and his own past of preparing for competitive exams. He clarifies that living an aimless, purposeless life is the ultimate goal. However, given our current state, we cannot realize this goal instantaneously. If instantaneous liberation were possible, one should go for it right away. He explains this using the distinction between ends and means. Purposelessness is the ultimate state, the end, while purposefulness is the means to reach that end. The ultimate aspiration is to be free from all aspirations, and to reach that, one must have the right aspiration. Similarly, the desire to be desireless is the right desire, and the aim to become aimless is the right aim to carry. Continuing with his explanation, Acharya Prashant uses several analogies. He states that thoughtlessness is the end, but thoughtfulness is the means. Actionlessness is the end, but right action is the means. Silence is the end, but the right word, or the holy word, is the means to reach it. He points out that most people require the aid of the right word to attain silence, the right desires to become desireless, and the right goals to become goalless. The only way to differentiate between right and wrong is to see what they lead to. The right is that which will take you beyond itself, while the wrong will keep you confined to itself. The speaker likens the wrong path to walking into a jail, where one remains confined. The right path is like walking over a bridge; you use it to cross over. He applies this to his own life, stating that he used his achievements as bridges. He did not allow any institution to hold him captive and moved on, quoting "Charaiveti, Charaiveti" (keep moving). He advises that before taking any step, one must ask whether it is a trap or a bridge. The right goal is one that enables you to cross over, while the wrong one welcomes you only to trap you. He concludes by stating that the climb begins after one has reached the top of the hill, implying that worldly achievements are not the final destination.
