Acharya Prashant addresses a question from a man who feels his wife is trying to control him. While acknowledging the audience's amusement, he asks for empathy, stating that the person experiencing this is genuinely troubled. He explains that to understand the wife's behavior, one must understand the situation of a woman. He points out that physically, a woman is weaker than a man by nature. Mentally, she is made to be emotion-driven, and societal structures, including education and conditioning, have not allowed her to become mentally strong, thus keeping her weak in both body and mind. The speaker elaborates that historically, a woman's primary source of power and validity came from her unique ability to reproduce. However, in modern times, this power is diminishing as people desire fewer children, and technology may soon make the natural womb unnecessary. This leaves a woman, already physically and mentally disempowered, feeling scared and insecure. This deep-seated fear and weakness manifest as a desire to control her partner through clever tricks. He clarifies that this is a sign of a scared and weak person, a behavior that applies to men as wellтАФthe weaker the person, the more they try to control others. Acharya Prashant advises that if a woman is controlling, it is because she is weak and fears abandonment, knowing she has no other source of power. To save themselves from this dynamic, men should empower the women in their lives and grant them freedom. The principle for mutual freedom in relationships is to be the cause of the other's freedom. He then advises women that their only lasting power lies in strengthening the mind through knowledge, skills, and internal qualities, as physical beauty and reproductive ability are transient. He quotes Kabir Saheb, saying, "Accumulate that wealth which will be useful in the future," explaining that this true wealth is the capital of internal qualities and knowledge. This is the only dimension where a woman can be equal to or even surpass a man, and failing to develop it prepares a dangerous future for her.
