Acharya Prashant states that the only purpose of life is fulfillment. The way to reach this purpose is through discretion, or 'Vivek'. This means being careful and not letting things simply happen to you. One must exercise choice responsibly. The first step is to acknowledge that you have a choice and are not a helpless victim of circumstances. Choice is power. The Upanishads, he explains, stand for strength and repeatedly tell you that you have a choice. Therefore, one should not act, pretend, or live as if they do not have one. Understanding that you have a choice is an empowering thing; you should never feel helpless. Some people believe that religion makes the mind dull, weak, or submissive, but this is not true. The Upanishads teach that even gods must be chosen with care, which is a lesson in strength, not weakness. Choosing your gods with utmost discretion implies that you must reject most gods. Spirituality is not merely about worshipping gods but, more importantly, about rejecting all false gods. If you can do this, you will achieve fulfillment. Whether you attain fulfillment depends on whether you truly want it. If you are not fulfilled, it is because you do not want it, or you want other things more. It's not that you don't want fulfillment at all, but there are other considerations that take precedence. Acharya Prashant further elaborates on the concept of love, contrasting the popular, movie-inspired notion with a 'tough love' that is ruthless and unrelenting in its pursuit of self-improvement and self-realization. This is the love taught by the Upanishads, which is not soft or emotional. A true lover is someone who empowers you, challenges your falseness, and refuses to let you remain comfortable in your weaknesses. Someone who says, "I love you as you are," cannot be your lover. A true lover must be someone who keeps refusing and correcting you, showing you the light. The relationship with a sick person should be that of a doctor to a patient; they need treatment and medicine, not kisses. A true lover is one who pulls you upward, not one who enfeebles or enslaves you in the name of care.
