Acharya Prashant explains that selfless action is impossible without first recognizing the hollowness and deceptive nature of the ego self. Most human actions are driven by the ego's desire for gratification, peace, or completeness, which are often based on false assumptions. He argues that what people commonly call selflessness is frequently just masked selfishness, as the self remains the central actor and operator. True selfless action, or nishkam karma, is not a practice or technique but a natural result of seeing the void within the self and understanding that the ego's hopes are repeatedly belied. He emphasizes that one cannot simply wish away the ego because it is the default biological and psychological framework of a human being. Addressing the concept of Karma Yoga from the Bhagavad Gita, Acharya Prashant clarifies that it does not mean total immersion in any random activity, but rather performing the right action without concern for the results. He notes that many people use spiritual terms to hide their deep-seated expectations and desires for recognition. He asserts that a truly selfless person would not even be aware of their selflessness, as the very act of declaring oneself selfless requires an ego to make the claim. Therefore, self-knowledge is the essential prerequisite for any action that is truly free from personal interest. Acharya Prashant further explains that understanding is the true enemy of the ego, while action is often its extension. People frequently seek solutions in the form of prescribed actions to avoid the discomfort of looking within. He maintains that action should be the movement of understanding, comparing it to a glacier flowing as a river. When the being is purified through self-knowledge, the right action follows naturally without the need for willpower or external motivation. Faith, in this context, is the trust that if one acts from a state of clear understanding, the consequences will be auspicious, regardless of whether they were predicted or planned.
