Acharya Prashant responds to a question about living a detached life, as advised in the Gita. He explains that detachment is a matter for a later stage. In the state that most people live, what is needed is struggle. We do not need renunciation or detachment; that will come later. For now, we need struggle. He uses an analogy: if you are in captivity and in chains, and you say, 'I am detached,' does this statement have any meaning? You do not need renunciation right now; you need a weapon. When asked what this weapon is, the speaker poses a counter-question: "When you created the attachment, where did you find the means?" He clarifies that attachment is not natural; it was arranged. Just as you arranged it then, you must do so now. Just as you used to find excuses to meet, you must now find excuses to separate. When you want to become attached or infatuated, you apply all your powers and resources in that direction. You might even board a train without a ticket because you feel you must reach that place tonight. At that time, you don't ask, 'Acharya Ji, how to become infatuated?' The speaker says, "Now I am telling you to get off the train, son, and you are asking how to get off. How did you get on? Just as you got on, get off in the same way." Just as you used all sorts of arrangements to spoil your game, now, by concentrating all your powers, you must fix the spoiled game. The speaker emphasizes that the path to liberation is the path of 'yukti,' which means method or arrangement. One should not assume that making arrangements is only for worldly people and that a spiritual person walks a straight path. Liberation also requires 'yukti.' All the worldly methods and troubles you have learned, now use them for a good purpose. He cites the example of Shri Krishna, asking what methods he did not use in those eighteen days of the Mahabharata. He used so much maneuvering, so many arrangements. When Arjun vowed to kill Jayadratha before sunset or immolate himself, and Jayadratha was heavily protected, Shri Krishna used a 'yukti' by hiding the sun, causing Jayadratha to come out, thinking he was safe. This shows that spirituality is not for the naive. It is not for good children who part their hair in the middle and apply mustard oil. The world of spirituality needs sharp, intelligent people. It is not a fair for the dull-witted. We need the world's sharpest mindsтАФgood scientists, doctors, engineers, and lawyersтАФto become spiritual.
