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The one thing you must never lose || Acharya Prashant, on Vedanta (2022)
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3 years ago
Brahman
Chandogya Upanishad
Duality
Freedom
Truth
Dignity
Realization
Vedas
Description

Acharya Prashant explains verses from the Chandogya Upanishad, which state that for one who knows the Truth, the sun neither rises nor sets, and there is perpetual day. He interprets this as a prayer stemming from a profound realization and a wish. The realization is that all worldly phenomena, such as sunrises, sunsets, birth, and death, belong to a certain level of existence, while Brahman, the ultimate Truth, is beyond this realm of duality. The wish is to not fall from this state of Brahman, which would mean becoming engrossed in the material world and its dualities, such as gain and loss, pleasure and pain. For the one who knows this secret of the Vedas, these worldly occurrences become immaterial. This does not mean they cease to exist, but that the knower learns to accord them their rightful, secondary place. The speaker uses the analogy of watching a magic show: the knower of Truth engages with the world knowing it is ultimately unreal, enjoying the magic *as* magic, not mistaking it for reality. This is contrasted with the ordinary person who is deluded by the show. The knower is aware of an inner point beyond the world's reach, a space untouched by the sun or moon, which is Brahman or Atma (the Self). The speaker frames this prayer as an expression of human dignity and a deep love for freedom over life itself. It is a plea from one who refuses to be a plaything of circumstances, a slave to the body and its impulses. The prayer is a commitment to the one choice that truly matters—the choice for Brahman—while being indifferent to all trivial matters. It is a request for the strength to ignore the non-essential and to remain firmly devoted to perfection, which is Brahman. Even amidst all worldly imperfections and defeats, the one who holds onto this one victory—devotion to Brahman—has won the ultimate war.