Acharya Prashant explains the dynamic of expectations in relationships, particularly between a husband and wife. He states that a husband is often troubled that his wife doesn't fulfill his expectations, and the wife is equally troubled that her husband doesn't fulfill hers. The husband justifies not meeting her expectations by calling them illegitimate, while the wife dismisses his as foolish. Consequently, both feel they have been cheated and blame each other. Acharya Prashant clarifies that in this situation, it's not that one has cheated the other, but that both have been cheated. The one who has cheated them is Maya. He quotes, "Maya maha thagini hum jaani" (I have known Maya to be the great deceiver). He explains that Maya's nature is to cheat in such a way that you don't realize who the culprit is and end up blaming someone else. He uses an analogy of two people walking with their arms around each other, both with wallets in their back pockets. When both wallets are stolen, they blame and beat each other because the other's hand was closest to their pocket, while the real thief, Maya, stands aside laughing with both wallets. He concludes that in the business of expectations, no one is cheating anyone; rather, everyone is being cheated. This business is reciprocal: "I will have expectations of you, and you will have expectations of me. I will fulfill your desires, and you will fulfill mine." However, nothing is truly gained from this mutual exchange. Since no one gets anything, both parties feel cheated. The business of expectations is inherently a loss-making venture from which no one has ever profited.
