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स्त्री हूँ, इन बातों से डरती हूँ || आचार्य प्रशांत, वेदांत महोत्सव (2022)
426.3K views
3 years ago
Fear
Attachment
Power
Self-reliance
Anxiety
Conditioning
Women's Empowerment
Loneliness
Description

Acharya Prashant addresses the issue of anxiety and fear by advising one to establish an internal cut-off point, a boundary beyond which one should not tolerate such hassles. He explains that fear is always accompanied by a threat of loss, suggesting that one should be prepared to let go of whatever is being threatened. He uses the analogy, "It's good that my pot broke," to illustrate that it is better to be free from the constant worry of protecting something fragile. The speaker asserts that fear is always linked to an object of attachment, and if an object is so unreliable that it causes constant fear, it is not worth protecting. He quotes an old saying, "If my beloved withers just by being called beloved, for how many days will he live anyway?" to emphasize that sources of constant fear should be relinquished. He identifies greed or attachment as the root cause that precedes fear, and recognizing this is key to overcoming it. Acharya Prashant dismisses vague terms like "social conditioning" and urges the questioner to be specific about her fears. When she mentions the fear of relationships ending and being alone, he points out that being alone is the fundamental reality for everyone. He identifies the root of her fear as the desire for a certain social image, such as having a family, which he calls a worn-out story. He finds it telling that she is ashamed to even speak of these things she holds so dear. The speaker notes that the fear of the future is often a fear of losing one's identifications and the sustenance they provide, which he asks her to examine closely. He makes a special appeal to women not to remain weak or get entangled in emotional games, advising them not to cede all power to men. True power, he explains, lies not in beauty, adornment, or emotional dependence, but in one's own knowledge, skills, and financial independence. He states that in this world, the law of power prevails; the weak are dominated by everyone, including their own kin. To command respect, even within one's own family, one must possess strength. He concludes that a person is ultimately alone, and only their own capability will be of use to them.