Acharya Prashant addresses a question about the authenticity of his teachings. He explains that the only proof of his words is the benefit the listener experiences in their own life. He states, "You are the proof. If you are benefiting, that is the proof. There is no other proof." This proof is the listener's own responsibility to recognize. The signs of this benefit, or spiritual progress, include a reduction in fear, the dispelling of old delusions, clarity of vision, and seeing the interconnectedness of things. Other signs are the emergence of compassion, the ability to give without reason, a decrease in arrogance and stubbornness, an increase in humility, and simultaneously, the strengthening of one's resolve to not bow down to the wrong things. The speaker describes the inner spiritual journey as a war between two sides within a person. One side represents the past, memories, the body, and education. The other side is consciousness, which aspires for something new and higher. These two 'I's are in constant conflict. He notes that in our culture, questioning or testing a guru is often seen as audacity or spiritual rudeness, but he insists it is very necessary, especially with him. He clarifies that many of his teachings are contrary to established traditions and great names of the past, so one will not find external validation for his words. Instead, one might find much evidence to the contrary. Therefore, the only way to validate his words is to see if they are understood and if they bring benefit to one's life. The speaker emphasizes that he cannot provide this proof; the listener must become the proof themselves. He encourages the listener to constantly ask, "What am I getting out of this?" Without this self-inquiry, one cannot know if they are benefiting, and consequently, no real gratitude can arise. Furthermore, without knowing if one has benefited, there will be no curiosity or effort to seek further benefit. The entire process is an internal war, a Mahabharata, which is what spirituality is.