Acharya Prashant explains a shloka from the Ashtavakra Gita which describes the state of a Yogi: when a Yogi is happy, he is not truly happy, and when in pain, he is not in pain. Only those who are like him can understand this unique state. To elaborate, he discusses the nature of the mind, stating that it is constantly being agitated by numerous stimuli, most of which we are unaware of. The mind filters information based on its priorities and values, allowing only what it deems important to enter and be stored. He illustrates this with an example: if you rush to an accident scene involving a friend, you won't remember the details of your journey because your mind, focused on a priority, ignored other sensory inputs. The speaker then connects this back to the Yogi's state. The Yogi does not give importance to pleasure or pain. It's not that he doesn't experience them, but his mind is not engaged with them because he has found something supremely valuable. For someone established in bliss, small joys and sorrows lose their significance. This is why the Yogi, even when experiencing pain, is not afflicted by it, and when experiencing pleasure, is not attached to it. His values are set on something far greater. Finally, Acharya Prashant explains why only a similar person can understand the Yogi. One who has attained such a state cannot fully convey its depth to someone who has not. The only way to understand is to attain that state oneself. This is why it is said that only a wise person can recognize another wise person. To understand Ashtavakra, one must become like Ashtavakra—not as a physical person, but by realizing the pure soul, the essence of existence, which is one's true nature.
