Acharya Prashant explains that the greatest sorrow will not disturb a person when it no longer seems great. This happens not by gathering strength or a protective shield, but by attaining something that is truly great, in comparison to which all sorrows appear small. He states that you will not conquer the greatest sorrow by gathering great strength or preparing a protective shield that will protect you from sorrows. The greatest sorrow is conquered when it no longer seems great. Elaborating on this from the perspective of a saint, he says that upon attaining the truly great, nothing else remains. Therefore, sorrow itself is seen as a form of the divine. It is not that sorrow is a small thing to be tolerated, but that sorrow is also the Lord. In this state, one welcomes everything, both flowers and thorns, as a form of divine grace. The thorn is no longer a thorn, but a gift from the giver. As long as a thorn is a thorn, it will feel bad. But now, the thorn is no longer a thorn. He introduces the concept of Yoga, which is defined as being free from the contact of the world of sorrow. Acharya Prashant distinguishes between the accidental aspects of life, such as birth, name, family, and religion, and the essential aspects, which are the fruit of Yoga. He asserts that a life lived by coincidence will feel empty, whereas a life rooted in Yoga is the only valuable life. One must learn to differentiate between what is merely coincidental in life and what is the fruit of Yoga, which is essential and valuable. Ultimately, the only real duty is Yoga. Citing Shri Krishna, he says that one must abandon all other duties and religions and take refuge in the One. The path is not of methods or practices, but of spontaneous union. One must simply come and drown, and then all aspects of life—eating, sleeping, and actions—will naturally fall into place. The fruit of Yoga is a beautiful life.
