A questioner, a 42-year-old entrepreneur, shares that since his mother's death two years ago, he has been repeatedly seeing the number 11:11 everywhere. Online research suggested it could be a sign from spirits, leaving him confused whether it has a real meaning or is just a trick of his mind. Acharya Prashant responds by deconstructing the very premise of seeing the number "11". He asks in what language or script the number appears, confirming with the audience that it is in Roman numerals. He points out that if one were uneducated, they wouldn't recognize it as "11". Similarly, if one followed the Indian numeral system, the symbol for one is different, and thus "11" would not be seen. He argues that what is being seen is merely two vertical lines or two pillars, questioning, "Where is 11?" He further explains that in the Indian system, this could be interpreted as the number two. Expanding on this, Acharya Prashant introduces different number systems. While in the decimal system, "11" means eleven, in the binary system, which the internet itself operates on, "11" means three. He questions how the person is certain that the number is eleven and not two or three. He humorously remarks that if this is a matter of ghosts, they must be less-educated ghosts to use the decimal system. He asserts that truth does not operate on numbers, as all numbers are part of nature (Prakriti) and are essentially the same. He dismisses numerology and the significance of auspicious dates, asking if the truth changes on a particular day. He uses the analogy of time zones, explaining that what is 3:30 AM in India is not the same elsewhere, and that time itself is a human convention, like Daylight Saving Time. He asks what is divine or truthful in these man-made constructs. The speaker concludes that the person is not seeing the number 11 but rather definitions created by their own mind. This happens when life lacks something beautiful and meaningful, causing the mind to latch onto trivial matters to feel important. These are the inevitable noises of the life machine. He advises not to give these minor scratches and wounds of life so much importance that they halt one's journey. Spirituality does not remove your troubles; it removes you from your troubles. Let the troubles be, and focus on your work, your Dharma.
