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Yoga is to dance without a reason || Acharya Prashant, on Bhagwad Gita (2017)
Acharya Prashant
919 views
9 years ago
Bhagavad Gita
Shri Krishna
Yoga
Ego
Conditioning
Inaction in action
Self-worth
Non-doer
Description

Acharya Prashant describes Shri Krishna as a demolisher of established definitions regarding morality, humility, and action. He explains that Shri Krishna does not merely revise old concepts but introduces a dimensionally different space that requires the total dissolution of one's previous mental frameworks. The speaker emphasizes that Shri Krishna’s teachings in the Bhagavad Gita, particularly regarding yoga, cannot be understood unless one is prepared to abandon the definitions of right and wrong that have been established in the mind. This process is described as demolition and dissolution rather than incremental development or minor correction. Focusing on Chapter 4, Verse 18, Acharya Prashant explains the concept of seeing inaction in action and action in inaction. He argues that human action is typically driven by psychological intentions and the desire for self-improvement or the inflation of the ego. Most people act because they believe the result will enhance their self-worth or internal state. However, true action, as taught by Shri Krishna, occurs when the external movement is disconnected from the internal 'I'. In this state, the individual remains a non-doer internally while performing vigorous actions externally, breaking the cause-and-effect link between worldly results and personal identity. Acharya Prashant further clarifies that what we usually consider 'inaction' is often filled with subtle action, such as the movement of thoughts and internal conflicts. He posits that we are rarely the true authors of our actions, as most of our behavior is conditioned by biology, society, and past experiences. To be a 'true doer' is to remain in a state of internal relaxation and absence, allowing the body and intellect to function freely without the interference of the ego. He concludes that the purpose of life is not to achieve fulfillment, which is already present, but to express that inherent joy and completeness without being burdened by the results of one's actions.