In response to a question about the Yogavasishtha Sara quote, "Desires are the world," Acharya Prashant explains that the term 'Sankalp' (intention) in spirituality refers to desire or craving (Kamana). He states that we never see anything without a Sankalp; our perception of the world is entirely filtered through our desires. The world, which comprises everything that can be seen, heard, touched, and experienced, is only visible to us to the extent that it relates to our cravings. Otherwise, we do not perceive it at all. He illustrates this with examples: one does not see the person sitting behind them because their desire is not directed there; in a shop, one's eyes immediately fixate on the desired object; in a crowd, a parent instantly spots their own child. Therefore, your world is where your desire is, which is why everyone's world is different. This leads to the profound implication that the world may not have an independent, objective existence. If the world is so deeply intertwined with our personal desires, its reality becomes subjective. A person may appear one way to you and completely different to another, based on individual opinions and relationships. The person is neither good nor bad in themselves; they are as your mind perceives them. This subjectivity extends to understanding his words; what one comprehends is also a reflection of their own mind. The speaker defines Truth as that which is unchanging, and since both our inner and outer worlds are in constant flux, they cannot be the Truth. This is the illusion (Maya) – the duality of the perceiver and the perceived, where both are deluded. Acharya Prashant contrasts this with modern education, which often equates the visible with the real. He argues that our education establishes truth externally, which in turn validates the ego as an internal truth. This leads to the notion of "multiple truths" and a superficial tolerance, where individuals respect each other's falsehoods. The speaker emphasizes that understanding the verse—that the world is an extension of our desires—is a powerful method to eliminate delusion. Truth is not something to be attained; it is what remains when delusion is removed. He concludes by stating that experiences are not truth. While some experiences can be auspicious (Shubh) because they lead toward the end of all experiences, no experience is the ultimate Truth (Satya). The only truth is the Self (Atma), and Vedanta is the only path that leads to it, distinguishing it from other belief systems that do not focus on the Self.
