Acharya Prashant begins by recalling a poem by Dhumil from his youth, which questioned, "Is freedom just the name of three tired colors that a wheel carries, or does it have a special meaning?" He explains that he learned from this that freedom must have a special, higher meaning. It is not merely about respecting the tricolor flag for one day, which he calls a deception. The real question is about the state of the flag-bearer, not just the flag. He emphasizes that we must know the great meaning of freedom. Responding to a question about the true meaning of freedom, Acharya Prashant states that the first meaning of freedom is freedom from the past. He observes that people often associate freedom with historical events, but the problem arises when we remain bound by our old identities. We exist in the present, but our anchor is stuck in the past. All our identities, including caste, come from the past, leading us to carry useless pride about a glorious past or hurts from past wounds. This prevents us from living properly today. He asserts that we are not historical figures but living beings of the present, and who we are today should not be determined by our past. India's present is stifled because the past weighs heavily on it, and national issues are debated in the context of what happened thousands of years ago rather than what is needed today. Acharya Prashant then discusses the need for freedom from a scripted future. People desire a secure, predictable future because they fear the present and its challenges. This leads to a lack of originality and creativity. He distinguishes between a security that confines, like a cage, and a security that enables freedom, like the technology of an airplane that allows it to soar. We need the kind of security that supports and contributes to freedom, not one that becomes a substitute for it. He also points out that many people's ambitions for the future are not their own but are pre-written scripts given to them by society. Furthermore, he speaks of freedom from irrationality and worldly ignorance. He notes that people often pride themselves on being emotional, a trait shared with animals. What makes humans special is their ability to think, reason, and understand. He argues that there is a widespread lack of factual knowledge, which is replaced by imagination that is then mistaken for fact. This is a significant problem in India, and there is a need to respect knowledge. This worldly ignorance must be overcome. Finally, Acharya Prashant emphasizes the need for inner freedom and self-knowledge (atma-gyan). Without self-knowledge, political freedom is meaningless. He contends that India's freedom movement was not broad-based, as many common people did not value freedom and even worked against the revolutionaries. The freedom we obtained was almost free, which is why we do not respect it. To truly celebrate freedom, we must first ask if we are genuinely free and earn the right to celebrate. Freedom is for the free.