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आचार्य जी, आपका रोज़मर्रा का जीवन कैसा है? || आचार्य प्रशांत, वेदांत महोत्सव ऋषिकेश में (2021)
67K views
3 years ago
Spiritual Life
Personal Life
Work
Preconceived Notions
Struggle
Tension
Upanishads
Society
Description

A questioner asks Acharya Prashant about his personal life and how the teachings of the Upanishads are reflected in his daily routine. Acharya Prashant responds by stating that there is not much of a personal life to speak of. He explains that his life is not separate from his work; since the work never ends, there is no life after work. What is happening at the event is his personal life. He cautions against holding preconceived notions about a spiritual life, as it might not be pleasant to know the reality. He says that his personal life is not very personal, and there is not much to tell. Acharya Prashant elaborates that his life does not align with the common images people have of a spiritual person, such as someone who meditates, chants, or follows a disciplined routine. He describes his life as quite messy and scattered, like a road-roller that constantly experiences jolts and opposition. He says there is no smooth highway in spirituality; that is found in worldly life. In spirituality, one has to make their own path through boulders. He mentions that his life is full of tension and that he often has to scold people. Therefore, those in search of peace might not find his company suitable. He says he was born in a time that requires breaking things down and fighting, which he does not do out of personal interest but out of necessity for the world's situation. He further explains the difficulties of his work, mentioning that it is very hard and is done with a small, ordinary team. He has to get three people's worth of work out of one person, and that only happens when he demonstrates doing more work than them. He points out that everyone working with him is a human, not a superhuman, and they face pressure from their families. He gives examples of how people's preconceived notions are shattered when they see him. Someone's heart broke upon seeing him eat like an animal, finishing his meal in three minutes and leaving without even washing his hands, because he has work to do. He says he is not the kind of spiritual person who chews his food 32 times or follows specific rules about eating and drinking. He concludes by stating that his personal life involves working for the audience and, at the same time, struggling against their resistance.