Acharya Prashant emphasizes that while scriptures and religious texts are not strictly mandatory or inevitable, they are essential tools for self-realization and peace. He explains that the term 'essential' refers to that which one is helpless against, and while one can ignore books, one cannot ignore the need for inner peace and understanding. He argues that humans are like candles; we possess latent light but often need the touch of an already lit candle—a scripture or a teacher—to ignite our own inner light. Without this external influence, achieving enlightenment is a rare occurrence that could take millions of years.
