Acharya Prashant addresses a questioner's conflict between patriotism and his interest in foreign culture, specifically Western classical music and the desire to travel abroad. He explains that the core identity of India is spirituality, and spirituality does not teach boundaries. It does not say that one should be confined to a particular class, place, concept, or profession. The connection of spirituality is with Truth and Peace. A spiritual person's loyalty is towards truth and peace, and nothing else. The speaker critiques the questioner's notion of patriotism as very limited and narrow, which suggests that one should not go outside the country or that liking Western classical music makes one a traitor. He points out that no country has been more open than India, which has seen a free flight of thought unlike any other. India has welcomed and accepted numerous languages, religions, and people from all over the world. He gives historical examples, such as the seals of the Indus Valley Civilization being found in Egypt, indicating trade and travel even 3000 years before Christ. He also mentions that before Chinese travelers came to India, Indians had already gone to China, taking Buddhism with them. He cites Swami Vivekananda as a prominent figure in India's renaissance who traveled to Chicago in 1893 and stayed abroad for a long time. Acharya Prashant asserts that true patriotism lies in one's awakening. If you are spiritually awake, all your actions will benefit the nation. Conversely, if you are not spiritually awake, you are a burden on the nation even if you stay within its borders. The problem arises when one wants to go abroad solely for money, which the speaker finds distasteful. He clarifies that going abroad for learning, understanding, joy, or work is perfectly fine, but one should not go as a beggar. He quotes Kabir Saheb: "I would rather die than beg for my own body's sake. For the sake of the ultimate, I feel no shame." This implies that one should not beg for personal gain, but for a higher purpose, there is no shame in asking. The issue is not about being for or against a country, but about the motivation behind one's actions.
