Acharya Prashant explains that what is happening here cannot be understood by our ordinary Western or liberal thought. Looking at the expression on the face of the Devi (goddess), he questions if it is one of happiness, sadness, or contemplation, concluding it is none of these. He also dismisses the idea that she is in a state of indifference towards the world. He asserts that this is a different matter altogether. People influenced by Western thought are trying to read Indian philosophy and spirituality through a Western lens, and they are unable to comprehend it. Yet, their ego is such that they claim to have understood it and are even teaching it to others, thus confusing everyone. He states that two types of people have caused great harm to spirituality. The first are those who oppose spirituality, calling it superstition, a group that includes many liberals. The second group consists of those who support spirituality by turning it into superstition itself. This group largely includes religious people, gurus, and mahagurus. He argues that while these individuals appear to be on the side of religion, they cause the most damage by reducing it to the level of superstition. They will immediately support any superstitious belief by claiming it is a matter of religion. Acharya Prashant contrasts the statue of the Devi with the Western image of an empowered woman, questioning which is more empowered. He points out that India has always named the woman 'Shakti' (the empowered one), and it is ironic that liberals are now teaching Indians about women's empowerment. He describes the Devi's expression as embodying grace, power, and compassion, a beauty that is beyond genderтАФSatyam Shivam Sundaram (Truth, Goodness, Beauty). This beauty is not provocative but calming, representing a state beyond dualities like happiness and sorrow, past and future, gain and loss, or attraction and repulsion. He concludes that both men and women are equally capable and entitled to reach this height of consciousness. If a woman can experience suffering, she is as entitled to freedom from it as a man.
