Acharya Prashant addresses a student's experience of pain and her desire to be with herself. He explains that being with oneself is not actually possible because the self is not an object to be accompanied. When one claims to be with themselves, they are usually just surrounded by mental distortions and projections. He argues that the intention to come close to the truth or the real self is problematic because it implicitly declares that one is currently false or separate from the truth. This declaration of falseness is what causes suffering, which the student describes as 'pins and needles.' He emphasizes that truth is alone and has no company; it is the center, while the false is that which surrounds and besieges the center. Acharya Prashant further explains that real company is not about others, but about one's own radiance and light. If one remains centered in the truth, their entire ambiance becomes one of light, and relationships become expressions of their own pure self rather than interactions with 'others.' He critiques the concept of being a 'seeker of truth,' stating that truth does not seek itself; to seek truth is to condemn oneself to a sense of lack. He describes the role of a guru as one who turns the pain fed to them by students into truth and relief. This requires the guru to maintain a state of witnessing detachment—acknowledging the student's suffering as real at a superficial level while knowing it is ultimately needless and a result of the student's own powerful choice to play a role. Finally, he discusses the nature of the teacher-student relationship as a 'game' or a 'theme party' where both roles are equally false in the ultimate sense. He invites the student to 'meddle' in his business, suggesting that by attempting to spoil what is unspoilable, she might realize her own indestructible nature. He asserts that total defeat of the ego's games is the path to final victory and the realization of the infinite. The suffocation one feels in life is actually proof of their immensity, as a small being would not feel constrained by petty things.
