Acharya Prashant addresses the question of why there is hatred in the name of religion when love is considered a universal religion. He begins by explaining that everyone is constantly moving forward, which implies leaving something behind. The education one receives is an enabler that provides the strength and resources for more challenging work. However, people often get stuck in their ways, whether in their careers or personal lives. The fundamental issue, he states, is a lack of clarity and self-knowledge. We use words like 'dharma' (religion or duty) and 'life' without understanding their precise meaning. This familiarity with words creates a delusion of knowledge, while true understanding is absent. He elaborates that the 'I' or ego (aham) is an inherent feeling of incompleteness that constantly seeks to become whole by adding things from the outside world. This is the logic of consumption and acquisition, where one believes that having more will bring peace. In contrast, Acharya Prashant defines love as dissolution—the process of becoming zero. This concept is difficult to grasp because it contradicts the ego's logic of addition. Love is not about adding to oneself but subtracting, which is a challenging idea for the conditioned mind. This lack of self-understanding is the root cause of hatred. When individuals don't know who they are or the true source of their inner turmoil, they seek superficial remedies. The failure of these remedies leads to frustration, which manifests as anger and violence towards others. This external hatred is merely a projection of one's internal self-hatred. The conflict between humans, and between humans and nature, will persist until this fundamental ignorance is addressed. Acharya Prashant suggests that the path to resolution is not about finding the right thing but about negating the false, a process known in Vedanta as 'neti-neti' (not this, not this). The first step is honesty and self-observation—to see the conditioned, animalistic tendencies within oneself. He asserts that we are not truly free, and only a free person can genuinely love. Therefore, one must rebel against their own inner bondage for love to blossom. All compulsions and obligations are rooted in self-interest, and no one can be bound without their own complicity. He concludes by emphasizing the importance of 'satsangati' (the company of the truthful) as the first step. Being in the company of those who make right choices can inspire an individual. However, the ultimate responsibility to choose freedom and truth lies with each person. He explains that there are many 'Gitas' or songs of truth because truth is bitter and needs to be presented in various palatable forms to cut through the many excuses and hiding places of the ego. The core issue is not a lack of external guidance but the dishonesty of not wanting to see one's own inner state.
