Acharya Prashant addresses the idea of learning from nature instead of a human teacher by recounting an anecdote of a person who claims to learn from birds chirping. He points out the absurdity of this, as this person cannot learn even when spoken to in a language they understand, yet claims to learn from a bird's crowing or the noise of insects. The speaker calls this a "great defense against learning," a "great defiance of truth," and a way to "remain secure in your ignorance." He uses an analogy of a person standing by the Ganga river who, instead of drinking from it, insists on condensing moisture from the air. This, he says, is a sign of being afraid and insensitive to one's own "parched throat," leading one to make up stories. The speaker then critiques the questioner for discussing the teachings with an unworthy friend. He clarifies that he never "doled out knowledge," but rather shared something "sacred" and "intimate" that was meant to be between the teacher and the student. He admonishes the questioner for turning this into "marketable knowledge" and discussing it with "all and sundry," especially with "unworthy people." He emphasizes that these are intimate matters not to be revealed to strangers, particularly those who are stubborn and indifferent. He likens this to a woman who, upon finding her lord, leaves her old family behind, rather than bringing her entire village with her as a dowry. Finally, Acharya Prashant addresses the argument of learning from multiple sources. He states that he is fully in support of learning from everywhere and everyone possible. However, he is strongly against using the availability of various learning avenues as a pretext for "foolishness and hypocrisy" and ultimately, "to not to learn." He refers to the Bhagavad Gita, where Shri Krishna warns Arjun not to share the sacred knowledge with anyone who lacks faith in him, lest a curse befall him. The speaker concludes that while learning from many sources is good, using one book or source to avoid another is a mechanism to avoid learning altogether, a practice he strongly dislikes.
