Acharya Prashant addresses the question of how to make ancient scriptures relevant to the current generation by first emphasizing the need to understand what the scriptures are truly saying. He draws an analogy with the Pythagorean theorem, explaining that just as the theorem's truth (a² + b² = c²) is timeless and not subject to change as long as squares and triangles exist, the core principles of certain scriptures are also not time-bound or capable of becoming outdated. He clarifies that his reference is not to every storybook or text of belief and superstition labeled as a religious scripture, but specifically to the few pure, core spiritual texts. These texts, he explains, do not contain nonsense, entertainment, or divisive ideas. Instead, they address the unchanging facts of the inner universe: unfulfillment, discontentment, fear, greed, jealousy, comparison, lust, ignorance, and loneliness. While our external conditions—knowledge, technology, prosperity, and power—have evolved, our internal state remains much the same as that of a caveman. We still grapple with the same psychological struggles. Because the fundamental human condition has not changed, the scriptures that address it remain as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago. The speaker argues that the problem is not that the scriptures are outdated, but that they have become unfashionable. He suggests that fashion is a man-made trend that can and should be changed. It should become 'cool' for a young person to read a text like the Ashtavakra Gita and proudly share it. The entire self-help industry, he posits, thrives because people are missing the profound and practical utility of these core scriptures. Acharya Prashant concludes that the teachings in texts like the Ashtavakra Gita are not merely to be respected out of custom but are practically useful in the present moment. He believes that those who recognize this have an obligation to work towards setting the trend right, making these timeless scriptures fashionable and accessible again. The goal is to help the younger generation see that these texts are not just relevant but are the 'coolest' and most enchanting books they could ever read.
