Acharya Prashant addresses the question of why a woman is considered an issue by first reframing it: for whom is a woman an issue? He explains that a woman is an issue for a man. This is because the man's relationship with a woman stems from his most uncontrolled, unresolved, and animalistic instinct, which he identifies as sexual desire (kamvasna). This instinct is internal to the man, but it is the primary medium through which he relates to a woman. Without it, he states, the relationship would be minimal. Since the man lacks self-knowledge (Atma-gyan), he does not understand this internal force that compels him towards women, often against his will. This lack of understanding creates a sense of terror in him, as he feels the woman is becoming his master and he, her slave. Out of this fear, the man attacks the woman and tries to control and dominate her, which is how she becomes an "issue." The man has made her an issue. This dynamic has historically led to the creation of patriarchy (purush-satta), where systems and narratives have been shaped by men. The speaker points out that the man's confusion about women has led to contradictory narratives: sometimes she is elevated to a goddess, and at other times, she is denigrated as an illusion (maya). These contradictions reflect the man's own internal turmoil. He quotes the common saying, "No one can understand a woman's character (triya-charitra)," but clarifies that the man does not understand himself. The problem is not about understanding the woman but about the man understanding himself. This entire uproar about women is an ideology that has become known as patriarchy. This patriarchal ideology is not confined to men; it has been adopted by women as well, who can, in turn, become oppressors of other women. The root of this problem is the reduction of a woman's identity to her sexuality, making her a target in conflicts, as seen in the recent Manipur violence where women were treated as property to dishonor the enemy. The speaker advises women to stop identifying with their transient bodies and instead establish their identity in their consciousness, knowledge, courage, and skills. He emphasizes that the notion of a woman's body as her capital is a concept taught by men, who view it as such for their own gratification.
