Acharya Prashant begins by questioning why God is referred to as 'light' (prakash). He clarifies that this is not the physical light we know, which consists of waves and radiation, but a concept used repeatedly in scriptures worldwide, sometimes as 'light', 'nur', or 'prakash'. To understand this, one must consider who is speaking (the Rishis), to whom they are speaking (the ego), and for what purpose (to negate the ego). The speaker emphasizes that the ego is not given the truth directly; rather, its falsehoods are removed. We may think we are being told the truth, but in reality, our falsehoods are being taken away. Every word from a Rishi is purposeful and not mere idle talk. The speaker explains that when God is called the 'form of light' (prakash-swaroop), it is addressed to the ego because the ego inherently lives in darkness. The very act of the ego seeking a Rishi is proof that it senses something is wrong within itself, that it is in darkness. Ignorance and darkness are used interchangeably because in darkness, one cannot know. The ego is told that God is light because God exists outside the ego. As long as one remains within the confines of the self, one will only find darkness. Therefore, to be free from darkness is to be free from oneself. The ego's stubborn insistence is, 'I am the one,' but the Rishi's message is that whatever the ego knows is useless and false. The speaker further elaborates that we are subject to two kinds of darkness: the biological darkness of closed eyelids and the social darkness of a blindfold. The light lies in one's 'not-being,' as you yourself are your own darkness. You don't need to light a lamp; your darkness is your own closed eyelids. Even God is helpless before the ego. Spirituality is about taking responsibility. If you are distant from the truth, you are responsible for it; there is no compulsion. If the sun cannot force your eyes open, God is also helpless. It is not that we are waiting for God to descend; rather, God is waiting for us, and we, as the emperors, are not responding.
