Acharya Prashant responds to a question about why the Bhagavad Gita seems to be more acknowledged in the Western world than in India. He agrees with this observation, explaining that when something is too close or familiar, one tends to lose a measure of its importance. In India, the Gita is a commonplace, household name, and this familiarity has bred indifference, causing it to cease mesmerizing people. In contrast, the West encounters the Gita with relatively fresh eyes, not rushing to worship it but approaching it objectively as a piece of literature. This fresh perspective allows the Gita's greatness and riches to be revealed. The speaker shares his personal experience, stating he was fortunate not to be introduced to the Gita in a traditional, ritualistic way. He was never told to perform rituals like taking a bath before touching the book or sitting in a specific direction while reading. This allowed him to "play with the Gita," reading it freely, even while lying in bed, and letting the verses captivate him without being bound by conventional meanings. He emphasizes the importance of approaching a text with unconditioned eyes, free from predetermined respect, as this is the only way to truly grasp its essence. Acharya Prashant further elaborates that when a text like the Gita is turned into organized religion, one loses touch with its underlying, beautiful philosophy. For the West, it remained a philosophy, which is why they can penetrate its depths more effectively. He points out that the Gita is an active destroyer of convention, tradition, myth, and belief—an aspect that has hardly ever been brought out. He explains that Krishna represents an attitude that can be truthfully called very modern. He concludes by highlighting the necessity of freedom in understanding the Gita. He asserts that he had the freedom to openly dissent even against Krishna, and without the right to dissent, there can be no right to love. Both dissent and love require freedom. Therefore, the Gita can only be read in freedom. When it is made a part of a religious complex or an obligatory reading, this essential freedom is lost, and its true meaning becomes inaccessible.