Descrktip

Being without being | Acharya Prashant | Best Seller Author

"The ego is terrified of groundlessness, so it grabs a chair. It clings to labels because labels give it continuity. When someone says, ‘I am a Leftist’ or ‘I am a Rightist,’ this is not identity but insecurity. The chair is a crutch. The row is a refuge. The ego loves ideology because ideology is a respectable form of bondage. The real question is not Left versus Right. You were not born to sit on the Left or the Right. You were born to stand free."

"If the ego is always filtering information through what it has already decided to protect, then what does misinformation actually mean? Both misinformation and disinformation assume a stable, agreed-upon baseline of truth against which the falseness of a given claim can be measured. This is the assumption that has not been examined."

"Democracy does not give you what you want—it gives you what you are. A hard look at how the voter’s inner state shapes the nation more than any leader ever can."

“War is not only a humanitarian disaster; it is also an environmental one. Modern warfare devours fuel, burns cities, poisons soil and air, and leaves behind scars that last far longer than the battles themselves. Even as nations pledge to fight climate change, the machinery of war continues to run on a scale that quietly undermines those very promises.”

"The inner condition that produces belligerent foreign policy is the same one that produces the epidemic of depression, anxiety, addiction, and inner purposelessness that's become the defining psychological signature of the most militarily powerful societies on earth. You cannot burn your neighbour’s house and rest in peace, not because of some mystical law, but because the act of burning changes the one who burns."

"Every rebellion imagines itself as the subject of history: we, the people, are acting; we are choosing; we are remaking the world. But look more carefully, and a disturbing possibility emerges. The crowd that fills the streets is not the author of the revolution"

"Every few years, a similar pattern keeps repeating. A set of names tumbles into public view, and the world performs its ritual of shock. And then, quietly, the cycle completes itself: the outrage fades, the names are absorbed into the archives, and the pattern continues."

"If one relies on events, shock is guaranteed, again and again, because most misdeeds never come fully to light. Scandals are not reliable teachers. If one understands the principle, shock loses its grip, because what unfolds is recognised rather than discovered."

“Revolutions always promise change, and they usually deliver something that merely looks like change. Regimes collapse, flags are replaced, slogans change, but something remains untouched. The question we refuse to ask is simple: when the wheel turns again, what will have changed?”

"Without self-enquiry, rationalism turns outward-only. It scrutinizes religion, superstition, tradition, politics, and the beliefs of others, but it never pauses to examine the psychological centre doing the scrutinizing. The ego remains untouched, and rationality becomes its armour."

"The believer says ‘Exists’ and clutches scripture, the atheist says ‘No’ and clutches logic. In either case, the ego experiences some relief after speaking. In questioning the existence of God, the ego successfully hides its own non-existence."

"Violence never arrives announcing itself as violence. It arrives wrapped in reasons and slogans, in duty, in faith, in law, in nation, and demands that you honour it as necessary. It extracts your moral consent first, and only then does it spill blood."

People run from it into noise and distraction and shallow bonds. But running only makes it worse. Suppressed pain does not heal; it festers.

"What we call new is almost always the old in fresh wrapping. The calendar changes; the person does not. A digit shifts from five to six, yet the one who reads it remains imprisoned in the same patterns, the same desires, the same fears. New programmes, new resolutions, new routines: none of it works, because we have tried all of it before in different forms."

"As generally practised, culture is not wisdom; it is repetition. It is behaviour carried forward because it was once useful, once meaningful, once powerful, or simply because it has not yet been questioned. It belongs to the past by definition. It has momentum because it becomes society’s collective habit."

"The test is straightforward. Whatever aligns with Shruti is dharma. Whatever defies Shruti, however old or beloved, is not. Shruti demands only one thing: self-knowledge. Everything else is ornamental."

“When a society changes what it respects, the economy changes what it produces, because output is only the shadow of values. If status comes from owning, life becomes a showroom, politics becomes the management of craving, and relationships become transactions. If status comes from understanding and contribution, people step out of the consumptive spell, not through forced austerity but because they stop trying to buy an identity.”

Life appears full of conflicting possibilities because the mind itself is full of conflicting tendencies. We do not really know what we stand for, or from where our wants arise.

"Yes, the planet is overpopulated, but not merely with human bodies. It is overpopulated with high‑consumption lifestyles and with the ideals that glorify them. The way we are living, every additional human birth often means one more wound to the forests, the rivers, the climate, and the other species that must make space for us. When one more human is added in this prevailing culture of ignorant consumption, the rest of existence has one more burden to carry."

"Marxism is not wrong for seeking justice. It is incomplete in believing justice can come without awakening. When awakening does come, whether in a Kolkata adda, a Dakshineshwar temple, a Russian factory, a Wall Street floor, or a village panchayat, one sees that every great outer revolution begins when one has the courage to challenge one’s inner structures."

"Governments cannot enforce what people do not inwardly accept. The same person who demands climate action as a citizen demands consumption as a buyer. The voter and the consumer are the same person, unwilling to live with less. No political system survives long by asking its people to sacrifice comfort. So governments sign accords, issue statements, and return home to protect normalcy."

"If caste were only a social structure, reformers would have erased it. If merely legal, the Constitution would suffice. But caste is sustained in religious belief. It persists because it hides behind Dharma's name."

"What does the world look like after COVID? What has changed? The answer is uncomfortable: very little. What species returns so quickly to delusion after staring death in the face? We have not learned that we are not separate from nature; whatever we do to harm it rebounds on ourselves."

Most self-help starts with a wrong idea: that the 'I' we live with is real, permanent, and worth defending.

"Bihar’s tragedy is not that it is poor; it is that it refuses to wake up. A state cannot rise if its voter remain inwardly unaware. The quality of the government is never higher than the quality of the people who elect it. When people vote unconsciously, by habit, caste, or anger, elections become nothing but a ritual. A sleeping mind elects a sleeping system."

"In their own ways, all three ideologies protect the ego’s independence, form, or memory. And because they begin from ignorance of the true Self, none can lead to real welfare. All rest on the same foundation: the belief that the ego deserves preservation. Where the ego is sacred, suffering is inevitable."

"We mistake freedom for something the world grants us: the right to speak, move, or choose. But whatever the world gives, it can also take away. This is why the scriptures speak of an inner freedom: the one that's untouched by time, politics, or power. It doesn't ask for permission and is independent of praise or censorship, admiration or indifference."

"It’s easy to think of Ladakh as India’s most remote area, useful for tourism brochures and border maps. In reality, it is a mirror that shows our common fate. You can see the hunger of the farmer in Bihar, the thirst of the worker in Delhi, and the worry of families on the beaches in those glaciers that are melting."

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"The deeper problem is not economic but inner. For generations, we have been trained to depend on someone else: a ruler, a saviour, a foreign economy. To stand alone feels risky, so we clutch at authority."

t is not goods leaving our shores but young minds, restless to find elsewhere what they cannot build here. This reversal explains why a tweak in an American visa policy can create such tremors at home.

"What we parade as growth is, in truth, liquidation. Like a company selling its last assets to dress up quarterly profits, we are liquidating the only deep asset we possess: the planet. Forests, aquifers, soil, and biodiversity: all depleted, none accounted for. Balance sheets never record what is lost; they only record the illusion of gain."

Crowds may fill avenues and squares, but a society as a whole rarely revolts; only individuals do

"The Nepali youth’s courage is unquestionable. The demand now is that their sacrifice should not end in repetition. The real honour to their lives lies not in hashtags or fleeting slogans, but in a revolution that strikes at the root of slavery."

The future will not remember how many millimetres of rain fell; it will remember the choices we made when the warnings were clear. Did we rush to rebuild on the same shaky ground, or did we stop long enough to take a different path, the right path?

Hosted by HarperCollins and covered extensively by national media including PTI, ANI, IANS and The Pioneer, the evening included the launch ceremony followed by an intense interactive session with Acharya Ji.

"It is tempting to see these floods as seasonal wrath. But they are not accidents of weather; they are a mirror to our misplaced idea of progress. Describing them as 'natural calamities' dangerously denies their man-made roots."

"Domestic violence, dowry, and oppressive marriages are symptoms of a deeper poverty — absence of inner clarity. They thrive because society at large runs on fear, desire, and unexamined habits. Outrage after each tragedy has become a ritual, but that cannot cure the blindness of the mind."

"स्वतंत्रता कोई उपहार नहीं, बल्कि एक उपलब्धि है जिसे प्रत्येक व्यक्ति को स्वयं अर्जित करना पड़ता है। राजनीतिक स्वतंत्रता हमें विरासत में मिल सकती है, किंतु मानसिक और आध्यात्मिक स्वतंत्रता के लिए सतत प्रयास आवश्यक है।"

Self-harm isn’t just about physically hurting ourselves. It is also when we live unconsciously, chasing goals given to us by society and family.

"रक्षाबंधन एक स्मरण हो सकता है कि हम सब मिलकर उस विवेक, उस करुणा की रक्षा करें जो जीवन को जीवन बनाती है। यह पर्व केवल उपहारों का आदान-प्रदान न रह जाए, बल्कि यह एक ऐसा संकल्प बन जाए जिसमें हम एक-दूसरे के आत्मबल और ऊंची चेतना के रक्षक बनें।"

"Somewhere along the way, being ‘green’ became a way to signal that you’re thoughtful and responsible. So it’s no surprise that people, and even companies, feel a quiet pressure to look like they care about the planet, whether they truly do or not. They perform small, symbolic acts and present them as proof of their concern. But when such acts are hollow, the intent becomes performance, not a solution."

"Even with the facts of such disproportionate emissions being clear, the powerful nations often turn a blind eye to this disparity. This silence is not ignorance; it is calculation. We often assume that people at the top don’t act because they don’t understand. But that’s rarely the case. They understand, perhaps even better than most, but their interests are tied to the very structures that fuel the crisis."

"It is time we understand and redefine cleanliness. Is a glittering street in a city that burns fuel cleaner than a dusty road in a carbon-neutral village? Can a society be clean if it runs on fossil fuels and emits heavily? These questions challenge us to look beyond the surface, and should be asked more frequently."

"Climate change is not just about data and systems. It reflects something deeper: the confusion in the human mind. We are not just harming the planet by accident. We are driven by wants we do not understand, chasing comfort, status, or identity without pausing to ask: What do we really need?"

"The climate crisis isn’t just an environmental emergency — it’s a reflection of our restless, consumption-driven lives. Operation 2030 urges a radical shift: from chasing more to choosing wisely, from outer accumulation to inner clarity, before irreversible damage becomes our new normal."

"गुरु पूर्णिमा किसी व्यक्ति या परंपरा का उत्सव नहीं है। यह उस का सम्मान है जिसने हमें देखने की दृष्टि दी, और हमें छोड़ दिया जब हम देखना सीख गए। यह नमन है उस शब्द को जिसने हमें सत्य से प्रेम करना सिखाया। जो पास आया, ताकि हम बिना झुके अकेले चलना सीख सकें।"

"There is always something breaking—some headline, some outrage, some meme. Most of us have become accustomed to reacting more than reflecting. Even when we believe we're acting out of concern, we often find ourselves swept up in the rhythm of the moment. This rhythm of instant emotional turnover has made even the most serious events feel like part of the same noise. We are surrounded by information, but understanding has become optional."

Amid echoes of wartime hysteria, the daughter of an Indian diplomat became the target of collective vulgarity - not amid gunfire, but amid hashtags and headlines.

Humanity today faces a self-inflicted crisis. Unlike past mass extinctions caused by nature, this one is born of human choices.

The divide between India and Pakistan is far more profound than politics. It represents a spiritual poverty, identity, and understanding crisis.

India must rethink delimitation to prevent a population-based seat increase from unfairly stripping political power from more developed Southern states.

The future lies in approaching all languages with equal respect. We must rise above treating language diversity as a drawback.

In our pursuit of material progress, we may have overlooked the need for a deeper alignment with ourselves and with the natural world.

Acharya Prashant delves into the intricacies of feminism, exploring identity, financial independence, and the paradox of empowerment. He addresses the dynamics of relationship choices, the question of motherhood, and the true meaning of freedom, challenging conventional notions and advocating for genuine liberation. Read more in the Indian Express.

Acharya Prashant discusses the core elements of professionalism, emphasizing commitment, prioritization, goal clarity, and decision-making. He delves into the importance of aligning work with one's deep needs and the joy derived from the process itself, highlighting the essence of true professional excellence.

Acharya Prashant explores how fear drives people towards faith rather than an understanding of spiritual principles. Through compelling anecdotes and profound insights, he emphasizes that fear can often be a catalyst for spiritual awakening and devotion, particularly in challenging times. This piece delves into the intricate relationship between fear and faith, encouraging readers to find strength and wisdom in their spiritual journey

Acharya Prashant challenges the notion of enlightenment, arguing that liberation is inherent and not something to be achieved externally. His provocative views urge readers to question traditional beliefs and recognize their inherent freedom beyond societal conditioning and spiritual dogma, featured exclusively in The New Indian Express.

The New Indian Express: Dive into Acharya Prashant's thought-provoking exploration of karma and coincidence in his latest article. Gain insights into how our responses to external events shape our experiences, contrasting the unpredictability of the material world with the power of personal choice and inner development.

The New Indian Express: Acharya Prashant Tripathi challenges the conventional notion of motivation, arguing that it enslaves individuals by tethering their actions to external influences. He advocates for action rooted in understanding and intelligence, fostering spontaneity and inward reflection rather than habitual responses to external stimuli.

the New Indian Express: Acharya Prashant’s 'Karma: Why Everything You Know About It Is Wrong' redefines the understanding of Karma by shifting focus to the actor rather than action. Praised as life-changing by Penguin Random House India, the book addresses misconceptions amidst global challenges, offering profound insights for personal reflection and transformative action.

Acharya Prashant says: “If you wouldn’t call this foeticide, then what would you call it? When an unborn child is killed in the womb, you consider it wrong—you call it a sin, a crime. But what do you call the way we are killing ourselves from within? Not allowing the self to manifest is suicide.”

You had been living very wrongly — now life itself is telling you. Out of ten, only one understands that this pandemic is conveying something, that there is something we must learn. Life is trying to tell you that you had been living in a deeply mistaken way.

In the New Indian Express article, Acharya Prashant suggests using the coronavirus lockdown as an opportunity for self-reflection and spiritual growth. He emphasizes the importance of spending this time in self-observation, fostering genuine relationships, and reading spiritual literature. Acharya Prashant highlights the works of Upanishads, Rumi, Hafiz, Adi Shankaracharya, Dhammapada, and Kabir as valuable resources for spiritual enrichment during the lockdown period.

In a article published in The New Indian Express, Acharya Prashant explores the profound impact of spiritual intimacy in marriage. He emphasizes that spiritual togetherness transcends the socio-physical arrangement of marriage, turning it into a harmonious and fulfilling union. By focusing on spiritual growth and understanding, couples can overcome psychological distances and enrich their relationship. The article highlights the importance of seeing marriage as a journey towards mutual spiritual evolution.

In a article published in The New Indian Express, Acharya Prashant emphasizes that spirituality is not for everyone and should be pursued only when one feels a profound dissatisfaction with worldly offerings. He explains that a true spiritual journey requires readiness and inner realization. Until then, individuals should continue living their lives, acknowledging that spirituality demands a deep understanding and the right disposition.

In a article published in The New Indian Express, Acharya Prashant emphasizes that true spirituality integrates with everyday life, rather than being a separate practice. He argues that intelligent spirituality involves honest self-observation, detachment, and understanding both the world and oneself. Addressing internal conflicts and living authentically are crucial for spiritual growth. Acharya Prashant encourages a holistic approach, blending spiritual wisdom with daily experiences to achieve genuine inner peace and fulfillment.

New Indian Express – Spirituality Not An Isolated Activity