Narayana Upanishad

A strange situation is that a beautiful woman’s life is perhaps more complex than an average-looking woman’s life, because a beautiful looking woman has a lot of men eyeing upon her, and she can get whatever she wants. And what you will get for your beauty, that is the real…

सङ्करो नरकायैव कुलघ्नानां कुलस्य च ।। पतन्ति पितरो ह्येषां लुप्तपिण्डोदकक्रिया: ।।1.42।।

saṅkaro narakāyaiva kula-ghnānāṁ kulasya cha patanti pitaro hy eṣhāṁ lupta-piṇḍodaka-kriyāḥ

When the castes mix, that spells hell for the family. It destroys the family, in the way that the ancestors all fall because they are deprived of the Pindokdakriya.…

There was this king of the demons; his name was Hiranyakashyupa. The king worked really hard. He kept austerities, he forced even God to come down and bless him. So, it would have required a very special effort. But then, what did he want from God? Nothing but the extension…

What is it that Shri Rama stands for? He stands for detachment. He stands for fearlessness. He stands for compassion. He stands for Dharma.

Is there Dharma really in your life? And by Dharma I do not mean a creed or a cult, or observation of certain rituals, or the…

Man was never so powerful with respect to his environment as he is today. No virus can harm you; no bacteria can harm you; there are no plagues, no black deaths. You can produce as many objects as you want, you can order them at the click of a button;…

“Shiva is not giving me peace. Maybe gold, riches, pleasure, entertainment can give me peace?” This is a foolish approach. The master and the servant are one. The servant will not give you what the master is not giving you. Shakti and Shiva are one; the creator and his creation…

Once I said, your face is smeared with mud, and religion is like pure water meant to be thrown on your face so that you get cleaned up. But when that water hits your face, the water too gets muddy.

Falling on your face, the water has cleared away some…

The sexual activity is just like any other activity of man: he is searching for God. He searches for God in ambition. He looks for God in money. He looks for God in fame. He also looks for God in a woman’s body.

But because he is not in touch…

If God has given you anything, it is just the freedom, the power, and the responsibility to create yourself. You are your own father. God is just the background. God is just the canvas on which you paint yourself. God is the brush, God is the color, God is the…

The fellow’s name was Marthand. ‘Marthand’ means the son. Marthand Kumar became Martin Hawk. We think of this as some kind of a passing fad. No, it is not a passing fad; it points towards something deeper. The fellow is ashamed of his identity. He wants to wear a totally…

We need two things: less people and less consumption, and both of them together. Even if one of them is missing, you are gone.

The US has not too many people, just 32 crores are there, and yet they are the biggest carbon emitters in the world because they consume.…

Questioner: Acharya Ji, in essence, all is one; all is Beloved. What is the significance of different genders of God?

Acharya Prashant: So, the gender of God! Why do you call Him or Her or That, God in the first place? You call Him God because you are human, right?…

Questioner (Q): As our views change with time, shouldn’t the holy texts be open to revision instead of just a new interpretation?

Acharya Prashant (AP): Wonderful. And I’m glad when a young person with all his enthusiastic irreverence, comes up with this kind of a question. The young friend has…

Questioner (Q): In the previous question, you said that religion is essentially needed in spirituality, but in the name of religion Hindus fight with Muslims, Muslims fight with Hindus. So, why is religion needed?

Acharya Prashant (AP): The recorder you are speaking into will get saturated with your voice soon,…

Questioner (Q): When we see terrible crimes like rapes, mass murders, lynchings, etc. happening so openly, we wonder where that benevolent God is? He could have easily prevented all of it. He is supposed to be omnipotent, yet he does nothing. My question is not whether there is God or…

Question (Q): Acharya Ji, what is spirituality? What is the difference between religion and spirituality?

Acharya Prashant (AP): Fundamentally there is no difference, no difference at all, but at a practical level a difference seems to arise and the difference is, that religion assumes an organized shape. Even spirituality can…

Questioner (Q): Isn't everything just Māyā? Then what is God? What is the relationship of God with Māyā?

Acharya Prashant (AP): You see, Māyā becomes all things, correct? Māyā becomes all things. So, you find it expressed in both ways. Sometimes, it is said—Māyā becomes all things…

सत्त्वानुरूपा सर्वस्य श्रद्धा भवति भारत ।

श्रद्धामयोऽयं पुरुषो यो यच्छ्रद्धः स एव सः ॥ १७-३॥

sattvānurūpā sarvasya śhraddhā bhavati bhārata

śhraddhā-mayo ‘yaṁ puruṣho yo yach-chhraddhaḥ sa eva saḥ

“The Śraddhā of each is according to his natural disposition, O, descendant of Bharata. The man consists of his Śraddhā; he verily…

बलं बलवतां चाहं कामरागविवर्जितम् ।

धर्माविरुद्धो भूतेषु कामोऽस्मि भरतर्षभ ।। 7.11 ।।

balaṁ balavatāṁ chāhaṁ kāma-rāga-vivarjitam

dharmāviruddho bhūteṣhu kāmo ’smi bharatarṣhabha

And of the strong, I am the strength, which is devoid of desire and attachment, among the creatures I am the desire, which is not contrary to righteousness, O…

यस्मान्नोद्विजते लोको लोकान्नोद्विजते च यः।

हर्षामर्षभयोद्वेगैर्मुक्तो यः स च मे प्रियः।। 12.15 ।।

yasmān nodvijate loko lokān nodvijate cha yaḥ

harṣhāmarṣha-bhayodvegair mukto yaḥ sa cha me priyaḥ

He by whom the world is not agitated and who cannot be agitated by the world, and who is freed from joy, envy,…

Question: Acharya Ji, what is the significance of spiritual images?

Acharya Prashant Ji: Indira, do you see where this question is coming from? It is coming from the popular notion of Spirituality which has turned Spirituality into a body of exotic, unquestionable, esoteric knowledge, not as something that is raw,…

Question: Acharya Ji, you often discuss that just as species are getting extinct at a very fast rate in the 21st century, and certain qualities of the being of the mind are also getting extinct – qualities like patience, care for others, compassion. Probably these are the manifestations of de-religionisation…

Questioner: Pranaam Acharya Ji. Nitnem continuously says that the way to reach God is to continuously recite his name. But, as God is nameless and formless, is not Silence, what we need to practice? Please shed some light on name of the Lord.

Can physical recitation of mantras like ‘Ek…

I said to the wanting creature inside me, “What is this river you want to cross? There are no travelers on the river road, and no road.Do you see anyone moving about on that bank, or nesting?There is no river at all. And no boat and no boatman.…

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.”

~ John 13:16

Question: The Abrahamic religions, all of them, are against idol worship. Not only Christianity, but also Islam, Judaism. But in Hinduism, there…

Questioner (Q): My sister believes in Christianity and she has also changed her religion. Now, she says that I am on the wrong path. What is the right path and how religion and spirituality are connected?

Acharya Prashant (AP): When the subtle becomes gross, rather the subtle is turned into…

Question: Can I change ‘my’ religion for the sake of someone I Love?

Acharya Prashant: What do you mean by religion?

If religion just means following a particular code of conduct, if it means that I am loyal to a particular book, if it means that such and such will…

Questioner (Q): May I ask a question here? Once you feel that you are determined for this journey, is it necessary to go to the scriptures?

Acharya Prashant (AP): It is not necessary but it’s wise. It is advisable.

Q: When I started the journey, the toughest task that called…

Acharya Prashant: (to the listeners) So, what does Rishikesh mean to you?

L: I wanted to come here since I was 15. I came here few years ago, I just feel at home here, it’s a place somehow very conducive for what we are discussing here. I just enjoy being…

Questioner (Q): Do you believe in [Censored]?

Acharya Prashant (AP): What is [Censored] I have not read any such thing. Do not quote this and that author here. We are talking real stuff, not entertainment. If you know, this particular author that you are talking of, for sure you will…

Listener: (Reading a quote of Acharya Prashant from a quote-calendar)

What lies beyond mind?More mind.What is more mind?What and lies and mind.Questions, perceptions on the concept of the mind.

Acharya Prashant: Any question about beyondness would be a useless question because the question itself is coming…

Listener 1: Traditionally this idea of ‘hankering around and everything that goes on in the mind is nonsensical’ has led to escapism. People have started saying that the pains that I experienced, the pleasures I experienced, the responsibilities, the duties that I have, are all nonsensical; neither would I go…

Om! Puurnnam-Adah ||

That is that, full, complete, ultimate.

Puurnnam-Idam ||

This is that, full, complete, ultimate.

Puurnnaat-Purnnam-Udachyate||

Full expresses itself, as fullness. Puurnnasya Puurnnam-Aadaaya ||

From full, all fullness arises.

Puurnnam-Eva-Avashissyate || And full, remains full. Full complete ultimate. Om Shaantih Shaantih Shaantih ||

So, is it not wonderful…

Questioner (Q): ‘*Guru Brahma Guru Vishnu Guru Devo Maheshwara.*’ Can you explain this?

Acharya Prashant (AP): ‘Guru’ stands for that which calls, the force that which pulls you inwards from darkness into light. Now you worship ‘Brahama’, ‘Vishnu’, and ‘Mahesh’ and the various deities; this verse says that the Guru…

Questioner: Sir, if I try to ensure to be aware of what is going on right now, it just takes me away from listening to you. Is there a fundamental mistake that I am making in understanding it?

Acharya Prashant: Not really a great mistake but still unless one reaches…

Question: What are the divine energy connections between man and woman?

Acharya Prashant: All energy is the mind.

There is no other energy. Is there energy without matter? Is there energy without the world? When you have a lot of things to think of, then you only get muddling…

Acharya Prashant (AP): Progress—that’s the religion of today. Everyone wants a good life; everyone wants comfort and everything. In fact, all the old religions have been defeated. Christianity has been defeated, Hinduism has been defeated, and they all have been defeated. This one religion has defeated everything.

Greed is today’s…

Listener 1: I come from a very orthodox Muslim family. I have read a bit of Quran and it makes a lot of sense when it comes to particular stuff but at the same time, one of its perspective gives a feeling of narrow-mindedness. Right now, I am in a…

Questioner: Can I say that intelligence is greater than knowledge, or vice-versa?

Acharya Prashant: They are incomparable.

To say one is greater than the other, you have to bring them to the same plane, have the same unit, the same benchmarks, and the same scale to compare them. They are…

Questioner: There are several commentaries and interpretations of scriptures (tikas) from several people and each of them had their own perspective like what Jai Dayal Goenka Ji said was different from what Osho said. So, actually, the question is how do we know what actually was said?

Acharya…

Questioner (Q): Why do you talk to people like this?

Acharya Prashant (AP): There is this tree out there and it has a few leaves and when the wind blows the leaves also blow. Let’s together go and ask the leaves why do they blow like this?

Q: Trees don’…

Acharya Prashant (AP): What do we talk about?

Questioner (Q): Silence.

AP: We can talk a lot in Silence. Talking about Silence will always be a little round-about; beating around the bush. But in Silence, which is our nature, we can talk a lot.

We can even be silently noisy.…

Acharya Prashant: *Authority is definitely dangerous when the person becomes the authority.*

Authority is not only dangerous, it is blasphemous because first of all, you are trying to do something that you are not entitled to do. You are trying to act God.

It is only on behalf of…

Acharya Prashant: When you have no question to ask, sometimes it’s better to just sing a song.

Listener 1: What is your feeling about singing bhajans?

AP: Singing bhajans. Oh, Wonderful! When you have nothing else to say it is then that bhajan arise.

L1: I do feel a sense…

Question: Is there value in practicing Yoga, and meditation?

Acharya Prashant: No.

There is some physical value involved, and that is an important value. But unfortunately, the value that we are looking for is a Spiritual value. In that dimension, there is no value. It is very good if we…