Social Issues

Why must man consume with careful consideration? It destroys your inner world. Inwardly it pushes you deeper into the belief that by means of more and more, increased and increased consumption, you will be able to get rid of your inner disquiet.

So, it is not good for you inwardly,…

The temperature of this city is already higher than what it should be. It won’t be higher in the next twenty years; it is already higher today. Read how many people are dying and by how many years has the average life expectancy already reduced—already reduced.

What do you mean…

A fellow reproducing blindly is a threat to the entire humanity. How is his family his personal matter? Somebody sets a bomb inside his home, and the bomb is powerful enough to bring down the entire building, not merely his apartment. Will you say, “It is his private matter. How…

You must be wondering why I am speaking about this thing regarding procreation, regarding having kids. It is because this is the single most important issue facing you and me and the planet and the millions of species today. This is the one thing that man immediately, today, this moment,…

It is final that meat eating is stupid for all kinds of reasons, and they will not that final conclusion arrive soon. It will arrive, just as it arrived in the case of cigarette smoking, just as it finally had to be accepted by the tobacco industry that cigarette smoking…

Teach the kids that this planet cannot tolerate even one more human being now. We are already eight billion. At the current rate, we are projected to be eleven billion by 2050. We cannot even tolerate eight point one billion.

You do not merely want to have kids; you also…

आज से १ लाख वर्ष पीछे जाओ तो अरबों-खरबों जानवर थे, हज़ारों-लाखों प्रजातियों के; और मनुष्य थे कुछ लाख, अधिक-से-अधिक। अब आदमी हो गए हैं ८ अरब और जानवर बचे हैं (हाथों से कम मात्रा दर्शाते हुए) इतने से!

साहब!

जानवर भी कौन से बचे हैं बताइए? जो मनुष्य के…

The teacher’s role is to show that a teacher is not needed. That is the rightful role of the teacher. I repeat, the teacher’s role is to show that you are unnecessarily coming to the teacher. You are self-sufficient.

Look at the way the world is—violent, chaotic, anarchic. Every thought…

It is very well known that one tree over the course of forty years would absorb just one ton of carbon dioxide, and that is if that tree lives to get forty years old. How effective is that? Please. One tree over forty years absorbs one ton of carbon dioxide.…

If there is one thing that we must not talk of as something very beautiful, it is the coming of the next generation. It is not beautiful. It is not auspicious. It is not something to be talked of with a smile. It is something to be talked off with…

“I love my Xbox”—and it’s not illegal. But it is performing much the same function as banned narcotics. If we were a conscious society, then we would see that.

All kinds of substance abuse, psychedelics—that’s a temporary relief that returns with vengeance. It hits you, bites you, and makes you…

पृथ्वी पर नहीं है इतने संसाधन कि तुम बच्चे पैदा करे ही जा रहे हो, करे ही जा रहे हो। और मैं जो बोलूँगा वो बात बहुत चुभेगी, बता देता हूँ!

इस समय पृथ्वी पर बच्चा पैदा होने से ज़्यादा अशुभ काम दूसरा नहीं है। मातम का काम है अगर…

It is extremely important to see and realize that we are living in an extremely sick world. What you read in the newspapers is sick. What you see around yourself is sick. The markets are sick. The shopping malls are sick. The streets are bustling with sickness. Educational institutions, political…

Do you have kids? I don’t know whether you have. Do you know how they are being abused in their schools? And that does not mean that somebody is fondling them in the genitals. Have you looked at their teachers? Have you studied their curricula? Have you seen what is…

Disabling drugs need not be a chemical or weed; it could be something ostensibly as harmless as entertainment. “I love my Xbox”—and it is not illegal. But it is performing much the same function as banned narcotics. If we were a conscious society, we would see that.

Much of the…

You might be an MBBS, or an MD, or a DM, but you could still be quite illiterate; you might still not have the basic knowledge regarding the nutritional value of various food products. You could have a quack graduating even from the best medical college. So many doctors just…

Law just says that there is a legal age—eighteen, twenty-one and such things. First of all, giving birth requires that there has to be mental maturity.

Unfortunately, 99% of the world’s population is not at all mentally mature enough to be parents. The funny thing is that the 1% who…

I have often said that animals are in many ways better than human beings. Man had the potential to either rise above the animal or fall way below it. Man has continuously been making the wrong choice.

If you cannot build your cities and your social systems on spiritual foundations,…

Young people like to have some mass on their body, or they might just want to keep basic fitness. The moment they show up at a gym, and if they go to a trainer and seek advice, first thing the trainer would ask is, “What is it that you eat?…

Every bit of that which you call as the ‘good life’ is carbon emitting. A fellow comes from a small town to live in Bangalore. His carbon footprint probably increases five times, but you call it progress, you call it urbanization. A fellow gets a higher paying job and gets…

Did you invent the mobile phone? Look at your brain and your intellect. Do you even deserve to hold the mobile phone in your palm? Look at how the common man lives: he is making use of cutting-edge technology, sometimes bleeding-edge technology, without knowing half a thing about technology.

We…

Questioner (Q): As a researcher in public policy, I spend a lot of my time trying to understand the marginalized sections of the society. By marginalized, I mean slum dwellers, tribal populations, and the rural sectors in India. They are marginalized in many ways, because although our government’s policies have…

Questioner (Q): My question is about parenting. What can we do as parents to raise a child in a way that the child has an understanding of the illusory nature of the world, and at the same time nurture her urge to know the Truth? My four-year-old daughter asks me,…

Questioner: I would like to join the army, but my family and friends are not very supportive. They say that when I could easily get a good job in Delhi or Bangalore, what is the point in risking my life as a soldier? What should I reply to them?

Acharya…

Questioner: In our times, the matter of sexual orientation has been subject to a lot of debate and controversies. Recently, I saw a YouTube video in which the host is asking children in the age group of fifteen to seventeen years about their sexuality, and they are saying that they…

Questioner (Q): I have a dilemma related to material progress. When I have debates with my friends and relatives who are good with academics and meditate sometimes, they are of the view that any kind of development, such as mobile phones, internet, etc., is a positive progress for us. I…

Questioner (Q): My question is regarding abortion. Broadly, there are two schools of thought regarding abortion. The first one is, because it is the woman’s body, she is the one who gets to decide whether to abort or deliver the child. The second school of thought says that the woman…

Questioner: Sir, in our age, we see that children and parents have differing thoughts, and these contrary thoughts often lead to unwanted debates and chaos in the family. So, how can both the parents and the children come to peace, agree with each other, and minimize the hurt?

Acharya Prashant:…

Questioner: Sir, youngsters often rebel against rules and regulations in the name of freedom of choice, or freedom of expression. The list of complaints is long, and all have one bottomline: ‘My life, my rules’. What do ancient wisdom and Vedanta say on this issue?

Acharya Prashant: You see, when…

प्रश्नकर्ता: आचार्य जी प्रणाम स्वीकार करें। हाल ही में कश्मीर में एक छोटी बच्ची को बड़ी बर्बरता से मार दिया गया। मैं जब भी इस तरह की किसी घटना के बारे में सुनती हूँ तो बुरी तरह से बेचैन हो जाती हूँ और अपने-आप को असहाय, बेबस पाती हूँ, अवसाद…

Questioner: Sir, I have been reading Krishnamurti and Vivekananda for the past three years and having learned from them, I genuinely feel that the teachings of such great teachers should be at the core of our education system. I personally feel that my decisions regarding my career and life would…

Questioner: The pandemic situation has been very hard for us physically, mentally, and emotionally too. Many of us have lost our near and dear ones. This situation has changed our perspective on life and death, and made us see that many of the things we consider important are actually meaningless.…

प्रश्नकर्ता: प्रणाम आचार्य ज़ी! आध्यात्मिक व्यक्ति की सामाजिक लाइफ़ (ज़िंदगी) कैसी होनी चाहिए? जीवन में मित्र और रिश्ते भी आवश्यक हैं लेकिन आध्यात्मिक लोगों की संख्या कम है, माया में लिप्त लोगों की ज़्यादा। सामाजिक पक्ष जीवन का कैसे मजबूत करें? मेरा जीवन कटा-कटा सा महसूस होता है, कहीं भी…

प्रश्‍नकर्ता: नमस्ते आचार्य जी, डिस्मेंटलिंग ग्लोबल हिंदुत्व (वैश्विक हिंदुत्व की समाप्ति) के नाम से अमेरिका में एक कॉन्फ्रेंस हो रही है। बहुत सारे लोगों का ऐसा मानना है कि यह कॉन्फ्रेंस हिन्‍दुओं को बदनाम करने की एक साज़िश है।

इसी विषय में, आपके एनआरआई (प्रवासी भारतीय) श्रोता हैं एक, उनकी…

प्रश्नकर्ता: आचार्य जी, आपकी किताब 'कर्म' खरीदने मैं नोएडा के एक बुकस्टोर गया, तो वहाँ के मैनेजर से बात होने लगी। तो बातचीत में एक-दो चीज़ें निकल कर आई। पहली, पिछले पाँच-सात सालों में किताबों की कुछ कैटेगिरी (श्रेणी) ही गायब हो गई है बुकस्टोर से, फिलोसॉफी (दर्शनशास्त्र) और स्प्रिचुएलिटी…

Questioner: Ever since I started listening to you, things started revealing themselves to me. Mind’s race of getting somewhere, achieving something has settled now. My mind is not curious about spiritual concepts anymore. But what I observe now is a new pattern. My mind is not interested in doing anything.…

प्रश्नकर्ता: आचार्य जी, छल-कपट को कैसे पहचानें और इससे कैसे बचें?

आचार्य प्रशांत: छल को पहचानने के लिए बहुत निश्छल आँख चाहिए। एक कपटी व्यक्ति दूसरे कपटी व्यक्ति को पहचान तो सकता है, जान नहीं सकता; दोनों बातों में अंतर समझना।

जानने का मतलब है मुक्त हो जाना, पहचानने का…

प्रश्नकर्ता: प्रकृति मनुष्य के साथ भेदभाव क्यों करती है? किसी को बलवान पैदा करती है, किसी को कमज़ोर; किसी का दिमाग जन्म से तेज़ होता है, किसी का मंद होता है।

आचार्य प्रशांत: प्रकृति को तुम्हारी चेतना से कोई मतलब नहीं है, वो शरीर-भर पैदा कर देती है; और शरीर…

प्रश्नकर्ता: आचार्य जी, मैं जिद्दू कृष्णमूर्ति जी की एक किताब पढ़ रहा हूँ। उसमें वो कई बार वर्णन करते हैं कि अभी का जो करेंट एजुकेशन सिस्टम (वर्तमान शिक्षा व्यवस्था) है, वो ग़लत जा रहा है। तो उनका कहना था कि हमारा एजुकेशन सिस्टम ऐसा होना चाहिए जिससे हम फ्री…

प्रश्नकर्ता: प्रणाम आचार्य जी, हिंदी से ही मेरा प्रश्न है। हिंदी की जो दुर्दशा इस देश में हो रही है कहीं-न-कहीं मुझे लगता है कि इसके जो ज़िम्मेवार हैं वो विद्यालय भी हैं या विद्यालय ही हैं। एक हिंदी के विषय को छोड़कर बाकी सभी विषय, पाठ्यक्रम इंग्लिश भाषा में…

Questioner (Q): Companionship in this journey, Satsang or a community, is difficult to find. When you seek out on this journey, it’s very very difficult to find people with whom you can talk about your experiences.

Acharya Prashant(AP): Yes, yes, yes.

Q: So, it becomes a very lonely conquest. And…

प्रश्नकर्ता: आचार्य जी, कल एक रिकोर्डिंग देखी जिसमें एक महिला एक शांत दिखने वाले और एक गरीब आदमी को सरेआम पीट रही थी। कोई बीच-बचाव करने नहीं आया और शायद पुलिस भी उस आदमी को ही फँसा रही है। मेरे पुराने घाव उघड़ आए क्योंकि मैं भी झूठे दहेज के…

प्रश्नकर्ता: आजकल नेपोटिज्म (भाई-भतीजावाद) इतना फैल क्यों गया है?

आचार्य प्रशांत: हाल ही में ये मुद्दा काफी सुर्खियों में आया है। लोग इसकी बात कर रहे हैं। सवाल उठाए जा रहे हैं। अच्छा है कि आप इसका कारण, इसका मूल कारण जानना चाहती हैं।

क्या है नेपोटिज्म? या कुनबा-परस्ती…

प्रश्नकर्ता: जिस समाज में मैं प्रतिदिन जी रहा हूँ, उसमें ताक़त और प्रतिष्ठा ही सब कुछ है। जिसकी हैसियत और उपाधि ना हो उसे कोई सुनता भी नहीं और जो समाज में ऊँचे स्थान पर बैठा है, वो कुछ अनर्गल ही क्यों न बके वो परम-सत्य मान लिया जाता है।…

प्रश्नकर्ता: मैं एक डॉक्टर हूँ, पिछले पाँच सालों से मैं देख रहा हूँ कि समाज में कुछ क्षेत्रों के लोगों के लिए इज़्ज़त एकाएक बढ़ गई है। आज कोई भी शिक्षकों को, प्रोफेसरों को, डॉक्टरों को इज़्ज़त या सम्मान या वैसी ही पापुलैरिटी (लोकप्रियता) और रिकॉग्निशन (पहचान) नहीं दे रहा…

प्रश्नकर्ता: सर भाषा से मन बनता भी है और प्रदर्शित भी होता है। बचपन से ही कुछ मुहावरे, जुमले इतने ज़्यादा सुने कि अब वो भीतर की धारणा बन गए हैं। मैं चाहता हूँ कि आप इन पर कुछ बोलें। कुछ उदाहरण हैं — आइए अपना ही घर समझिए, बी…

Acharya Prashant (AP): The Ego wants to hedge its bets. Because it is born in insecurity and gains its sustenance from insecurity, therefore insecurity is its very life-stuff. Now look what happens, if insecurity is the life-stuff of the Ego then what kind of security will it seek? It…

प्रश्नकर्ता: आचार्य जी, कैसे जानें कि किससे प्रभावित होना है और किससे नहीं होना है? कैसे पता करें कि कोई व्यक्ति हमारा आदर्श बनने लायक है या नहीं?

आचार्य प्रशांत: प्रभावित होने का क्या अर्थ है? प्रभावित होने का अर्थ है कि हम एक स्थिति में हैं, मन हमारा एक…

प्रश्नकर्ता: आचार्य जी, आज आप से सेलेब्रिटी-कल्चर (सेलिब्रिटी संस्कृति) के बारे में बात करना चाहता हूँ। एक आम आदमी का मन इन सेलिब्रिटीज़ से, क्रिकेटर्स से, फिल्मस्टार्ज़ से इतना ज़्यादा क्यों डॉमिनेटेड (शासित) रहता है? उन्हीं के बारे में सोचते हैं, उन्हीं के जैसा हो जाना चाहते हैं, उनकी जैसी …

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…