New Delhi, February 16: On Maha Shivratri, the grand auditorium of Gautam Buddha University was filled to capacity. Hundreds of attendees sat on the floor due to a lack of chairs. Thousands from across the country and abroad witnessed Acharya Prashant in a new avatar, performing like a skilled actor.
After the theatrical presentation, many in the audience were moved to tears, while applause echoed throughout the hall. Coincidentally, it was also Acharya Prashant’s birthday, and he gifted his audience a solo theatrical performance. Approximately 200,000 people connected live to the event via the Gita app.
Organized by the Prashant Advait Foundation, the event began with a surprising revelation. As the curtain rose, Acharya Prashant appeared as the central character in Mohan Rakesh’s renowned Hindi play “Lahron Ke Rajhans.” The play tells the story of Dhanapati Nand, a man deeply attached to his wife yet respectful of Buddha. When Buddha attempts to initiate him, Nand experiences an inner turmoil with no simple solution. He finds himself neither fully in the world nor completely liberated from it. In the words of the play, “I am both this and that. I am that naked person standing at the crossroads, whom all directions wish to consume.” Acharya Prashant embodied this conflict on stage with such authenticity that the audience was immersed in an unforgettable emotional and spiritual experience.
Explaining the purpose of the play, Acharya Prashant stated, “This was a challenge resonating from the stage: Do you really want to live as a weak person? What do you gain by declaring yourself weak?”
He emphasized that people often use helplessness as an excuse to maintain their bondage, and the message of the play was that wherever there is suffering, exploitation, or injustice, it is not due to helplessness but rather our own permission and consent.
One audience member expressed their experience, saying, “I am still under the spell of that experience. Generally, Acharya Ji teaches and takes questions, but today he presented a play based on the struggle of an ordinary person and enlightenment. I saw how a person gets torn apart in the conflict of life. This story was my own.”
This presentation was not spontaneous. Acharya Prashant’s acting roots run deep. During his studies at IIM Ahmedabad, he was actively involved in theater, performing and directing plays like “Rhinoceros,” “Pagla Ghoda,” and “Night of January 16.” He has since integrated this theatrical tradition into his educational methodology.
Speaking on the message of Maha Shivratri, Acharya Prashant described Shiva’s Tandav as an internal signal. He remarked, “Shiva’s destruction is not external. The chaos, deception, and ego you hold within are what Shiva-hood signifies.”
He further explained that religion and spirituality are not about attaining truth but are paths to liberation from falsehood, and Maha Shivratri is a festival of creative destruction.
Following the theatrical presentation, a question-and-answer session based on the play took place. Acharya Prashant then held a special session on the verses of the Avadhut Gita. Regarding the relevance of the Gita, he stated, “The Gita is not an ordinary statement. It is the voice of Dharma that has entered the battlefield of life. What was happening in Kurukshetra is still happening today.” The event concluded with a book signing session.
One listener remarked, “Acharya Prashant’s program is not an ordinary event. It is a significant revolution that can change society.” Another attendee shared that they first saw Acharya Prashant in a half-minute clip on YouTube.
They said, “Even in that short clip, I felt a sense of fearlessness and truth in his words. After that, I spent an entire week just listening to him, and now I have been connected to live Gita sessions for a long time.”
Participants were selected for this event from thousands of applicants based on their seriousness towards Gita sessions and dedication to self-study. A grand exhibition at the venue also attracted the audience’s attention, showcasing Acharya Prashant’s travels from Goa to Hyderabad and Kolkata to Chennai through photographs over the past few months.
This event continues Acharya Prashant’s nationwide campaign over the last six months, during which he has traveled to numerous cities and addressed over a dozen top institutions, including 13 IITs, IISc, and IIMs. Covering topics from love and jealousy to artificial intelligence and global events, he has answered over 1,700 questions and signed more than 10,000 books throughout his tour. His sessions at literary festivals in Pune, Bhubaneswar, Goa, and Delhi attracted large crowds. Several major media outlets covered today’s event and interviewed Acharya Prashant.
Acharya Prashant is a renowned author, philosopher, and founder of the Prashant Advait Foundation. An alumnus of IIT Delhi and IIM Ahmedabad, he is known for presenting the teachings of Advaita Vedanta and global Buddhist literature in the context of modern life. He is a regular columnist for The Pioneer, The Deccan Herald, and The Sunday Guardian. His book “Truth Without Apology,” published by HarperCollins, is a national bestseller, with over 160 books published to date.
My name is Bhupendra Singh Chundawat. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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