New Delhi [India]: Spiritual teacher and founder of the PrashantAdvait Foundation, Acharya Prashant, addressed students and faculty at Kirori Mal College during a session titled “Ambedkar: The Champion of Social Justice”. In his talk, he emphasized that reservations are tools for empowerment, not lifelong entitlements, urging those who have benefited to now contribute back to society.
“If true empowerment has taken place, then people themselves should stop taking these advantages and start giving. Reservation is meant to empower — and once it has served its purpose, those empowered should help others rise,” Acharya Prashant said.
He clarified that his message was directed only toward those individuals who had already reached positions of strength and stability, and not those still in need of assistance. “Those who still require help and empowerment must continue to receive it. The journey must not stop because a few have made it,” he added.
On Religion: Declutter and Return to the Essential
Shifting focus to religion and its misinterpretations, Acharya Prashant called for a redefinition of religion beyond rituals and cultural constructs.
“Religion is personal and eternal. If a religion tells you what to eat, wear, or how to behave, it is not religion — it’s ritualism. True religion addresses what is eternal in the human spirit,” he asserted.
He emphasized the importance of “decluttering” religion, removing social or cultural baggage to recover its spiritual core, which he said has been buried under centuries of misapplication.
“Dividing people in the name of religion is not religion. The essence of religion must be salvaged from the garbage dumped upon it,” he said.
On Ambedkar, Buddhism, and Religious Philosophy
Discussing Dr. B.R. Ambedkar’s turn toward Buddhism, Acharya Prashant highlighted the deep philosophical roots of the faith and its alignment with inquiry and consciousness.
“Ambedkar did not reject religion; he embraced Buddhism — a religion of curiosity. Buddhism is strong in philosophy and aligned with reason and human dignity,” he said, pointing out Ambedkar’s deliberate exploration of multiple religions before choosing Buddhism.
He also responded to questions about Ambedkar’s rejection of Manusmriti, questioning the validity of labeling such ancient texts as religious.
“Smriti means it was written by humans from their perspective. Manusmriti is not divine law. It was never implemented as constitutional law — the British merely adopted it as a reference,” Acharya Prashant explained.
Closing Thoughts: Religion as a Path to Conscious Living
Concluding the session, Acharya Prashant reiterated that true religion is synonymous with conscious, ethical, and compassionate living — and is necessary for a meaningful life.
“When religion becomes a mask for selfishness, it is dangerous. But true religion is the only thing that makes a human life worth living,” he said.