This idea links back to my other thoughts on living, as several concepts overlap.
I see many people walking the wrong path in life. I used to be one of them. Even today, I sometimes slip back into old habits, but I can now clearly see that those paths are not the right ones.
Most of us spend our lives chasing three main things: wealth, procreation, and fame. It is similar to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, except that we remain stuck at the lower levels. These three pursuits consume the majority of our time and energy. Even though we subconsciously understand that they are fickle and temporary, we find it extremely difficult to override our ingrained behaviors and thoughts.
At its core, this comes down to one fundamental issue: our parents never taught us to chase the right things—because they themselves did not know what those things were. As a result, we naturally inherited the same desires, behaviors, and worldview that we observed while growing up in society.
Please don’t misunderstand me—wealth, family, and respect are important in life. However, they should not be the central focus of our existence.
What should remain at the center is knowledge—specifically, the knowledge of dharma. Your eternal principles that align you with the truth, righteousness, and highest nature.
These tendencies are visible everywhere — in social media, consumerism, modern dating culture, and hustle culture. All of them relentlessly push us toward the three main pursuits of wealth, pleasure, and fame, while making the path of dharma seem outdated or irrelevant.
Without dharma, you can become the richest person in the world and still feel poor inside. You can have the most attractive body and countless sexual experiences yet remain consumed by lust. You can become the most famous person on the planet and still be a narcissistic fool.
Those who do not study and internalize dharma remain unstable. They chase the wrong things while firmly believing they are on the right path. This is nothing but ignorance.
So what should one do?#
Learn about dharma. Observe yourself with Drishta bhava (the attitude of a witness). Practice brahmacharya. These principles can be properly understood and embodied only under the guidance of a genuine guru. When you have a good guru, you naturally begin to gravitate toward the right things. A true guru brings stability to every aspect of your life.
The reason our parents could not guide us properly is that most of them never seeked or found a guru themselves. This is especially true for modern Indians. We have become overly focused on Western knowledge and have sidelined our own ancient traditions—such as the Gurukul system and the timeless wisdom that was once naturally transmitted in every household.
If you are unable to find a Guru immediately, start by sincerely studying the ancient Indian scriptures such as the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads, and the teachings of Swami Vivekananda. Our tradition is filled with powerful texts that can point you toward the right path.
That said, scriptures have their limits. They can provide valuable information, but without the living guidance of a Guru, it is difficult to transform that information into true knowledge and inner realization.
Actively seek Satsang — the company of genuine seekers who are also walking the path of truth.
Begin a daily practice of self-observation. Set aside a few minutes each day to sit in silence and witness your thoughts as they arise, without getting lost in them.
