Advaita, Capitalism And The Red Pill Of Truth

Introduction

For a long time I had been planning to do an extended series of write-ups on Capitalism and how it has shaped the psyche of modern man. Yet, because of my recalcitrant habit of wanting to do things perfectly and with deep research, I could never bring myself to begin the project. However, today one of my friends in our Discord self-inquiry group made a post on the deleterious effects of Capitalism, which I felt, covered the overall effect it creates on modern man quite succinctly. Spurred by this I thought I should grab this opportunity to use his post and at least begin on one of my long-standing projects.

Why Students of Advaita Should Understand Capitalism?

A.) Understanding The Two Paths of Mind – Action and Renunciation

In my years of teaching Advaita, I have seen that the deepest conditioning that students have to weed out is that of Capitalism. The Jnana Yoga/Self Inquiry of Advaita requires students to have a set of pre-requisite qualifications called Sadhana Chatusthaya. These set of qualifications, found in practically all paths, help orient the mind inwards so that it can engage in the deeply subtle processes of self-inquiry. As per the Bhagavad Gita there are two paths of the mind. One is the path of action – pravritti marga and the other is the path of renunciation of action – nivritti marga. In Verse 16.7 it says:

“Verse 16.7: The demonic (āsuric) people do not understand what is the path of action (pravṛtti) and what is the path of renunciation (nivṛtti). Neither purity, nor proper conduct, nor truth is found in them.”

While one often finds a schism between the paths of action and renunciation, framing spirituality as an ascetic endeavour, the Bhagavad Gita does a wonderful job of synthesizing these two paths together, ultimately taking the seeker to a state which transcends both action and inaction. This means that instead of renunciation being the “official” means of liberation, there is a means of doing action in the world which progressively leads a seeker inwards, finally, to a state of liberation transcending the duality of action and renunciation/inaction. In fact, the Bhagavad Gita extols the path of Karma Yoga (a path of a special kind of action) as superior to the path of mere renunciation. As it says:

Verse 3.3: Sri Bhagavan said : The sinless one! The two fold committed lifestyles in this world, was told by me in the beginning – the pursuit of knowledge for the renunciates and the pursuit of karma yoga for those who pursue activity.

Verse 5.2: Both renunciation of action and performance of action as yoga lead to liberation. But, of these two, the performance of action as yoga is better than renunciation of action.

This comes as a boon to householder Advaitins who choose to live and work in this world while seeking liberation. But here we have to ask what is the form of action that can lead people to liberation. As we have already seen in verse 16.7 from the Bhagavad Gita, not all action leads to freedom. In fact, the Bhagavad Gita does not mince words by calling out those who do not have the requisite kind of discrimination about the kind of action to be done as possessed by a demonic nature. The form of action, as per the Gita, that leads to liberation, is called Karma Yoga.

B.) What is Karma Yoga?

The Bhagavad Gita defines Karma Yoga through the following verses:

a.) Selfless Action (Nishkama Karma) – One should perform their duties without desire for personal gain. (Gita 2.47):

“You have the right to perform your duty, but never to the fruits of your actions.”

b.) Detachment from Results – Actions should not be driven by attachment to success or failure. (Gita 2.48):

“Perform your duty with equanimity, abandoning attachment, and be steadfast in Yoga”

c.) Equanimity (Samatvam Yoga Uchyate) – Success and failure should be viewed with an equal mind. (Gita 2.50):

“One who is endowed with the sameness of mind, gives up both punya and papa here, in this world. “

d.) Offering Actions to the Divine (Ishvararpanam) – Actions should be seen as offerings to God, without ego. (Gita 9.27):

“Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give, do it as an offering unto Me.”

e.) Freedom from Bondage – Performing karma without attachment leads to liberation. (Gita 3.19):

“Therefore, always perform your duty without attachment; by doing so, one attains the Supreme.”

Examining Capitalism in the light of Karma Yoga

Now that we have a clear idea about what kind of actions – in the form of Karma Yoga – can lead us to liberation, we can examine whether the logic of Capitalism is sympathetic or totally adversarial – and therefore in Gita’s terms – of a demonic nature. Recapping the properties of actions that constitute Karma Yoga we can say that

1.) Action should be selfless
2.) There should be detachment from the results of actions
3.) A corollary of the above is that both success and failure should be viewed with equanimity
4.) Actions should be seen as a surrender to the cosmos/(call it God)
5.) All these finally lead one to total freedom from the “need” to act and reach the supreme state of liberation.

Now let’s see what Capitalism promotes:

1.) Whereas Karma Yoga says that action should be selfless, Capitalism thrives on competition, making people feel like they must constantly work harder to secure jobs, promotions, or financial stability. There’s always someone “doing better,” making people feel inadequate if they aren’t progressing fast enough.

2.) When Karma Yoga says that there should be detachment from the results of action and equanimity to success and failure, Capitalism instils just the opposite set of values.

a.) Consumerism and Manufactured Desires
Advertising and social media constantly push the idea that happiness comes from buying the latest products, experiences, or even self-improvement programs. This creates dissatisfaction with what you have and a never-ending desire to upgrade.

b.) Tying Self-Worth to Productivity
People are often valued based on their job title, income, or productivity, making rest or a simple life seem “lazy” or “unsuccessful.” Hustle culture glorifies overworking, making it feel like you’re failing if you’re not constantly grinding.

c.) The Social Comparison Trap
Social media amplifies this by showcasing curated versions of people’s lives, making it seem like everyone else is doing better. Even when you achieve a goal, there’s always a new standard, making satisfaction temporary.

3.) While Karma Yoga ultimately leads you to freedom from the entire realm of suffering, Capitalism leads to Perpetual Financial Anxiety. The cost of living keeps rising, but wages often don’t keep up, forcing people to work more just to survive. Fear of financial instability keeps people trapped in jobs they don’t love but can’t afford to leave.

Uprooting Capitalism

So it’s abundantly clear that those in self-inquiry cannot progress in their endeavour without examining and deposing all facets of thinking that extrovert their minds and involve them in the unending cycle of reward and frustration engendered by Capitalism. While capitalism creates this pressure, awareness is the first step to resisting it, and ultimately uprooting it. The ways by which you can break free are:

• Define success on your own terms instead of society’s standards.
• Practice contentment and minimalism—appreciating what you have reduces the need for constant upgrades.
• Disconnect from consumerist influences like social media and ads that make you feel inadequate.
• Prioritize well-being over productivity by focusing on what actually makes you happy.

By a little stretch of imagination, one can see that these are rough modern equivalents of the “sadhana shat sampatti” or the six-fold wealth of virtues, a seeker in the path of Advaita has to practice to purify his mind. While some of the practices above directly correlate with these virtues, some of these practices develop the sixfold virtues.

The exact six-fold virtues are –

All these imply that you create within you the capacity to walk out from society psychologically and carve out your own space while still living and acting in it.

Capitalism And The TINA Syndrome

Even though I have presented a broad scenario of the negative effects of Capitalism and given some bullet points to come out of it, I am keenly aware that I am just scratching the surface. Carving out one’s own space while being surrounded by the ocean of Capitalism is by no means an easy task. What I have written here can just serve as a starter to reorient one’s thinking. Capitalism is a virus that is so deeply embedded in our system that it is synonymous with what it means to live on earth for the teeming majority of the inhabitants of this planet. Even those who vouch for traditional or religious values, when deeply examined, would be found infected with capitalistic thinking. People are so enslaved by Capitalism, mostly unconsciously, that they are prey to the TINA Syndrome. The “There Is No Alternative” Syndrome is a rhetorical device of Capitalists that shuts down debate on alternative economic models and ways of living. The idea that “there is no alternative” is a manufactured belief rather than an objective truth. Historical examples show societies that have had completely different economic models. Those who study Capitalism shall be quick to spot that it has been used by those in power to justify austerity measures and policies that benefit the wealthy while increasing inequality. Others fall prey to this propaganda and behave like serfs, thinking that selfishness, competition, and striving for materialistic achievements are the “basic nature” of man. Books like “The Selfish Gene” by Richard Dawkins, emphasizing the selfish nature of genetic replication propagating themselves by influencing the behaviour of the organisms they inhabit, offer an extremely reductionist view of nature, lending credence to the inebriated logic of Capitalism. This goes on to show that uprooting Capitalism is by no means the task of a weak-minded dilettante. A self-inquirer has to face psychological storms and upheavals both internally and externally in his process of challenging Capitalism. Even his near and dear ones—parents, spouses, and friends—infected by the Capitalistic virus and the TINA syndrome would display hostility, leaving him/her alone and isolated.

Eating The “Red Pills” Of Truth

The Matrix (1999) movie series starring Keanu Reeves as Neo can be interpreted as an allegory for capitalism, where the “Matrix” itself represents an illusion created by a powerful system to keep people trapped in a cycle of exploitation and false consciousness. In this analogy, the machines symbolize capitalist structures that extract human energy (labour) while keeping them unaware of their true condition. The illusion of the Matrix is akin to consumer culture, media propaganda, and ideological conditioning that maintains compliance and suppresses rebellion. Neo’s awakening and rebellion against the system reflect the process of class consciousness, where individuals recognize their oppression and seek liberation. Morpheus and his crew serve as revolutionaries offering “red pills” of truth, much like radical thinkers challenging capitalist hegemony. The film critiques how capitalism sustains itself by manufacturing consent and keeping people too distracted to question their reality. As an Advaita teacher, it is my job to manufacture these “red pills” of truth through my teachings – in these blogs and in dialogues with my students. Consuming this red pill, it is the work of every individual to wake up from their distracted state, question their reality and become a Neo. Then he/she can rebel against the system, and awaken to his/her true consciousness. No wonder the Mandukya Upanishad says:

“Nāyam ātmā balahīnena labhyaḥ”
(Mundaka Upanishad 3.2.4)

Meaning:
This Self (Ātman) is not attained by the weak.

This verse highlights that the path to liberation requires inner strength, determination, and perseverance. It suggests that one must have intellectual vigour, moral strength, and spiritual intensity to realize the ultimate truth.