PART – 1
Today let us contemplate the waking state practices for Nidhidhyasa.
One more practice we have. There are many situations in life you have to face. There are complexities. Life itself has complexities. One more practice for Nidhidhyasa is called as ‘Anusarane’ – ‘Anusarana’ means ‘following’. What do you have to follow?
You have to understand the life of an Enlightened Being. How do you understand the life of an Enlightened Being? If you have a Guru, who is enlightened, you can understand the life of an Enlightened Being. Or, you can understand the characteristics of an Enlightened Being; it is called Sthithaprajna.
PART – 2
In Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 2, Shloka 55 to 66 or so, tells about various characteristics of an Enlightened One, or Sthithaprajna. Similarly, there are many other Shlokas in Bhagavad Gita, which tell about the characteristic of a Sthithaprajna, one who has Wisdom. So, understand those characteristics of a Sthithaprajna, bring some of those into your life. It is not that you have to become Sthithaprajna. But, you are trying to attain that characteristic of Sthithaprajna in your life.
One example of the characteristics of Sthithaprajna I can give you –
‘manaha sukheshu vigata spruhaha veetaraga bhaya krodhaha sthidadeehi muniruchyate’ Dukheshu anudvigna.
‘Dukheshu anudvigna manaha’ – means not getting depressed when situations are not favorable; ‘sukheshu vigata spruhaha’ – means not getting elated when situations are favorable; being free from attraction and repulsion – ‘veetaraga bhaya krodhaha’, ‘Bhaya’ means fear and anger. These are some of the characteristics of Sthithaprajna. This is one example of a Shloka.
PART – 3
Look at the characteristic of Sthithaprajna. He is a perfectly balanced personality. Don’t think that he is extraordinary. He is a very balanced being. So, try to bring some of these characteristics in your life. This is what is called ‘Anusarana’. Anusarana also involves bringing in some aspect of Dharma, and Yajna in your life. Doing a selfless service is Yajna. Different kinds of Yajna are mentioned – Deva Yajna, Pitr Yajna, Manushya Yajna, Bhuta Yajna, Rishi Yajna. Bringing some aspects of these Yajnas into your life is called Anusarane. Bring the characteristics of Sthithaprajna in your life. That is internal. Do dharmic activity in the form of Yajna, and practice Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, and Kriya Yoga in your life. These are all some aspects of staying in the Truth. The practices may vary over a period of time, but ultimately you have to live in Truth. Living in Truth is, performing dharmic activities, bringing the characteristics of Sthithaprajna in your life, and bringing some aspects of the teachings of Yoga – Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, in your life. These are things which you have to practice in waking state, when you are interacting in the world.
PART – 4
One more practice for living in truth is, you have to bring in is becoming aware when you speak the word ‘I’ – awareness of the word – verbal. When I use ‘I’, I say ‘I go’, ‘I eat’, ‘I drink’, ‘I am happy’, ‘my name is Prabhu’, like that I superimpose so many things on ‘I’. The Self is free from any of these. Become aware that the one, who is a doer, is the body, not the Self, Self is the witness, Sakshi. Maintain the awareness of witness, whenever you speak, talk, walk, or do. Be aware that you are the witness and the body-mind complex is doing the action. This is Nidhidhyasa in the waking state.
Pranams