STHITA PRAJNA (JNANI) LAKSHANAM
It is learnt from the pages of history that great men such as Vinobhaji, Gandhiji used to chant this portion daily on sthita prajna lakshanam and sadhanam (nature of a jnani and efforts to be one). To acquire jnana, jnana yoga sadhana is necessary. To practice jnana yoga sadhana, one generally needs karma yoga sadhana. We are going to see about one who has practiced both these sadhanas.
Sloka 54
अर्जुन उवाच
स्थितप्रज्ञस्य का भाषा समाधिस्थस्य केशव।
स्थितधीः किं प्रभाषेत किमासीत व्रजेत किम्।।2.54।।
केशव – Krishna!
समाधिस्थस्य स्थितप्रज्ञस्य भाषा का? स्थितधीः किं प्रभाषेत? – How does a sthita prajnan interact with the world? What is his internal thought process?
किमासीत -how does he sit?
व्रजेत किम् – how does he move about?
Arjuna is curious to know the activities of a sthita prajnan.
Sri Adi Sankara explains it as – स्थिता प्रतिष्ठिता अहमस्मि परं ब्रह्म इति प्रज्ञा यस्य सः स्थितप्रज्ञः One who is established in the knowledge, “I am brahman” is a sthita prajnan.
The one in Samadhi here means the one in whose mind “I am brahman” is well established. One in yoga samadhi is not expected to speak. Samadhi here means having a steady state of mind. A sthita prajna has clear knowledge, is free of doubts and is established in the knowledge of brahman by sravana, manana, nididhyasana.
His question becomes important to us, as sadhaks (spiritual aspirants), to follow the path of the wise men by deliberate practice of the qualities that are spontaneous to them.
Sloka 55
श्री भगवानुवाच
प्रजहाति यदा कामान् सर्वान् पार्थ मनोगतान्।
आत्मन्येवात्मना तुष्टः स्थितप्रज्ञस्तदोच्यते।।2.55।।
पार्थ – Arjuna!
प्रजहाति यदा सर्वान् कामान् – when one gives up all desires of the mind
मनोगतान् – at the time of entry into the mind
आत्मन्येवात्मना तुष्टः – has no dependence for his happiness knowing his very nature of his self to be ananda
स्थितप्रज्ञस्तदोच्यते – such a man of steady wisdom is a sthita prajnan.
Sri Krishna thus defines sthita prajna in this sloka itself.
- He has no external dependence.
- He is happy knowing that he is ananda principle.
Sthita prajnan does not depend upon any external object or situation for his happiness. As Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar says: He neither desires nor hates anything. This world is honoured by those who have renounced, understanding the nature of pair of opposites (joys and sorrows, bondage and liberation). It is impossible to measure the greatness of those who have renounced attachment with their body-mind-intellect and individuality. (Kural #22,23)
He has no longing for anything. He has clear discrimination about the ephemeral nature of worldly things.
योऽन्तःसुखोऽन्तरारामस्तथान्तर्ज्योतिरेव यः।
स योगी ब्रह्मनिर्वाणं ब्रह्मभूतोऽधिगच्छति।।5.24।।(Gita)
यस्त्वात्मरतिरेव स्यादात्मतृप्तश्च मानवः।
आत्मन्येव च सन्तुष्टस्तस्य कार्यं न विद्यते।।3.17।।(Gita)
Generally, there is an enjoyer, object of enjoyment and the act of enjoyment, that bring happiness. A sthita prajnan knows the self to be an embodiment of ananda (happiness).
Can one experience such happiness?
For instance, fire is hot, red and effulgent. These are 3 aspects of one and the same thing – fire. Similarly, sat cit and ananda are three aspects of consciousness/ self. The scriptures say, ‘I am purna:’ (complete), ‘I am ananda’ whereas we feel limited. Guru’s words are the mirror that make us see the nature of the self. It is not by belief but by understanding the teaching.
Vedas call upon us to analyse the nature of ananda to experience it.
सैषाऽऽनन्दस्य मीमाꣳसा भवति ।… स एको मनुष्यगन्धर्वाणामानन्दः । श्रोत्रियस्य चाकामहतस्य ।… आनन्दं ब्रह्मणो विद्वान्। (Taittriyopanishad Brahmanandavalli).
The scriptures bring to our know that we are ananda principle.
Happiness does not lie in objects. How do we understand this?
- Fire will burn everyone alike always. Burning is its property. If an object can give the same quantity and quality of happiness, at all times, to everyone alike, then happiness lies in the object. Whereas it is not so – it depends upon the person liking/ disliking the object. Therefore, one can conclude that happiness is not in any object, but it lies in the user.
तं विद्याद् दुःखसंयोगवियोगं योगसंज्ञितम्।6.23।। (Gita)
-One who is in sorrow does not know himself to be happiness. Even if he likes something, he will not enjoy it in a difficult situation.
- We all enjoy peace and happiness equally in deep sleep, in the absence of association with all objects.
- Jnani (wise man) revels in his knowledge (vidyaananda) and needs nothing more for his happiness.
A person who lacks this understanding thinks that the object of his liking (inert or sentient) bestows happiness – in reality, his innate happiness reflects by the play of his punya (merits accrued from past good deeds) in the presence of the object.
A dog enjoys the taste of its own blood when hurt by a bone that it chews. Similarly, we wish to borrow our own happiness and experience it at the thought level, for which we look for objects that reflect it. To be happy always, we just need a clear understanding that ananda is our innate nature. Objects that we desire distance us from peace of mind and happiness. There is so much fluctuation because when we have achieved one thing, we jump to the next and so on… Happiness derived from objects is so momentary and fleeting. So, a sthita prajnan does not attach reality to them.
Ananda is Brahman- विज्ञानं आनन्दं ब्रह्म Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (3.9.28).
We should understand that individuality is unreal. We should not hold onto artha, kama, dharma sastram (material, sense enjoyments, rituals) till the end in life. Moksha sastram will give the knowledge and helps resolve the mind.
Srimad Bhagavatam has an illustration to explain this. Friction between bamboos burns the bamboo forest; after that, the fire subsides. Contemplation by an individual about the self, burns individuality by the knowledge ‘I am brahman’ and then the knowledge in thought form resolves.
veṇu-saṅgharṣa-jo vahnir dagdhvā śāmyati tad-vanam
evaṁ guṇa-vyatyaya-jo dehaḥ śāmyati tat-kriyaḥ 11.13.7 ॥
मनोगतान् सर्वान् कामान् प्रजहाति – A sthita prajnan has given up desires of the mind.
Some people will comment that though there is intellectual understanding there is no emotional change in us. This is not meant to judge others. These sadhanas are to work on oneself.
One may wonder how jnanis possess worldly things. They have no dependence on all of them. They accept what devotees offer to them as an adornment. Jnanis do not depend on their body or even the intellect, and not material objects. They neither love nor hate anything. They do not give reality to anything.
For these philosophical points to sink in, one should meditate upon them.
