The Upanishads exhort us to practise sravana, manana and nididhyasana as the methods by which one can gain knowledge of the atma. Nididhyasana is the practice of dhyana when the mind is steeped in single mindedness about the Lord. There are many sadhanas available to the spiritual aspirant such as puja, stotra, japa, dhyana and so on to help his mind become proficient in meditation, said Sri B. Sundarkumar in a discourse.
Adi Sankara in his Gita Bashya states that when the object with which the mind is in communion is the most auspicious Supreme Lord, one reaches a high level of consciousness. Dhyana or meditation on the Lord is the best sadhana. The analogy of a lamp that remains without flickering is often used as a lakshana for dhyana and yoga. But we are exposed to Vedic texts and many schools of thought and philosophies that tend to confuse our approach in this regard. The yoga of meditation taught by Krishna helps to go beyond all these intellectual exercises and the Nishkama karma that is explained helps us to do our duty without attachment for the results of our action. Equanimity is the basis of all states of yoga. To act with equanimity is more important than any action.
When one is in this yoga, he is unperturbed by likes or dislikes, success or failure, etc. The quest is turned inwards and atma vichara is the key sadhana. To see how the atma is imperishable though it is associated with the body that is born, grows and dies, is the first lesson that is taught in this text. If one is confused about the nature of one’s self, it shows a lack of viveka. But if each jiva aims to know oneself as this undying self when undertaking any spiritual sadhana, the confusions can be transcended. This viveka protects the sadhana and leads to bhakti and salvation.
