Sri Sadashiva Brahmendra was moving around naked, always immersed in Parabrahman and clad only in renunciation. Some of his co-disciples went to their Guru and complained that Sadashiva is going around like a mad man. Their Guru exclaimed, his voice filled with self-pity, “Oh! Why am I not getting this type of madness at all?” and advised those disciples to follow renunciation and mental detachment to achieve the ultimate goal.
Living around temples makes one always remember God, and to meditate on Him. The worship of divinity, consuming the pious prasadam and the company of the other devotees who frequent there and their blessings makes life blessed and pious. Meditating under the group of trees like Panchavati is quite uplifting and beneficial. Apart from the sanctity of atmosphere, the medicinal odour-filled air, the very sight of these trees ensures Dhatu-prasannata - the purification and efficiency of the vital Dhatus of the body. All these factors lead one to be ever filled with divinity.
The most important requirement is detachment, not being attached to the system and people around us. To live like a drop of water on the leaf of a lotus, fully being there but mentally not there - is the essential requirement. This is verily the secret of Moksha.
Rathyaakarpataviracitakantaha
punyaapunyavivarjita panthaha
yogee yoganiyojita cittaha
ramate baalonmattavadeva
Further descriptions of the signs of a Brahmajnani and his earthly transactions is given here. A Yogi shuns the external glittering, worldly activities of common man. His activities, being completely engulfed in Parabrahman, may match with the worldly Dharmic code of activities or even be totally against it.
A Jnani is not bound by the rules of to do and not to do. For him, every activity is being triggered by Bhagawan, and hence he enjoys carrying them out, like nectar. All dualities like good and bad work, virtue and sin have vanished for him.
A true Yogi strictly regulates his requirements and tries to solely depend upon and be satisfied with whatever Nature provides. He does not aspire to wear possess costly things or clothes. He uses clothing, just sufficient to cover his body; this clothing could be something which has come to him without his effort or could be some old, used cloth, discarded on the streets. He survives even on the food given by others without his asking or on what he may beg for, going from house to house.
Sri Krishna has advised Arjuna thus, that one can realise Parabrahman only when he goes beyond the dualities, conquers the trigunas and thus becomes a Jnani. But a Jnani, though filled with compassion, takes care to see that he does not develop friendship or show compassion to undeserving people. He is a source of help and compassion to the needy and deserving. Just like the shade of Hongauniee tree is to a person who has been scorched in the sun, a jnani will be a fountain of rejuvenation and happiness to the distressed. Even so, the Jnani is like the leaf of a lotus plant in water - unattached, un-attracted and very firm.
This article has been taken from the book A Torchlight in the Path of Salvation, Bhaja Govindam- Pray to Govinda by K V Varadaraja Iyengar