Baba says, ‘Whatever happens, continue to observe it as detached observers. The main thing is: Remember Me. Otherwise, you would even forget Me.’ 

You are a hero actor of this unlimited drama, Baba tells me. Do I feel like a hero? In a movie, a hero is portrayed as someone in control. No matter what the scene may be- happy, funny, sad- they are in control. They are the ones who are enjoying themselves fully, taking charge when there is difficulty, they keep themselves and others safe. In fact, as a member of the audience, I expect the hero to be this way- to have fun, to save the day, to uplift, to love, to give…- and when the hero delivers on all these counts, I leave the movie feeling satisfied. I then tell everyone: ‘that was such a feel good movie. So-and-so played their part so well! A real hero, a super-star…’ Am I such a super-star actor of this unlimited drama? A natural hero? or am I usually overwhelmed by the scenes rather than in control of it? am I usually a step behind or a step forward? am I ever-ready, a Mahavir who takes charge or someone who is often taken by surprise, and calls for help?

The basis, Baba teaches, to play the part of a hero is the stage of a detached observer. If I am not a detached observer, then I cannot play a hero part. From being a hero actor, I would then become an ordinary actor. A detached observer means that the soul is stable in the stage of being the master. I am the actor performing this role in this scene; I am not the role. The drama is not against me, it cherishes me; the drama goes well when I perform well! But I can only do that when I maintain this constant awareness that this is a drama and that I am the hero actor of this drama. Then, when a situation comes, that is, when a new scene comes, I observe it and choose how I want to play my part in this scene. But when I forget, I allow myself to be overwhelmed by the scene; I get afraid.

And often, I don’t really need to do anything in the scene other than watch it and be entertained. For example, maybe someone else got the promotion I was hoping for or someone played politics and took away an opportunity I wanted. If I don’t have the awareness that I am the hero actor and that this is a drama, then I will get caught up in the spinning of Maya: ‘why did this happen to me!, just my karma! after all the work I put in…, why do people behave this way? I will never get such an opportunity again? what will I do now? maybe I ought to call so-and-so and tell them what happened…maybe they can help me out…’ In reality, all I need to do is observe the scene, smile and be entertained: ‘Wah! drama wah! you never cease to entertain me…’ If an opportunity is meant for me, no one and that means, no one, can take it away from me. Baba has already told me this secret, so then why do I continue to feel overwhelmed or panicked? It’s easy to thank Baba when things go my way but do I also remember to thank Him when things don’t go as I had expected? Sure, it might seem like a lost opportunity externally but let me realize that my Father and the drama are smarter than I am. If I didn’t get something, it either wasn’t beneficial for me or it just isn’t the right time yet. So I simply watch the scene and relax. ‘Thank You Baba for always looking out for me! thank you, drama!’

‘Maya may come in any form‘, Baba explains, ‘let she. She will try to get you afraid, make you confused, overwhelmed etc. but you must not walk away from your elevated stage‘, He teaches. That is being Angad, a Mahavir. ‘Let she come‘, He says, ‘but why do you walk away with her?‘ This is a game: something will come, something will go and something will change. If it was always the same kind of scene, no one would enjoy the play. ‘So let the scenes change‘, He teaches, ‘but do not let your elevated stage change.’ Those who are observers simply continue to observe no matter how much Maya tries to twist and turn me in my head. I stay steady and simply observe. When I maintain such a stage, then when I do need to act, that moment will be clearly visible to me and I will know exactly what to do. The effort is to, until then, resist the spinning of Maya, to simply sit down and observe. It doesn’t take effort to worry, to panic or to sulk. It takes effort to maintain my stage of a Mahavir, a hero actor in control of the scene.

Maybe someone insults me or tries to upset me but when I am a hero actor, I don’t come down from my seat of self-respect of a detached observer. I deal with it like a hero would- maintain my good wishes and pure feelings for them. A hero is not only benevolent to others but I am also smart enough to never lose my happiness, no matter what. I have the determination, I have made this aspect firm: ‘happiness is my birthright, I will remain happy no matter what.’ The moment I come down from my seat of being a detached observer, my happiness is lost. So I remain seated and continue to observe the goings-on by keeping my feelings pure. This is the effort.

When I am an embodiment of what Baba has taught me- about the drama, about who I am and experience Him as my constant Companion, then the seat of the detached observer remains very strong. When asked, everyone says: ‘Of course, BapDada is with me’, notes Baba, but when the scene comes, I get influenced anyway. That means that even though BapDada is with me, I don’t use His companionship, I get too engrossed in the situation. He is right there with me when I need Him the most and yet, I forget. I am too busy trying to face the situation that I don’t even realize Who is with me. ‘So then the Father too, from being the Companion, becomes the Observer and observes your games’, says Baba. ‘Since you call Him your Companion, fulfill the responsibility of a companion‘, He says, ‘don’t move away from Him.‘ The Father has the pure desire for me to become the self-sovereign that He knows I am and thereby, one who has a right to the sovereignty of the world.

To be a self-sovereign means to be the hero actor, one who is in control of the scene by being in control of the mind, intellect and sanskars. When I can, as a king, rule over my subjects of the physical and subtle organs now, I can attain the right to take care of my subjects in the new world. ‘Only those who create subjects will become kings, queens and masters. This requires effort.’, says Baba. The effort is to remain seated on the seat of a detached observer of the drama. This seat is the throne of I, the self-sovereign. To make individual effort is tiring- today, I pay attention to my thoughts, tomorrow, to my words or relationships etc. Rather than this, I need to simply make the one effort of just remaining seated on my throne no matter how bad a situation looks, no matter how much Maya tries to get me worked up, how much she tries to make me get bitter or resentful, I have to steadfastly, like Angad, remain happy-hearted and seated on my throne of being the detached observer. Then, if/when that moment of action comes, I will see it and take that action while still seated on the throne. At no point, for no reason do I ever have to get off the throne; there is no scenario where that needs to happen. Baba says, ‘even while sleeping, you are on the throne!’ I have to remember this.

This effort to remain glued to my throne, to not become distressed under any circumstance has to become a sanskar now. Otherwise, when the scenes of destruction take place, I will be unprepared and therefore, unable to face them, cautions Baba. And no scene of the drama will ask me if I am ready first before it arrives; scenes happen suddenly, there are twists, there are turns…that is why, it is a drama. Not just challenging scenes but even good scenes happen suddenly, unexpectedly. If I were to reflect back on how I became a Brahmin- I suddenly got invited to go to an exhibition or a lecture or a class, I came into contact and relationship and I changed! I never knew I’d become a Brahmin on a such and such a date! So transformation always happens suddenly but Maya makes me careless and I think: ‘there’s still time. I will become strong when the time comes.’ ‘No!, you won’t be strong without practice‘, says Baba, ‘so pay attention. Practice remaining seated on the throne of the detached observer. It will only be by having this stage that you will be victorious. Therefore, make this lesson firm.‘