The Search for Happiness
Every soul seeks true happiness. Discover why material pleasure is fleeting and how to attain the eternal bliss of God (Ananda) through sincere surrender.
The Soul’s Eternal Quest
Whether knowingly or unknowingly, every jiva (living being) in this world strives unceasingly for happiness. This quest will continue until the soul attains it.
The Synonym for God
The word "happiness" is actually a synonym for God. You may call that Supreme Being God, Khuda, Allah, or Happiness—these words all point to the same Truth. The Vedas declare:
आनन्दो ब्रह्मेति व्यजानात् ।
ānandō brahmēti vyajānāt
"Know Brahm (God) to be Ananda (Bliss) itself."
Since He is happiness, it is not entirely correct to say "God is the abode of happiness," as this implies God is a vessel containing happiness. The vessel and its contents are two different things. The Vedas clarify that happiness is not a separate substance residing within God; rather:
रसो वै स: ।
rasō vai sa:
"He is Rasa (The embodiment of Bliss)."
The word happiness is a synonym of God. You can call that Supreme Being God or happiness, Khuda, Allah, or any other name - these words all have the same meaning.
आनन्दो ब्रह्मेति व्यजानात् ।
ānando brahmeti vyajānāt
" Brahm is Bliss".
The Law of Attraction
All living beings—humans, animals, insects, celestial gods, and demons—are inseparable parts (Ansha) of God (Anshi). Therefore, every fraction naturally desires its origin. Only by attaining that whole does the part become complete.
Although we may not realize it, the "happiness" we seek is God. The scriptures unanimously assert this relationship:
अंशो नाना व्यपदेशात् । aṁśō nānā vyapadēśāt | (Vedanta)
ममैवांशो जीवलोके जीवभूतः सनातनः ।
mamaivāṁśō jīvalōkē jīvabhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ | (Gita)
ईश्वर अंश जीव अविनाशी, चेतन अमल सहज सुख राशी ।
īśvara aṁśa jīva avināśī, cētana amala sahaja sukha rāśī | (Ramayana)
"The Jiva is an eternal particle of God. Being a part of the Ocean of Bliss, it naturally seeks that same bliss."
The Mistake: Searching in the Wrong Place
We have been searching for happiness since eternity, yet we have not attained it. Why? Because we are looking in the wrong area. Instead of striving to attain God, we constantly strive to increase our material possessions.
These material objects are made of Maya. Maya is inert (Jada), meaning no material person or object possesses even a trace of happiness.
The Vedas distinguish between temporary pleasure and true happiness:
यो वै भूमा तत् सुखम् ।
yō vai bhūmā tat sukham |
"That which is unlimited and everlasting is truly happiness."
The Two Flaws of Worldly Happiness
What we experience in the world is not happiness; it is merely the illusion of happiness. Worldly pleasure suffers from two fatal flaws:
- It is Limited: There is always a happiness greater than what we have, keeping us constantly dissatisfied.
- It is Transitory: It is ridden with tides and ebbs and eventually ceases.
The Law of Diminishing Returns For example, if you hug your mother after a long separation, the first hug gives you the greatest joy. The second time, this happiness diminishes slightly. By the fourth time, the joy fades. Because everything from this Earth to Brahmloka is made of Maya, the happiness attained from it is perishable. To achieve everlasting happiness, one must take shelter at the lotus feet of Shri Krishna.
How to Attain Divine Bliss?
We do not need to pay anything to get the grace of Shri Krishna. All we must do is ask earnestly for His grace (kripa), and He will bestow unlimited, everlasting divine happiness immediately.
However, the request must be sincere, free of craftiness and deceit. We must ask innocently, just like an infant who is completely surrendered to his mother.
- When the child cries, the mother runs to him.
- She takes care of the child according to her understanding of his needs.
- While a worldly mother might misjudge a child's needs, the Omniscient God never misjudges the needs of the jiva.
The Path of Practice (Sadhana)
Our lack of knowledge (ajnana) has established the deep-seated misapprehension: "There is happiness in this world, and I will attain it one day." This belief alone has caused our eternal delusion.
To expel this delusion and inspire faith in God, frequent and repeated assertion of spiritual knowledge is required.
अभ्यास वैराग्याभ्यां तन्निरोधः ।
abhyāsa vairāgyābhyāṁ tannirōdhaḥ |
अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते ॥
abhyāsēna tu kauntēya vairāgyēṇa ca gr̥hyatē || (Bhagavad Gita)
"Regular practice (Abhyasa) results in faith and the elimination of delusion, creating natural detachment (Vairagya) from the world."
Conclusion: The Levels of Bliss
As the aspirant practices Sadhana Bhakti (preparatory devotion), they become detached from the world and attached to God.
- Sadhana Bhakti: Practicing loving remembrance. This the the beginning level of preparatory devotion.
- Bhava Bhakti: A more advanced stage of preparatory devotion.
- Prema Bhakti: The Guru infuses Divine Love (Prem) into the heart of the aspirant.
From there, the bliss becomes increasingly sweeter, reaching levels like Bhavavesh and the ultimate Mahabhava.
Therefore, our foremost duty is to realize the futile nature of material happiness and practice devotion under the guidance of a true Guru to attain the ultimate goal.
This belief alone has caused us to be deluded since eternity. For this reason also we do not want to accept that Shri Krishna is the only source of happiness. Frequent and repeated assertion of this knowledge is needed to expel this delusion and inspire your faith in God.