Definition of happiness

[Guest guest]

A beautiful definition of happiness is given in a work entitled

samkshepaSArIrakam of sarvajnAtmamuni as below:

 

sarvam yadarthamiha vastu yadasti kincit

 

pArArthyamujjhati ca yannijasattayaiva |

 

tadvarNayanti hi sukham sukhalakshaNajnAH

 

tat pratyagAtmani samam sukhatAsya tasmAt ||Ch.1, Sl.24

 

The wise who know the definition of happiness describe it as a thing to

which all objects in the world are ancillary, but which is itself not

ancillary to anything else. This description is equally applicanle to the

indwelling Self. Therefore the Self is of the nature of bliss.

 

The idea is that everything else is desired only for the sake of the

happiness it is expected to produce, but happiness alone is desired for its

own sake. People desire wealth, progeny, power, fame and so many other

things, but if we ask them why they want these, the answer will be that it

is because they will make them happy. But happiness is not desired for

getting anything else.

 

br.up. 4.3.32 says that all happiness enjoyed by any living being is only a

particle, or partial manifestation of the supreme bliss that is the very

nature of brahman. So vishayAnanda or the happiness appearing to arise from

external objects is really only brahmAnanda. In PanchadaSi it is said in

chapter 15, Sloka 1 that vishayAnanda is the door to brahmAnanda. How this

is so is described in the article entitled 'From Vishayananda to

Brahmananda' under 'Glimpses of Vedanta' on the website

 

www.geocities.com/snsastri

 

The manner in which happiness arises is also described in this article.

 

S.N.Sastri

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Namaste, all

 

I have come across the following in a small book called “Vedanta samjna

prakaranam” a collection of words/usages/terminologies appearing in Vedanta/Yoga

works. The author of this small work originally in Grandha Script is unknown. A

disciple of Swami Dayhananda Saraswati, Swami Sadananda Saraswati of Arsha Vidya

Mandiram, Palghat, took great pain in getting this work transcribed into

Devanagari Script, and published it on the occasion of the sixtieth birthday of

Swami Dayananda Saraswati.

It says:

Aanandathrayam –

Brahmaanando, vishayaanando, vaasanaand: cha iti aanandathrayam.

Nijaananda, mukhyaananda, atmaananda, yogaananda

advaitaanandaanaam brahamaanande antharbhavi iti viveka:

vidyaanandasya vishayaanande antharbhavi iti.

(My apologies for the poor transliteration).

While, I have some idea about brahaananda, and very good idea and even

experience of vishayaananda, I cannot make out what is this “vaasanaanda”

I have very little knowledge in Sanskrit and if some of our learned members

could translate the above and also give correct meanings, it would be helpful.

Many thanks and with warm regards

Mani

 

 

 

" S.N. Sastri " <sn.sastri wrote: A beautiful definition of

happiness is given in a work entitled

samkshepaSArIrakam of sarvajnAtmamuni as below:

 

sarvam yadarthamiha vastu yadasti kincit

 

pArArthyamujjhati ca yannijasattayaiva |

 

tadvarNayanti hi sukham sukhalakshaNajnAH

 

tat pratyagAtmani samam sukhatAsya tasmAt ||Ch.1, Sl.24

 

The wise who know the definition of happiness describe it as a thing to

which all objects in the world are ancillary, but which is itself not

ancillary to anything else. This description is equally applicanle to the

indwelling Self. Therefore the Self is of the nature of bliss.

 

The idea is that everything else is desired only for the sake of the

happiness it is expected to produce, but happiness alone is desired for its

own sake. People desire wealth, progeny, power, fame and so many other

things, but if we ask them why they want these, the answer will be that it

is because they will make them happy. But happiness is not desired for

getting anything else.

 

br.up. 4.3.32 says that all happiness enjoyed by any living being is only a

particle, or partial manifestation of the supreme bliss that is the very

nature of brahman. So vishayAnanda or the happiness appearing to arise from

external objects is really only brahmAnanda. In PanchadaSi it is said in

chapter 15, Sloka 1 that vishayAnanda is the door to brahmAnanda. How this

is so is described in the article entitled 'From Vishayananda to

Brahmananda' under 'Glimpses of Vedanta' on the website

 

www.geocities.com/snsastri

 

The manner in which happiness arises is also described in this article.

 

S.N.Sastri