"Happiness is not a destination, it's a journey that involves a shift in mindset, a shift in perspective.”
-Swami Mukundananda
Image Credit: India Today
The search for happiness is a fundamental human pursuit that transcends cultures, eras, and personal circumstances. It involves the quest to achieve a state of well-being, contentment, and fulfilment. Philosophers, spiritual leaders, and psychologists have long debated and explored what constitutes true happiness and how it can be attained.
In modern society, happiness is often equated with material success, pleasure, and the absence of problems. However, many teachings, including those from Srila Prabhupada, Swami Mukundananda and Gaur Gopal Das, suggest that true happiness comes from within and is not dependent on external circumstances. Srila Prabhupada is the founder of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and a prolific teacher of Bhakti-yoga and Vedic philosophy. Swami Mukundananda is a renowned spiritual leader and founder of JKYog, known for his teachings on yoga, meditation, and holistic health. Gaur Gopal Das is an inspirational speaker and monk of the ISKCON organisation, celebrated for his motivational talks and modern take on ancient wisdom. They emphasise the importance of inner peace, contentment, gratitude, and a purpose-driven life. There is a story in our Hindi textbooks called "Mamaji Ki Ainak." In this story, a child visits his maternal uncle (Mamaji) during vacation. Mamaji always wears glasses. One day, he couldn't find his glasses and searched everywhere—on the table, in the drawer, in the kitchen, finally thinking he had lost them. His nephew later ran to him and said, "Mamaji, your glasses are on your head." This story shows that we often search for something that is already within us. Just like Mamaji's glasses, happiness lies within our soul, but we look for it elsewhere.
THE FOCUS OF ILLUSION
In the Srimad Bhagavatam (7.13.29), there's a story of a deer searching for water in a desert.
jalaṁ tad-udbhavaiś channaṁ
hitvājño jala-kāmyayā
mṛgatṛṣṇām upādhāvet
tathānyatrārtha-dṛk svataḥ
[ Just as a deer, because of ignorance, cannot see the water within a well covered by grass, but runs after water elsewhere, the living entity covered by the material body does not see the happiness within himself, but runs after happiness in the material world. ]
The water is actually under the green grass, but the deer can't find it. Modern people are similar; they look for happiness outside, even though it lies within them. If asked how to be happy, they might say, “Eat at a five-star restaurant, watch movies, or go on vacation to America.” But despite doing these things, they remain unhappy. A joint survey by researchers from MIT, Harvard, and Baylor University found that increased wealth does not necessarily lead to greater happiness. The comprehensive “Global Flourishing Study”, which involves tracking 240,000 participants from 22 countries over five years, suggests that factors such as meaning, purpose, and strong relationships are more significant contributors to well-being than wealth alone. The survey showed that more wealth doesn’t lead to more happiness. They called this “the focus of illusion.” Even with many things to enjoy, people are still unhappy. They think, “If happiness isn’t here, we’ll find it somewhere else.” This shows they're chasing an illusion of happiness. In a lecture, Badrinarayana Prabhu, a disciple of Srila Prabhupada, shared a childhood story. He once went to a movie and, during the break, wanted a big candy bar for a low price. He picked the largest pack, but when he opened it, he found a tiny candy inside a big box. Just like the large candy box that contained a tiny candy, things that seem to promise great happiness may often fall short of our expectations. This underscores the idea that true happiness is not found in material possessions or external circumstances but rather within oneself and through spiritual fulfillment.
THE FOUR LEVELS OF HUMAN HAPPINESS
In Swami Mukundananda's book "The Science of Mind Management," he explores the four types of human happiness: Parthiva Rasa (earthly happiness), Svargiya Rasa (heavenly happiness), Brahman Rasa (spiritual happiness), and Bhakti Rasa (devotional happiness). Swami Mukundananda, a renowned spiritual teacher, IIT-IIM alumni, author, and founder of Jagadguru Kripaluji Yog, combines his deep understanding of ancient Indian scriptures with practical wisdom to guide individuals towards a balanced and fulfilling life.
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There are four basic levels of happiness, experienced according to one's spiritual development.The lowest level is called Parthiva-rasa. This refers to the highest physical pleasure possible when one's senses are fully developed and one has unlimited resources to enjoy them. A higher level is Svargiya-rasa, which involves emotional pleasure from relationships, especially love. Even if one's physical senses are weak, svargiya-rasa can keep one mentally happy. A thousand units of parthiva-rasa pleasure equal one unit of svargiya-rasa happiness. Even those with serious illnesses can find happiness through relationships.
Brahman-rasa, which is spiritual happiness, is ten thousand times greater than Svargiya-rasa. This happiness comes from rejecting material pleasures and focusing on the eternal truth, Brahman. Spiritual seekers, who achieve this, experience happiness that transcends physical and social pleasures. The highest level is Bhakti-rasa, the pleasure from loving service to God. This happiness surpasses even Brahman-rasa and is the ultimate form of bliss. Practising, loving devotional service to God leads to the culmination of all happiness, making bhakti-rasa the greatest pleasure humans can experience.
BUILDING OUR HAPPINESS ON SAND
Why do our attempts to be happy fail? The Vedas suggest it's because we're working on a false assumption. We've become experts at meeting the body's needs with our advanced communications, transport, medicine, food, and lifestyle. However, this progress has brought many problems: environmental issues, weapons of mass destruction, food contamination, terrorism, and diseases like AIDS, CJD, and cancer. No matter how many challenges we solve, new and harder ones keep appearing. Despite our advancements, more people are stressed, anxious, depressed, and mentally ill. Many cope by turning to drugs, alcohol, overeating, or other harmful addictions. It's hard to say humans are doing well in securing happiness. The Vedas explain this is because we wrongly see ourselves as just the body. This false belief is like building on sand. To truly pursue happiness, we must first understand that we are different from our material bodies.
HAPPINESS AS PER BHAGVAD GEETA
Srila Vyasadeva, the transcendental professor of infallible Vedic science, refutes all concocted ideas of happiness and establishes the words of Krishna. In Bhagavad Gita 2.66, Krishna says:
nāsti buddhir ayuktasya
na cāyuktasya bhāvanā
na cābhāvayataḥ śāntir
aśāntasya kutaḥ sukham
"One who is not connected with the Supreme can have neither transcendental intelligence nor a steady mind. Without a steady mind, there can be no peace. And how can there be happiness without peace?"
This means that true intelligence and a stable mind arise from a connection with the Supreme. Without this connection, achieving peace is impossible, and without peace, happiness remains elusive. Further, the Bhagavad Gita 8.15 states:
mām upetya punar janma
duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam
nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ
saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ
"After attaining Me, the great souls, who are yogis in devotion, never return to this temporary world, which is full of miseries, because they have attained the highest perfection."
This highlights that the material world is inherently temporary (asasvatam) and filled with suffering (dukhalayam) . In the Bhagavad Gita, attaining the Supreme Being involves dedicating oneself through Bhakti Yoga (devotion and surrender to God), Jnana Yoga (the pursuit of spiritual knowledge and wisdom), Karma Yoga (performing one's duty selflessly without attachment to the results), and Dhyana Yoga (meditation to control the mind and realise the self). These paths, practised individually or in combination, help purify the mind, transcend material desires, and achieve liberation (moksha), ultimately leading to union with the Supreme Being. However, those who reach the Supreme Being achieve eternal perfection and are liberated from the cycle of birth and death, thus attaining true happiness.
HAPPINESS THROUGH CHOICE OR INSTINCT?
Humans have a unique ability to make proper choices and take responsibility for seeking higher pleasures, unlike animals, which act purely on instinct. When animals face a stimulus, they respond instinctively without any freedom of choice. For example, if an animal sees food, it will eat it immediately. This instinctive behavior is a basic response to stimuli.
Humans, however, have the ability to pause, reflect, and then respond to a stimulus based on independent choice. This is because humans possess free will, which allows them to choose their responses consciously. For instance, if you slap a child on the back, the child might cry instantly because there is no gap between the stimulus (the slap) and the response (crying). But if you slap an adult on the back, the adult will likely pause before responding. During this pause, the adult will analyze whether the slap was friendly, sarcastic, or aggressive. Based on this analysis, the adult will choose how to respond. This ability to pause and reflect before responding is what allows humans to make conscious choices and seek higher forms of happiness beyond basic instincts.
This conscious choice to seek higher happiness involves saying "no" to the basic urges of the mind and pursuing more meaningful and fulfilling experiences. The brain plays a crucial role in this process. When faced with a decision, the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for reasoning and decision-making, gets activated. It evaluates the potential outcomes of different choices and helps in making a more thoughtful decision. For example, when tempted by an unhealthy snack, the prefrontal cortex can help you decide to choose a healthier option instead, prioritizing long-term well-being over immediate gratification.
CONCLUSION
The pursuit of happiness extends far beyond the fleeting moments of smiles and laughter. It is an ongoing journey that requires a fundamental shift in our mindset and perspective. By understanding that true happiness is not a final destination but a continuous process of growth and self-discovery, we can embrace life's challenges and joys with greater resilience and fulfilment. This shift enables us to find deeper meaning and contentment in our everyday experiences, making the journey itself a source of lasting happiness.
By: Sagar Diwakar
Sagar Diwakar, 3rd year student of Political Science, Hindu College, University of Delhi. He has keen interest in topics like “Decolonising The Indian Mind”, “Juvenile Delinquency”, “The Song Of God: Unveiling The Bhagavad Gita”.
REFERENCES
https://ebooks.iskcondesiretree.com/pdf/Spiriton/001_Search_for_happiness_-_Spiriton_Newsletter.pdf
https://www.backtogodhead.in/search-for-happiness-part-2-by-vraja-bihari-dasa/
https://www.learngitalivegita.com/blog/search-for-happiness/
https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2022/01/new-global-survey-looks-at-health-well-being/
Enlightening!!