Happiness

 What is Happiness?

 'Happiness' may be defined as state of Mind. If the mind is satisfied, cheerful and the person is contented it may be a state of his happiness. However, this term defies any definite state since the person's happiness is subject to many a variable condition. Unfortunately, the human tendency is to search for happiness where it doesn't exist. The objects of the world are merely substance of varying quality and may or not suit everybody. Moreover, the human beings seek happiness in material world that is incapable of satisfying the senses, intellect, mind and ego. Hence seeking happiness in an objective tentative worldly existence with endless desires is futile. 

  In the real sense of the term, 'happiness' is a state of Mind. Mind decides whether it is happy or miserable, joyful or sorrowful depending on its likes and dislikes. Many a times, the mind is not happy even when it gets what it wants! The problem is one of 'Time' that weans away joy of fulfillment. There is a gap between the time of desire and time of fulfillment. Hence, happiness or joy from fulfillment of desires is ruled out. The real happiness or joy comes from heart that is already equipped with everything it desires. In fact, it is only a matching game. The heart or the soul is already happy since it is its basic nature to be happy, contented, joyful. It sprouts happiness. There is no need to instruct it whether to express happiness on fulfillment of desires. The Soul (Atman) is already happy whether the senses, mind, intellect and the ego are satisfied or not. One should see through the heart and feel through it in order to experience joy of life. Instead, the foolish people seek happiness in objects of desires that the fickle mind, bloated ego, perverted intelligence seek, not knowing the fact that the wants are insatiable. The ten sense organs (indriya) have ten thousand desires and none of these can be satisfied in an ever-changing objective world. So, seeking happiness on earth is like searching for water in a hot desert. Not knowing that it's a desert mirage, the humans keep on looking for happiness and finally feel disappointed.

  The Pancharatra Agama Shastra clearly states that the human beings as earthlings are destined to be miserable since the earth is a death-knell where everything is subject to deterioration and disintegration. Whatever is the desire of the human beings, whatever is the attainments, it is ultimately meaningless. What is important is this realization. Atmajnyan or the 'Knowledge of the Self' only will reveal this 'Eternal Truth'. A person becomes immensely happy when he/she realizes the fact that the earthly existence is one of maya illusion. Ma and ya become ya and ma when reversed! 'Ma' is time and 'Ya' is the controller ('Yama!). So, it may be surmised here that 'nothing will give joy or happiness here since these terms are mere illusory coupled with their opposite partners of sorrow and misery. These joy and happiness are followed by sorrow and misery like the day is followed by night.

  Real joy and happiness lie in the knowledge of the 'Reality' of the true nature of the world and our worldly existence. "The World is a Stage, and we are all actors and spectators, too" as William Shakespeare said. Let's learn to play our role and retire, as also, sit and watch the drama unfolding before us? This is the principle of 'Witnessing Self'. Hppiness lies here.