According to Krishna, “Happiness is a state of mind, that has nothing to do with external world”. This is quite true, nothing can make you happy if you are not happy from within. Many people try to find happiness behind material things and possessions but no one realises that these things are temporary and can’t make you happy for a long period of time and happiness lies in our mind and depends on inner peace.
In Bhagwat Gita, Lord Krishna has stated three types of happiness while talking to Arjuna and they are:
· Pure happiness or satvik
Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 18, Verse 37
“yat tad agre viham iva pariname mitopamam
tat sukham sattvikam proktam atma-buddhi-prasada-jam”
Translation:
“That which seems like poison at first, but tastes like nectar, in the end, is said to be happiness in the mode of goodness. It is generated by the pure intellect that is situated in self-knowledge.”
Pure happiness is not easy to attain. A person who wants to achieve pyre happiness, should follow a strict discipline and therefore it is considered poisonous at first but later when you achieve the pure happiness it’s like a nectar.
· Result-Oriented happiness or rajasik
Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 18, Verse 38
“vishayendriya-sanyogad yat tad agre mritopamam
pariname visham iva tat sukham rajasam smritam”
Translation:
“Happiness is said to be in the mode of passion when it is derived from the contact of the senses with their objects. Such happiness is like nectar at first but poison at the end.”
The second type of happiness According to Lord Krishna is the happiness that is derived from material objects when they come in contact with our senses. However, he also states that this happiness doesn’t last long and is temporary in nature.
· Slothful happiness or tamasic
Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 18, Verse 39.
“yad agre chanubandhe cha sukham mohanam atmanah
nidralasya-pramadottha tat tamasam udahritam”
Translation:
“That happiness which covers the nature of the self from beginning to end, and which is derived from sleep, indolence, and negligence, is said to be in the mode of ignorance.”
Lord Krishna says, This is the lowest form of happiness and is derived from sleeping or being lazy. People who fall for this kind of happiness is considered as ignorance as they misunderstand it for real happiness and think they are happy. Again the happiness doesn’t last long and in fact, has a bad impact on the soul.
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