Way to Eternal Bliss

 

It is only a person who has developed a proper mental outlook that can face adversities without being unduly perturbed. Such a person will have the equanimity of mind to comfort those who go to him in any calamity. On the other hand, there are some persons who are upset even by the smallest difficulty, because they have not developed the necessary mental equipoise. Pleasure and pain are inevitable concomitants of life, and pain has to be endured to face good fortune without undue elation and misfortune without undue depression is acquired by a proper mental approach to things of this world. The source of all happiness is within ourselves. So long as we grope for this source outside ourselves, we shall not fine peace or develop the necessary mental equilibrium. That is the significance of the advice of Lord Krishna to Arjuna, when he said that Isvara lives inside the hearts of all creation. Sri Krishna says further that by His divine power of maaya, Isvara makes the universe function in a predetermined pattern, as if motivated or impelled by a powerful machine. When we do our duty correctly, and surrender to Him completely and unreservedly a surrender which embraces all our mental and physical faculties (Sarva bhaavena) we become calm mentally and see things in their proper perspective.

 

The peace or saanti we aim at is not the outcome of fear, but the natural corollary to fearlessness. That peace cannot come so long as we think that God is somewhere beyond our reach. The seeker of saanti must keep his heart clean and clear (prasanna). Then only can we realise God within us, or, in other words, we can secure the prasaada of Isvara. The two expressions, prasanna and prasaada are synonymous prasaadostu prasannata, says Amara Kosa. When our hearts are cleansed of all impurities and we are ready to leave the fruits of our action, be it punishment or reward, to God. He indwells within us and blesses us with that supreme saanti (paraam saanti). It is only such a bliss that is eternal (saasvatam); all the other kinds of bliss are transient. This is the significance of the following verses of the Gita

 

 

 

Isvarah sarva bhootanaam hrid-dese Arjuna tishthati

Braamayam sarva bhootaani yantraaroodhaani maayayaa

Tameva saranam gaccha sarva-bhaavena Bhaarata

Tat prasaadaat paraam saantim sthaanam praapsyasi

Saasvatam