It’s not Happiness, it’s not Bliss! It’s a state of Exhilaration in perpetuity? — Ananda
Why are people with money, people without money both get unhappy?
Why happiness is transient & not perpetual?
Why, when one desire gets satiated, next emerges?
The answer is Ananda!
What Is Ananda? How can one attain it?
There is no word closer to Ananda in the English Language.
Happiness is mostly perceived as Ananda but happiness is a temporary or momentary state which is attained when one achieves the desired goal, sees something favorable, or acquires something which satiates any of the five senses.
Ananda is beyond senses as Ananda is a state of mind, body & soul and one can remain in such a state in perpetuity irrespective of the external environment or surroundings.
Happiness in the Present World or Kalyug is felt in matters related to Artha (Money) or KAMA (pleasure, desire).
Bliss also is believed to be a close approximation of Ananda but again it’s not Ananda. Though Bliss denotes supreme happiness, utter joy, or contentment again it’s transient and can change quickly with the change in the outside world.
What Is Ananda then?
One of the most comprehensive explanations on ‘ānanda’ is found in the Ananda Valli of Taittiriya Upanishad, which states Ananda as a feeling of joy, happiness, pleasures giving way to Self-knowledge.
A state of non-duality between object and subject. A state of complete surrender or Oneness with Brahma (Almighty, Supreme God, Universe) renouncing the fruits of one’s actions and submitting oneself completely to the divine will, leading to final termination of the cyclical process of life & death.
Ananda is a divine concept, when one sees divine within oneself and in everyone around, the feeling of Ananda arrives.
When one overcomes the transcended animal instincts and gives up one feeling of mental prowess (Ego, Ahankara, Self-preservation), Ananda can be attained.
Ananda is made of two words — ā & Nanda.
Nanda means Joy, delight, bliss like Shri Krishna forever and ā means a level higher and higher.
To live a life of Ananda, one should always be focused and spelling out the epithet Sat-cit-ananda or Sacchidānanda
It is made of 3 words
Sat- means being, existence, real, actual, true, good, right, or what which really is, essence.
Chit — means consciousness
Ananda — Endless joy.
Ananda takes consciousness at a higher level. Even above all three Gunas — Sattogun, Rajas, and Tamas.
When one gets connected with the Atma (Soul) within oneself or Jivatma, or when one’s consciousness is focused on one’s Jivatma, then Ananda is attainted.
When Jivatma (One’s soul) gets consciousness or connection with Param-Atma (Cosmic Consciousness), PARAM-Ananda is achieved.
Anger, Conflicts, Wars, can be avoided if one realizes how small (Sooshma) one is in the Cosmos. This thought itself can bring humility.
The formation of the earth and Human Life took millions of years and one is only here on this planet for a few years or a century at best, this thought itself can pave the way towards one’s journey of achieving Ananda.
Practicing Ahinsa not only with fellow human beings but with every creature on the planet will enable one to think about Wholesomeness and will take one a step closer to Ananda.
How can one practice to attain Ananda?
1. One should start following the concept of Brahma Satyam Jagat Mithya.
“Brahma Satyam, Jagat Mithya, Jeeva Brahmaiva Na Param”
(ब्रह्म सत्यं जगन्मिथ्या जीवब्रह्मैवनापरम).
Advaita Vedanta mentions three entities of Jeev, Jagat, and Ishwara which seem different to the naked eye. Underlying these three entities there is only one reality, a single unity of the entire Universe — an appearance of Brahma.
2. Brahma Dhyan — For 5 minutes every day, at a designated time, one should start being a Brahma Chari — focusing and having a thought of oneness with Brahma.
(As one starts, for the first 3 weeks, one will have a challenge sitting with emptiness, no thought. Post that, one will start getting joy in that state, and the path to Ananda will emerge.)
3. Gratitude to Brahma — Being thankful to divinity for what has been given to oneself.
4. Evolution — The feeling that evolution happened through millions/billions of years and one is not responsible for it but an outcome of it.
In essence, there is no prescription, one should start with steadfast will and one will learn.
Dashatvar
Thousands of Years before Darwin’s theory of Evolution, Vedantic philosophy stated 10 Avatars of Lord Vishnu, who is the Caretaker of Life and Planet. It started from his Matsya (the fish); Kurma (the tortoise); Varaha (the boar); Narasimha (the man-lion); Vamana (the dwarf); Parashurama; Rama; Krishna; Buddha and Kalki, which is yet to come. Science in the 19th century figured the same sequence of origin of life from water and that now exists on the planet.
One should learn from the life of Lord Krishna, who had to face severe losses and challenges throughout his life, however, Yogeshwar Shri Krishna was always in a state of Paramaanada. He always had solved every problem and supported everyone on this planet to establish Dharma.
As per Vedantic Philosophy mentioned in Taittiriya Upanishad, there are 5 energy layers, also known as Koshas or Sheaths that surround the Soul.
1. Annamaya Kosha — a body fed by food — Physical sheath.
2. Pranamaya Kosha — vital energy, breath, or life force sheath
3. Manomaya Kosha — one that controls one’s heart — mental sheath that represents one’s -mind, emotions, inner world
4. Vijnanamaya Kosha — Para Vidya and Apara Vidya — transcendental and Non-transcendental — Wisdom Sheath — Developing clarity and inner reflection as one learns to detach from one’s thoughts, ego, or sense of self.
5. Anandamaya Kosha — State of oneness with Divinity
The biggest hindrance in attaining Ananda is the heart, which perpetually creates attachment with things, events, outcomes, or people.
When one is intelligent, even then also one has challenges in attaining Ananda as one believes work and success are supreme and as one achieves more, one gets more egoistic (Ahankara).
What if one faces illness or grief on account of the loss of a dear one?
One can still experience Ananda as heart and Soul, as well as body and soul both are separate.
One of the greatest examples is of Rama Krishna Paramhansa, the guru of Swami Vivekanand. Rama Krishna Paramhansa was believed to be one of the sages of India who could speak with the Universe, divinity, and God directly.
He has detected throat cancer in 1885, a year prior to his death. His disciples asked him that why doesn’t request God that all the pain of cancer be taken away and he is relieved of it. He simply said it’s my “Prarabdh” (the outcome of the Karma which one needs to go through).
He further said, my body is not my soul. My body may feel the pain, but not my soul. Also, my buddhi (mind, mental consciousness) is different from my body and thus my buddhi will not feel the pain.
Hence even in the worst of environment, surroundings, or circumstances, one can practice Ananda as long as one has the consciousness of mind.
7 Simple Steps to achieve Ananda
1. Cultivate Satiation whether in money, needs, desires, or expectations, practically in everything. Practice Santosham (Satiation).
2. Maintain Shanti (Harmony with oneself and with everyone around) –
ॐ द्यौ: शान्तिरन्तरिक्षँ शान्ति:, पृथ्वी शान्तिराप: शान्तिरोषधय: शान्ति:।
वनस्पतय: शान्तिर्विश्वे देवा: शान्तिर्ब्रह्म शान्ति:, सर्वँ शान्ति:, शान्तिरेव शान्ति:, सा मा शान्तिरेधि॥
ॐ शान्ति: शान्ति: शान्ति:॥
May peace radiate there in the whole sky as well as in the vast ethereal space everywhere
May peace reign all over this earth, in water, and in all herbs, trees, and creepers.
May peace flow over the whole universe.
May peace be in the Supreme Being Brahman.
And may there always exist in all peace and peace alone.
Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti to us and all beings!
3. Go beyond Manas — In the realm of Buddhi — Use Buddhi, when one is frustrated when one is in between people fighting when one is unhealthy, simply Strengthen Buddhi. Always one should remember that Buddhi is beyond body and brain.
4. Jivatma — Get in touch with Divinity within.
5. Paramatma- Get in touch with Paramatma- the Cosmic divinity through Jivatma.
6. Relinquish Kama (desires, lust, pleasure & Artha (money).
7. Practice & preach noble Karma and good Dharma.
Ananda is Amrit (Elixir of Life), attaining it in one’s lifetime, Salvation (Moksha) will get attained.
Gratitude to our Guru Dharm Pracharak, Bheeshma Pitamah awardee Padma Bhushan, Dr. Mrityunjay Athreya, and my fellow Advisory board members at Sarthak Educational trust for having this Satsang where knowledge could be imparted by our Guru.
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