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Bodily happiness

Bhagavad-gita As It Is

BG Chapters 1 - 6

Arjuna did not, therefore, consider such killing profitable simply for the matter of temporary bodily happiness.
BG 1.36, Purport: Arjuna considered that rather than kill his own kinsmen for political reasons, it would be better to forgive them on grounds of religion and saintly behavior. He did not, therefore, consider such killing profitable simply for the matter of temporary bodily happiness. After all, kingdoms and pleasures derived therefrom are not permanent, so why should he risk his life and eternal salvation by killing his own kinsmen?
Such bodily happiness is certainly sensual; therefore there are those who are purely attached to such material, temporary happiness, as lords of the material world.
BG 2.42-43, Purport: In the karma-kāṇḍa section of the Vedas it is said, apāma somam amṛtā abhūma and akṣayyaṁ ha vai cāturmāsya-yājinaḥ sukṛtaṁ bhavati. In other words, those who perform the four-month penances become eligible to drink the soma-rasa beverages to become immortal and happy forever. Even on this earth some are very eager to have soma-rasa to become strong and fit to enjoy sense gratifications. Such persons have no faith in liberation from material bondage, and they are very much attached to the pompous ceremonies of Vedic sacrifices. They are generally sensual, and they do not want anything other than the heavenly pleasures of life. It is understood that there are gardens called Nandana-kānana in which there is good opportunity for association with angelic, beautiful women and having a profuse supply of soma-rasa wine. Such bodily happiness is certainly sensual; therefore there are those who are purely attached to such material, temporary happiness, as lords of the material world.

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 4

Because a devotee knows that he is not the body, he is never affected by bodily happiness or distress.
SB 4.9.12, Purport: Here Dhruva Mahārāja plainly says that a devotee has no more bodily interest. He knows that he is not the body. From the very beginning, therefore, without wasting time in bodily exercises, a devotee searches out a pure devotee and simply by his association becomes more advanced in spiritual consciousness than any yogī. Because a devotee knows that he is not the body, he is never affected by bodily happiness or distress. He is not interested in bodily relationships with wife, children, home, bank balance, etc., or in the distress and happiness which come from these things. This is the special advantage of being a devotee. This status of life is possible only when a person is interested in associating with a pure devotee, who always enjoys the fragrance of the lotus feet of the Lord.

SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13

The fruits of bodily happiness have four tastes—religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and liberation—which are experienced through five senses for acquiring knowledge in the midst of six circumstances: lamentation, illusion, old age, death, hunger and thirst.
SB 10.2.27, Translation: The body [the total body and the individual body are of the same composition] may figuratively be called "the original tree." From this tree, which fully depends on the ground of material nature, come two kinds of fruit—the enjoyment of happiness and the suffering of distress. The cause of the tree, forming its three roots, is association with the three modes of material nature—goodness, passion and ignorance. The fruits of bodily happiness have four tastes—religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and liberation—which are experienced through five senses for acquiring knowledge in the midst of six circumstances: lamentation, illusion, old age, death, hunger and thirst. The seven layers of bark covering the tree are skin, blood, muscle, fat, bone, marrow and semen, and the eight branches of the tree are the five gross and three subtle elements—earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego. The tree of the body has nine hollows—the eyes, the ears, the nostrils, the mouth, the rectum and the genitals—and ten leaves, the ten airs passing through the body. In this tree of the body there are two birds: one is the individual soul, and the other is the Supersoul.

Lectures

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

One who is simply interested with spiritual life, he's not attached with persons who are simply engaged for the improvement of bodily happiness.
Lecture on SB 5.5.3 -- Boston, May 4, 1968: Just like ordinary man, he's very much fond of house, very much fond of wife, very much fond of children, very much fond of wealth. He is not like that. Yāvad arthaḥ prayojanam. They are fond of or they are interested with their relationship as much as is required. Therefore in the Vedic languages there are two kinds of householders. One is called gṛhamedhi, and the other is called gṛhastha. Gṛhastha means one who lives with family but his interest is realization of self and realization of God. And gṛhamedhi means he has no more interest. He has no interest what is spiritual life, what is God, but he's simply interested in developing the family standard of life. So there are two classes of men. But one who is simply interested with spiritual life, they can also be claimed as mahātmā even in the household life. But his interest is only for God realization and his symptom is described that his only aim is God and he's not attached with material comfort or he's not attached with persons who are simply engaged for the improvement of bodily happiness.

Correspondence

1969 Correspondence

It is advised in the Bhagavad-gita that this bodily happiness and unhappiness are temporary, like seasonal changes, so as we are not very much disturbed even in severe cold or scorching heat.
Letter to Yamuna -- Hawaii 13 March, 1969: I am happy to hear from you, but I am unhappy because I hear that for the last three months you are not keeping your good health. I do not know why you should reduce in your health, but after all, this body is external—we should not be very much disturbed with it. It is advised in the Bhagavad-gita that this bodily happiness and unhappiness are temporary, like seasonal changes, so as we are not very much disturbed even in severe cold or scorching heat, we have to execute our daily duties, we may not be very much disturbed with our bodily pains. But because we are long associated with this material body, sometimes we are afflicted, but by higher knowledge we have to tolerate the pains, wisely thinking that these bodily pains are not mine.
Page Title:Bodily happiness
Compiler:Archana, Laksmipriya
Created:01 of Dec, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=2, SB=2, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=1, Con=0, Let=1
No. of Quotes:6