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Perpetual happiness

Bhagavad-gita As It Is

BG Preface and Introduction

The Lord is perpetually happy, and if the living entities associate with the Lord, cooperate with Him and take part in His association, then they also become happy.
BG Introduction: "Those whose intelligence has been stolen by material desires surrender unto demigods and follow the particular rules and regulations of worship according to their own natures." Here it is plainly said that those who are directed by lust worship the demigods and not the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa. When we mention the name Kṛṣṇa, we do not refer to any sectarian name. Kṛṣṇa means the highest pleasure, and it is confirmed that the Supreme Lord is the reservoir or storehouse of all pleasure. We are all hankering after pleasure. Ānanda-mayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). The living entities, like the Lord, are full of consciousness, and they are after happiness. The Lord is perpetually happy, and if the living entities associate with the Lord, cooperate with Him and take part in His association, then they also become happy.

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 1

By other processes the conditioned soul can reach anywhere, but even if he reaches the highest planet, he cannot attain that perpetual happiness for which he is searching life after life.
SB 1.11.35, Purport: Conditioned souls seek after perpetual happiness in all places—not only on this earth but also on other planets throughout the universe—because constitutionally a spiritual spark, as he is, can travel to any part of God's creation. But being conditioned by the material modes, he tries to travel in space by spacecraft and so fails to reach his destination. The law of gravitation is binding upon him like the shackles of a prisoner. By other processes he can reach anywhere, but even if he reaches the highest planet, he cannot attain that perpetual happiness for which he is searching life after life. When he comes to his senses, however, he seeks after Brahman happiness, knowing it for certain that unlimited happiness, which he is seeking, is never attainable in the material world.

SB Canto 4

The conclusion is that one cannot be perpetually happy as long as one exists in this material world. The only remedy is to get out of this material world altogether and return home, back to Godhead.
SB 4.29.34, Purport: There are two kinds of fruitive activity. We can place the burden on the head, or we can place it on the shoulder. Actually, keeping the burden in either place is the same. The transferal, however, is taking place under the name of counteraction. In this connection Prahlāda Mahārāja said that fools and rascals in the material world plan so gorgeously for bodily comfort without knowing that such arrangements, even if successful, are only māyā. People are working hard day and night for the illusory happiness of the body. This is not a way to achieve happiness. One has to get out of this material entanglement and return home, back to Godhead. That is real happiness. The Vedas therefore enjoin: "Don't remain in the darkness of this material world. Go to the light of the spiritual world." To counteract the distress of this material body, one has to take on another distressed condition. Both situations are only illusion. There is no gain in taking on one trouble to counteract another trouble. The conclusion is that one cannot be perpetually happy as long as one exists in this material world. The only remedy is to get out of this material world altogether and return home, back to Godhead.

SB Canto 5

In household life, there is nothing favorable for perpetual happiness.
SB 5.14.15, Translation: In this world, family life is exactly like a blazing fire in the forest. There is not the least happiness, and gradually one becomes more and more implicated in unhappiness. In household life, there is nothing favorable for perpetual happiness. Being implicated in home life, the conditioned soul is burned by the fire of lamentation. Sometimes he condemns himself as being very unfortunate, and sometimes he claims that he suffers because he performed no pious activities in his previous life.

SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)

Although the performer of fruitive activities desires perpetual happiness, it is clearly observed that materialistic workers are often unhappy and only occasionally satisfied, thus proving that they are not independent or in control of their destiny.
SB 11.10.17, Translation: Although the performer of fruitive activities desires perpetual happiness, it is clearly observed that materialistic workers are often unhappy and only occasionally satisfied, thus proving that they are not independent or in control of their destiny. When a person is always under the superior control of another, how can he expect any valuable results from his own fruitive actions?

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

The Lord is also perpetually happy, and if we associate with the Lord, cooperate with Him, take part in His association, then also we become happy.
Introduction to Gitopanisad (Earliest Recording of Srila Prabhupada in the Bhaktivedanta Archives): We are all hankering after pleasure. Ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12). The living entities or the Lord, because we are full of consciousness, therefore our consciousness is after happiness. Happiness. The Lord is also perpetually happy, and if we associate with the Lord, cooperate with Him, take part in His association, then also we become happy.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

But we are hankering after perpetual happiness, continued happiness. So Ṛṣabhadeva advised, "My dear boys, you take to austerity. After you are purified, then brahma-saukhyam anantam, then you get unlimited happiness."
Lecture on SB 5.5.1 -- London, August 30, 1971: So Ṛṣabhadeva says that "You are wanting happiness..." And happiness... Death does not mean happiness, disease does not mean happiness, birth does not mean happiness, old age does not mean happiness. So when you are happy? If you are subjected to birth, death, old age and disease, then where is your happiness? That is called illusion, māyā. Actual happiness is not there. Therefore Vedic literature informs: ramante yoginaḥ anante [Cc. Madhya 9.29]. The yogis, they enjoy happiness unlimitedly. There is no end. Here in this material world you may enjoy anything, but it will have its end after a few minutes. That's all. You cannot enjoy perpetually. That is not possible. Therefore... But we are hankering after perpetual happiness, continued happiness. So Ṛṣabhadeva advised, "My dear boys, you take to austerity." Tapo divyaṁ yena śuddhyet sattvam [SB 5.5.1]. "After you are purified, then brahma-saukhyam anantam, then you get unlimited happiness."
So is that life, simply working day and night hard and enjoy some sex pleasure some way or other, and we are thinking happy? No. This is not life. Life is to utilize the energy for perpetual happiness.
Lecture on SB 7.9.8 -- Hawaii, March 21, 1969: "This life, human form of life, is not meant for working so hard just like animals." Then? "This kind of engagement is for the dogs and hogs." The hogs also, they work the whole day and night and have some sex pleasure. They are happy. So is that life, simply working day and night hard and enjoy some sex pleasure some way or other, and we are thinking happy? No. This is not life. Life is to utilize the energy for perpetual happiness. They do not know that there is some perpetual happiness, there is perpetual life. They are so ignorant. Therefore they are trying: "Whatever happiness can be had here, just enjoy." But there is. You are eternal. You are blissful. Simply you are covered by this material energy.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1971 Conversations and Morning Walks

Now, the thing is, what is that happiness? That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad atīndriya-grāhyam: "The absolute happiness or the perpetual happiness or the greatest happiness is that which is enjoyed by supernatural senses."
Room Conversation -- January 17, 1971, Allahabad:

Prabhupāda: The human demand is happiness.

Guest (1): Happiness, yes. But happiness means increase in which is already happy. It is...

Prabhupāda: Yes. Now, the thing is, what is that happiness? That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā. Sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad atīndriya-grāhyam: [Bg. 6.21] "The absolute happiness or the perpetual happiness or the greatest happiness is that which is enjoyed by supernatural senses."

Guest (1): Would that be by all the senses—mind, intelligence...?

Prabhupāda: Yes, everything but in their supernatural, not in this condition.

Guest (1): Not in this?

Prabhupāda: Condition.

Guest (1): You see, otherwise it is said that when a person is happy with the self, happy with others...

Prabhupāda: No, no. No, no. Try to understand. He has got his senses. These senses are now covered with the coating of material conception of life. Therefore this sense pleasure is not complete or perfect. Just like everyone has got... Now, you have got your tongue. Now, the tongue, when it is coated you cannot taste the things. So the coating is māyā.
Actually everyone is searching after that perpetual happiness. So it is a problem for everyone, and that problem can be solved by Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Room Conversation -- January 17, 1971, Allahabad:

Guest (1): Yes, how to live in such a way where there is no dearth of thing as well as there is no continuing of that need that a man becomes lost? That is the...

Prabhupāda: That is the point.

Guest (1): That is the point. And for that, what kind of spiritual should we lead?

Prabhupāda: That is... That I am going to explain, that... That is one line: sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad atīndriya-grāhyam [Bg. 6.21]. This sukham ātyantikaṁ is being searched both by the Western, Eastern, everyone, even cats, dogs, everyone. But the cats and dogs, animals, they cannot adjust what is that ātyantikaṁ sukham. But human being can. So human being, there is no question of Eastern and Western. It is a question of degree only. But actually everyone is searching after that perpetual happiness. So it is a problem for everyone, and that problem can be solved by Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Page Title:Perpetual happiness
Compiler:Laksmipriya, Labangalatika
Created:01 of Dec, 2008
Totals by Section:BG=1, SB=4, CC=0, OB=0, Lec=3, Con=2, Let=0
No. of Quotes:10