On Something That is Beyond Bliss
Happiness is a spectrum, at whose apex sits bliss. But there is something beyond bliss, the nature of which is interesting to explore and understand.
Happiness exists along a spectrum. We feel happy, very happy and extremely happy. Where does this spectrum begin and end? Does it even end? Before we explore this, let me recount an anecdote which will set the context. I shall be using a Sanskrit verse along with the corresponding English transliteration (in italics) and translation.
Yoga classes always conclude with this Sanskrit verse:-
ॐ शान्तिः शान्तिः शान्तिः । (Om shanti, shanti, shanti)
लोकाः समस्ताः सुखिनो भवन्तु ॥ (Loka samastha sukhino bhavanthu)
The literal translation of the verse is:-
Om Peace, Peace, Peace !
The world, the whole of it, let it be happy!
A friend of mine who regularly attends Yoga classes asked his coach about the meaning of this verse. He was told that the verses meant — “We pray for world peace and the happiness of the whole world.” He mentioned this to me in passing during a dinner conversation. I then sought to give him a deeper metaphysical sense of the verse. It was a bit long and slightly technical, but my friend found it worthwhile.
At a certain simplistic literary level, the meaning that my friend was told would suffice. But it has a profound meaning hidden inside. Sanskrit verses are known to pack several layers of meanings at an increasing level of profundity to cater to a wide variety of audiences. The layer at which the meanings are revealed is based on the type of questions asked. This is the beauty of Sanskrit.
From the literal meaning of the verse, certain questions can arise. Praying for peace in the world tantamounts to putting the responsibility on others to be peaceful. The problem with this approach is that it takes the agency away from us and shoulders it on someone else. Is it the right way to bring peace? Furthermore, the word peace (shanti) has been used three times. Is there a significance to this number? Why is happiness being sought for the whole world rather than just human beings?
Line 1 of the Verse:
Shanti means peace of mind. We are subject to three types of miseries. One is from forces in the physical plane external to oneself (adhibhautikatapa), the second one from unseen forces of nature (adidaivikatapa) and the third one from psychophysical forces internal to oneself (adhyatmikatapa). The usage of the word — peace, thrice, is to seek peace from these three forces so that they do not torment us.
Line 2 of the Verse:
Loka means the universe at our plane of consciousness. Samastha means the entirety of it, which includes humans, animals, grasshoppers, plants, rivers, forests, and mountains to name a few. Sukham is the highest level of happiness possible in this Loka. Bhavanthu is the verb which means letting be.
The prayer is to wish everyone in this universe to be in a state of Sukham. As much as we wish Sukham for ourselves, we also wish it for every other living being, non-living thing and elemental force in this phenomenal world. When they are in a state of Sukham, nature is balanced and in harmony. It in turn blesses us with bountifulness.
Summary of the Verse:
So the first line of the verse is about praying to the three elemental forces to let one live in peace. The second line is wishing happiness for everyone in the universe who in turn will help one to live in peace. It uses a kind of recursive logic to convey that peace and happiness are a collective endeavour.
Sukham has been used to indicate the highest expression of happiness. In reality, we have 4 words that lie on the happiness spectrum. As per the evolutionary arrow, these are — Bhogam (भोग), Harsham (हर्ष), Sukham (सुख) and Anandam (आनंद). Of these four, the word that was chosen in the verse was one level below the highest state. Why?
- Bhogam means happiness derived from pleasures at the level of the body. This sense of happiness keeps one tied to pursuing baser instincts without transmuting them into a higher purpose. This level of happiness is fleeting. One seeks to constantly outrun this temporary happiness in search of newer pleasures as if running on a treadmill. There is a constant sense of unease which they seek to overwhelm with more and more titillations. It is like pouring oil into a fire to quench it.
- Harsham means joy at possessing and enjoying earthly things at an emotional level. Here actions transmute to a higher purpose. People will tend to plan, put in hard work and acquire material things from which they derive emotional happiness. There is a sense of expansion of one’s consciousness beyond the mundane needs of the body. People tend to derive their happiness by hoarding their material possessions. There is sometimes a display of generosity but only under expectations of something in return.
- Sukham means bliss at sharing and being at peace with oneself at an intellectual level. When the purpose further elevates itself, the further expansion of one’s consciousness gives a larger vision of the unity of life itself, its place in the larger scheme of things that nature has put in its place. There is a realisation that everything is ours and not limited to mine. From this, springs the concept of living and letting live.
- Anandam is above bliss and it springs from a deeper level of our Atman (loosely translated as soul). It transcends the necessity of a cause to remain blissful. The bliss expresses itself without a cause, which is the inherent nature of Atman. Anandam cannot be translated to bliss, for bliss is a state of experience due to the presence or absence of external factors. Anandam is a state achieved irrespective of external factors, without a cause.
The deeper meanings of different shades of synonyms can be still better explained through their antonyms. The opposite of Bhogam is Peeda (पीड़ा), of Harsham is Shokam (शोक), of Sukham is Dukkham (दुख). The closest English words are misery, grief and sorrowfulness in that order.
What is the opposite of Anandam?
Anandam has no opposite and that is the beauty of this word.
Anandam is causeless. Anandam is permanent.
Anandam is not related to the duality of this world. This means one cannot achieve the state of Anandam through any kind of interaction with the phenomenal world. It comes from deep within.
When Sanyasis (the ones who renounce the world) adopt Sanyasa (the state of being a Sanyasi), they acquire a new name having “Ananda” as a suffix like Swami Vivekananda (Viveka+Ananda), Mata Amritananda Mayi (Amrita+Ananda+Mayi). It is to constantly remind themselves that their purpose in life is to walk the path of experiencing Anandam.
Taittriya Upanishad* (2.7.2) says that one experiences a range of happiness depending on one’s identification with body, mind or intellect. When you transcend all object identifications, then that state which is object independent and becomes the felt experience of the being is Anandam.
The reason why Sukham was chosen in the verse rather than Anandam is that it is the highest level of happiness that can be achieved when one is constrained by the limitations of space and time. Anandam exists only when one reaches the highest plane of universal super-consciousness called as Satchitananda.
While Sukham is a more achievable step for most of us, the ultimate goal is Anandam. Anandam is the pure unalloyed ever effulgent experience of supreme consciousness that has no opposite. This is the goal every human being strives for knowingly or unknowingly.
Metaphysical meaning of the Verse:-
Let me get peace from all the elemental forces. Let me, every other living being and non-living thing be in a state of bliss. Let this state of peace and bliss, finally lead everyone in the search for Anandam.
*Upanishads are the philosophical part of the first tier of the Sanatana Dharma’s scriptures called Shrutis.
Originally published at https://heliumplus.substack.com.
