Happiness and Peace = Pujya Gurudev

The Path to Happiness and Peace

=Pt.ShriRam Sharma Acharya

Every one aspires for a satisfied, cheerful, progressive and fulfilling life. But only a few seem to have it�. Moreover, most people are often found complaining and suffering from varieties of tensions, fears, quarrels, jealousy, scorn, loneliness, infirmities, scarcities, diseases, etc. It is said that � �where there is a will there will be a way� or �necessity is the mother of invention�. But, that does not seem to quite work in this case! Man longs most eagerly for joy and peace of mind but hardly finds them. The reason is � nothing can manifest without a cause; goals or ends can�t be achieved without appropriate means. A wish alone remains only a dreamy desire unless backed by zealous and prudent efforts. For every worthwhile goal there are some principles and some disciplines that define the optimal path to reach it.

\Every objective has some specific prerequisites to be met, certain methods to be followed to accomplish it. Half-hearted, haphazard or inappropriate approaches prove to be futile and bring irritation, depression and despair in return. Those dying to get a sky-flower have to wait life-long in vain. Their eyesight may freeze in staring to have a look at it but they won�t get even a glimpse of this �mirage� in reality. Just feeling thirsty and crying for water does not pour the drops of water in our mouth. Man burns and ruins himself in the fire of unending cravings. His dire desire for fulfillment always remains unfulfilled. We want to be happy but often find that the circumstances of life pull us back into the mire of discontent, desperation and worries. Can�t we ever come out of this vicious cycle? Is the aspiration for happiness impossible to be met? No! It can and should be fulfilled if pursued rightly. But, How? Let us look at the basic principles and the methods towards achieving this goal. What is happiness? It is an emanation of inner harmony and peace reflected in a pure heart. What is sorrow? It is an outcome of infirmity, an image of ignorance. �nanda (bliss) is a divine attribute. The eternal complementarity of Shiva and Shakti, Krishna and Radha, Ram and Sita, Vishnu and Lakshmi, Purusha and Prakrati described in the Vedic scriptures is absolute. So is the pair of ananda and anandamayi shakti. Life-force cannot express itself without the physical body.

The Supreme Creator would also remain �non-existent� without its expression in the creation and manifestation of Nature. We would not have been able to conceptualize or realize the presence of God without having the faculties of thoughts and emotions�. The roots of unalloyed joy also lie in the feel of art and culture. Every expression, every entity, every feeling has a basis, a nature of its existence. The same is true of happiness. The Upanishads describe its source of expression as the vigour and radiance of the (inner and external) mind and the body: �Nayamatma Balahinena Labhyah�; the weak (emotionally, mentally, or physically) and ignorant ones cannot get the delight of the soul, the experience of ananda.

Thanks GOD, Thanks Sadguru,

Shiv Sharma