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The Pursuit of Happiness

Lopa Mukherjee

Abstract
One of the most cherished goals in life is happiness. It would seem to solve the problem of pain,
or at least explain it in some way. Many spiritual paths have tried to deal with suffering and
have offered happiness as an antidote. There have been some paths that have made happiness
their foremost aim. We can all experience happiness of various kinds coming from different
parts of our being and from various outward circumstances. We also experience the ephemeral
nature of happiness but keep aspiring for a permanent joy. One can as well say life is the pursuit
of happiness, and this seeking takes us through many worlds to the Supreme AAnanda. This
article explores the many facets of happiness, the many paths that lead to it, and in particular
what the Upanisads have revealed about it, which includes Sri Aurobindo’s vision, as written in
s
his Sanskrit aphorostic text, now called the Sriaurobindopanishad.

Even God can only offer it to you, but cannot
make sure you get it. Such is happiness. You
have to create it for yourself, and it takes
enormous effort to keep unhappiness at bay.
“Anityam asukhamm lokamm, this world that is
constantly changing is full of suffering,” says
s
Krsna, “Having come here, pray to me. Imaam m
r
n
a
prapya bhajaswa mam.” It is easy to be happy
a
when things are going well, but when you
face a loss — of health, or home, or job, or
livelihood, or a loved one — can you still be
happy?
Everybody wants it, but nobody can buy it,
a
steal it, or barter anything in exchange to And yet the Vedanta says the substratum of
get it. Nobody can gift it to anybody else. this conscious existence is Delight, which is
Nobody can demand it from anybody else. why the Supreme is called Sat-Chit-AAnanda,

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