Gyaneshwari -Sant Gyaneshwar
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Chapter-18
Release
36. And hear from Me, O best of Bharatas, about the three kinds of happiness. That in which, one derives pleasure from practice and puts an end to sorrow; O intelligent Arjuna, now hear about the three-fold happiness, which I had promised to tell you. I shall explain to you in words by which you will be able to understand happiness, which results from the union of a human being with his Self. Even a patent medicine has to be taken in appropriate doses, tin has to be electroplated with silver by alchemy or water has to be poured twice or thrice to dissolve salt (771-775). In the same way, when a person secures a little pleasure and continues his yogic practice, all the miseries of his mundane life come to an end. The happiness of the Self, so attained by him, is of three kinds. I shall tell them one by one. 37. That which is first like venom, but like nectar in the end, and which arises from the purity of the mind, that happiness is said to be of sattva quality. When the base of a sandalwood tree is encircled by serpents it causes fright, so does a hidden treasure when guarded by a spirit. One has to take the trouble of performing sacrifices in order to gain celestial pleasures. The childhood becomes intolerable because of suffering. One has to put up with the nuisance of smoke in lighting a lamp. And the tongue has to suffer the bitter taste of medicine before cure (776-780). As in all such ways, O Arjuna, in order to gain spiritual pleasure, one has to bear initially, the discomforts resulting from the practice of self-control and sense-restraint. It is only when intense dispassion towards worldly pleasures wells up in the heart, it pulls down the hedge between worldly existence and heaven. When he listens to discourses on discriminating knowledge and practices hard vows and rites, the intellect etc. are sorely tried. |
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