Modern man has tried innumerable ways to be happy. Despite all endeavors, the statistics reaveal a predominant global rise in stress, depression, anxiety, psychiatric cases, suicides, crime, and corruption over the past few decades, among all walks of life. Besides this, a person needs to slog incessantly to secure bare necessities, which compels one to think, if happiness has become a luxury. Is it so difficult to be happy? Indeed, no. Lord Krishna gives a higher perspective of life and a greater understanding of the means of becoming happy. He gives a formula of assured, quick and lasting happiness.
When the roots are watered well, the fruits can be sweet and juicy. So, the sweet fruit of happiness is achieved when the roots of consciousness are spiritually watered.
nasti buddhir ayuktasya
na cayuktasya bhavana
na cabhavayatah shantir
ashantasya kutah sukham
One who is not in transcendental consciousness can have neither a controlled mind nor steady intelligence, without which there is no possibility of peace. And how can there be any happiness without peace? (Bhagavad-Gita 2.66)
To be happy, one must have peace. Peace comes with controlled mind and steady intelligence. One achieves controlled mind and steady intelligence only after achieving transcendental consciousness.
Lord Krishna says that without having a spiritual foundation, one cannot be materially happy. At the beginning of Bhagavad-gita, Arjuna tried to be happy by stopping the battle on the grounds of compassion, religious principles, moral codes, and indecisiveness. However, Krishna denounced Arjuna’s proposals because they were on a material (mundane) platform. Krishna wants everyone, including Arjuna, to derive the highest level of happiness in the transcendental (spiritual) platform.
We are not these bodies, but spirit souls, and we are not human beings, but are spiritual beings having a human experience. This fundamental knowledge is the foundation for real happiness. Being a spirit soul entails that our endeavor to be happy should be on the spiritual platform.
The material happiness is derived from our senses and the mind. It has a beginning and an end. No matter how great may be our plan of enjoyment on the bodily platform, it is always mixed with distress. One cannot have unalloyed happiness in this dimension. Krishna discouraged Arjuna and humanity at large, from deriving this temporary and inferior happiness. Instead, He unveiled the secret of spiritual happiness, which is to come to our real constitutional position, our real spiritual identity. On the spiritual platform, one enjoys an ever-increasing uninterrupted and unalloyed happiness. Every intelligent man must strive to achieve this highest standard of happiness.
The most crucial aspect is to execute this happiness formula. The first step is to elevate one's consciousness from material to the transcendental platform. Once this is achieved, rest all effortlessly follows. To quickly reach the spiritual platform and enjoy spiritual happiness, scriptures strongly recommend chanting the holy names of Lord Krishna.
Under the direction of a bona fide teacher, by regularly chanting Hare Krishna Mahamantra (Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/ Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare) and refraining from four sinful activities namely - eating meat, intoxication, gambling, illicit sex, one swiftly reaches the spiritual platform. This method is thoroughly recommended in all parts of Vedic literature and approved by all great saintly persons. After achieving the spiritual platform- the mind and the senses automatically get controlled, and intelligence becomes steady. Thus, one achieves lasting peace. By executing activities in this state of consciousness, one derives eternal happiness.
Srila Prabhupada says, "The surest path to happiness is to live by the principles laid down by Lord Krishna and not to disobey His established laws." The happiness one achieves by following Krishna's formula is like an ocean of ambrosia. Merely by following the guidelines of Krishna, one can instantly perceive the results. Therefore, every intelligent man must endeavor in this direction to make his life perfect by being permanently happy.
