Eternal Bliss – Dhyana Yoga 21

The nature of the joy experienced in this stage is elaborated further in the next sloka.

सुखमात्यन्तिकं यत्तद् बुद्धिग्राह्यमतीन्द्रियम् ।
वेत्ति यत्र न चैवायं स्थितश्चलति तत्त्वतः ॥६- २१॥

sukhamaatyantikaM yattad.h buddhigraahyamatiindriyam.h .
vetti yatra na chaivaayaM sthitashchalati tattvataH .. 6.21..

In this state, the soul experiences joy which is permanent and beyond the reach of the senses. This can be perceived only by the intellect and once established in this state the yogi does not move from the reality of God on any account.

yat.h – which : sukham – happiness : aatyantikaM – eternal, permanent : tat.h – that : buddhigraahyam.h - which can be perceived only by the purified intellect : atiindriyam.h - beyond the grasp or reach of the senses : vetti - (the soul) experiences : yatra - in which state : sthitah – is established : cha – and : ayaM – this yogi : tattvataH - from the reality of God : na eva chalati - does not move at all.

The joy experienced here is not comparable to anything else. It is eternal and superior to all the happiness caused by the three guNaas. In the 18th Chapter, the Lord describes what is saattvik, raajasik and taamasik joy.

taamasik joy is that which is derived from those activities where the mind is dull and inactive. Sleep and laziness give joy which is taamasik and where the mind has no function.. However In this sloka the joy is described as buddhigraahyam.h which means that it can be perceived only by a supreme intellect and so it is superior to taamasik happiness.

Talking of joy, a friend of mine used to say that “marital bliss” is a contradiction in terms. He says you can either be married or have bliss. Once, A man was boasting to his friends that he was taking his wife to Rome for their 40th wedding anniversary. “What will you do for your 50th?” one of them asked. He said, “I will go and get her back.”

raajasik joy is that which is perceived by the sense objects. Joy derived by sense indulgence or sense pleasures, are raajasik joy. Pleasure obtained from eating a rich meal, seeing a movie etc. are raajasik. In this sloka, the joy is described to be atiindriyam.h which means that the senses cannot grasp it. It cannot be seen, felt, smelt or tasted. It is beyond the grasp of the senses and so it is superior to raajasik happiness.

saattvik joy is that which is derived by going to the temple or thinking about God or helping others. Even saattvik joy is only temporary because it lasts only at the time of that action. However in this shloka, the joy is described as aatyantikam.h which means that it is eternal. It is complete and continuous. So this joy is superior to even saattvik joy.

It is said here that the yogi achieves happiness which cannot be perceived by any of the senses. One may ask, how is that possible?We cannot perceive oxygen by our senses, but we know that it exists. We cannot perceive emotions such as love, hate or affection by our senses but we can know it by our intellect. Similarly when the yogi reaches this stage, the joy will not be perceived by his senses but understood by his superior intellect.

It is said that he never moves from the truth. This is because, he has the knowledge that the only reality is God and everything else is unreal. This is the tattva which is referred to in the sloka. Since, he knows this truth and has become established in God, he will never want to fall from that state into the material world and this is what is meant by saying that he never moves from the truth.

The same theme is further dealt with in the next Sloka as well..

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