Spirituality and Indian Psychology: Lessons from ... - Mandhata Global

130 7 A General Model of Peace and Happiness
sukhaM 15 or happiness appear in the bhagavadgItA, and in this verse the relationship
between them is categorically stated – only those who have a balanced buddhi will
be at peace and thus be happy.
In verse 2.67, 16 another simile, that of a boat, is used to show the power of the
senses. Just like a boat gets captured by wind, the manas, which follows the senses
wherever they go, seizes the buddhi (or the ability to reason) of the person. In verse
2.68, the person who is able to completely control the senses wherever they go is
said to be sthitaprajna. In verse 2.68, 17 the person with sthitaprajna is said to be
completely opposite of regular people – when it is night for common people, this
person keeps awake; and when common people are awake, that is night for this
person. An interpretation of this verse is that wakefulness is associated with being
involved in some activity, whereas sleep is about being inactive. Therefore, whatever
attracts one is like day because one is going to pursue that, and what does not
interest one is like night, because one is not going to pursue it. Common people are
attracted toward material life and activities, and so they constitute day for them, but
for the aspirants of spirituality (mumukSa) or those who are advanced (sthitaprajna
or yogArUDha) people that would be night. On the other hand, spiritually inclined
people are attracted toward spiritual life and the activities that are a part of their
practice (or sAdhanA), which often does not appeal to common people (Swami
Narayan, cited in Varma, 1975). Gandhi (2002) explained verse 2.69 18 beautifully
by giving the example of how a person leading a material life enjoys late night parties
and sleeps until late in the morning, whereas a person on a spiritual path goes
to bed early and gets up in the wee hours of the morning to do his or her practice
(or sAdhanA). Thus, we can see that the verse can be interpreted even literally –
when a common person is awake, an aspirant is sleeping and when the common
person is sleeping, the aspirant is awake.
In the context provided by the 15 verses preceding verse 2.70, we can appreciate
the meaning of peace and happiness in their fullest depth. Peace is presented as the
highest desideratum of human endeavor and can only be achieved by completely
controlling the senses and achieving balance in the positive and negative outcomes
of all human efforts and activities, thus becoming free of all desires, which is
referred to as kAmasaMkalpavivarjana. Peace does not lie in fulfilling desires or
enjoying the goodies of the material world, and in fact it is said to be a source of
misery as was shown in the models in Chapter 6. Happiness is presented as the
15 The word sukha first appeared in verse 2.38 as sukhaduHkha, which means happiness or sorrow –
sukhaduHkhe same kritva lAbhAlAbhau jayAjyau; tato yuddhAya yjyasva naivaM pApamavApsyasi.
You should engage in the battle by considering happiness and sorrow, gain and loss, and victory and
defeat the same, and by doing so you will not earn demerit or sin.
16 Verse 2.67: indRiyANAM hi caratAM yanmano’nuvidhIyate; tadasya harati prajnAM
vAyurnAvamivAmbhasi.
17 Verse 2.68: tasmAdyasya mahAbAho nigRhItAni sarvazaH; indRyANIndRyArthebhyastasya
prajnA pratiSThita.
18 Verse 2.69: yA nizA sarvabhutAnAM tasyAM jAgarti saMyamI; yasyA jAgrati bhUtAni sA nizA
pazyato muneH.