Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 11.23.52

atma yadi syat sukha-duhkha-hetuh

kim anyatas tatra nija-svabhavah

na hy atmano 'nyad yadi tan mrsa syat

krudhyeta kasman na sukham na duhkham

SYNONYMS

atma -- the soul himself; yadi -- if; syat -- should be; sukha-duhkha -- of happiness and distress; hetuh -- the cause; kim -- what; anyatah -- other; tatra -- in that theory; nija -- his own; svabhavah -- nature; na -- not; hi -- indeed; atmanah -- than the soul; anyat -- anything separate; yadi -- if; tat -- that; mrsa -- false; syat -- would be; krudhyeta -- one can become angry; kasmat -- at whom; na -- there is no; sukham -- happiness; na -- nor; duhkham -- misery.

TRANSLATION

If the soul himself were the cause of happiness and distress, then we could not blame others, since happiness and distress would be simply the nature of the soul. According to this theory, nothing except the soul actually exists, and if we were to perceive something besides the soul, that would be illusion. Therefore, since happiness and distress do not actually exist in this concept, why become angry at oneself or others?

PURPORT

Because a dead body does not feel pleasure or pain, our happiness and distress are due to our own consciousness, which is the nature of the soul. It is not, however, the original function of the soul to enjoy material happiness and suffer material distress. These are produced by ignorant material affection and enmity based on false ego. Our involvement in sense gratification drags our consciousness into the material body, where it is shocked by the inevitable bodily pains and problems.

On the spiritual platform there is neither material happiness nor distress because there the living consciousness is fully engaged, without personal desire, in the devotional service of the Supreme Lord. This is the actual position of happiness, aloof from false bodily identification. Rather than uselessly becoming enraged with others for one's own foolishness, one should take to self-realization and solve the problems of life.

<<< >>>

Copyright (c) The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc.
His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
His Holiness Hrdayananda dasa Goswami
Gopiparanadhana dasa Adhikari
Dravida dasa Brahmacari