Bliss or ananda is a divine Vibhuti. That is why it is said, ‘happiness is union with God’. Your true nature is bliss. Know this and be cheerful always. (SSB 1979, p. 167)
Wicked plans by whomsoever entertained might grant only temporary happiness, but they are certain to pave the way to ultimate downfall. (RKRV Part I, p. 417)
One does not get happiness through another, nor does he become miserable through another. He cannot get good fortune or bad fortune, through another. There is no possibility for such indirect means to succeed. Nor can one really be either happy or miserable. (RKRV Part I, p. 348)
Generally, man seeks only happiness and joy; under no stress will he desire misery and grief! He treats happiness and joy as his closest well-wishers and misery and grief as his direct enemies. This is a great mistake. When one is happy, the risk of grief is great; fear of losing the happiness will haunt man. Misery prompts inquiry, discrimination, self-examination and fear of worse things that might happen. It awakens you from sloth and conceit. Happiness makes one forget one’s obligations to oneself as a human being. It drags man into egoism and the sins that egoism leads one to commit. Grief renders man alert and watchful! So misery is a real friend; happiness spreads out the stock of merit and arouses the baser passions. So it is really an enemy. (GV, pp. 30-31)
Permanent happiness can be secured only through one Vidya , the Upanishad Vidya . That is the science of God. That alone can save man and grant him peace. There is nothing higher than that, this is an indisputable fact. (Prema Vahini, p. 22)
The happiness of the world is the sign of the arrival of an Avatar. It is then that the religion of Satya, the religion of Daya, the religion of Jnana and that the religion of Prema will grow and prosper. (Prema Vahini, pp. 77-78)
The greatest happiness is Shanti, inner peace. How do you get it? By knowing that you are the atma, which has no birth or death, no joy or grief, no up and no down. (SSS Vol.4, p. 112)
You cannot be happy when the rest of the mankind is unhappy. You are an organic part of the human community. Share your prosperity with others; strive to alleviate the sufferings of others. That is your duty. (SSS Vol.2, p. 34)
The best way to gain happiness is to choose God as the leader and guide. Then, He will guide and guard, from the heart itself. Emperor Shivaji once sent some persons from the Court to Samarth Ramdas, his preceptor, with a large quantity of provisions - grains, clothes, sweets and vessels. Ramdas asked them, ‘For whom have you brought these and why?’ They replied ‘For you. You have no one who can provide for you, and so, Shivaji Maharaja has sent all this’. Ramdas laughed and said, ‘I have Providence itself to provide for me; God alone has no one to provide for Him. Ask Shivaji to send these things to God’. (SS Feb 85 , p. Cover Page)
Happiness consists in constantly meditating on the fine thoughts; I am not different from God; I can become that Magnificent One; Worldly worries and troubles cannot touch me; I am not different from Brahmananda and I am ever happy, content with everything, on a daily basis. (DBG, p. 206)
There is no rose without a thorn. Unminded happiness is not to be found in this material world. All happiness is in self-supreme. The Scripture says: ‘Happiness cannot be won through happiness’. ‘Na Sukhad Labhyate Sukham’: ‘Happiness can be won only through misery.’ Pleasure is but an interval between two pains. To achieve the Sattvika happiness, that is positive and permanent, man must perforce take on trials and tribulations, loss and gain. (SV, p. 97)
Do not expect to find happiness in the other world; that world too is impermanent. Once you have exhausted your merits, you will again be cast out of it. Even in politics, candidates are elected for a term that expires after five years. Each year that passes shortens the right he earned through the election. In the same way, the duration of your ‘paradise’ will depend upon your merits. When these are used up, you will have to return to the earth. (ACPMSB, p. 174)
Wholesome happiness arises only from the fullness of Love; Truth, Peace, Charity and Fortitude. These can fructify only in the atmosphere of Love - Sayeth Sai. Men yearn for good times, high status, power and good life. But seldom do they yearn for good thoughts, wisdom and virtue. What better advice can Sai give? (SV, p. 204)
Man is the architect of his own happiness or misery. Only good actions can produce good results. When the individual is good, the family is good. When families are good, the society is reformed. When society improves, the nation improves. When the nations improve, the world is transformed. Hence, the transformation must begin with the individual. How can this transformation be brought about? There are two impurities in man which have to be cast out: Selfishness and Conceit. But that is not enough. Pure qualities like love, forbearance and compassion have to be imbibed. Life has to be divinised. (SSS Vol.20, p. 157)
Santosham Param Sukham: There is no better comfort than happiness. There are many in the world who have plenty of accessories for material comforts that one can command, but still are not happy. Dhritarashtra was enjoying all the royal comforts in plenty and was leading a palatial life with hundred children, but yet he had no happiness or peace. We think that material comforts confer peace or happiness. In this mundane world, no one can have real happiness. What you consider as happiness is only in your heart. There is no other Sukham or comfort than enjoying this happiness. This is latent in everyone. (Sens.SS, p. 49)
‘Lobham hitva sukhi bhavet’ (Happiness is got by overcoming greed). Life is an ocean filled with waves of pleasure and pain. Man is happy when his desires are fulfilled and is sad when they are not. ‘Joys and sorrows are inseparable. Joy is not separate. It is the fruit of difficulties,’ Says a Telugu poem. Pain and pleasure are like the two parts of a seed or the two sides of a coin. People should learn to treat pleasure and pain alike. In fact, pain enhances the joy derived from the pleasure that follows. Pleasure and pain, loss and gain, fame and infamy are inextricably linked in the world. Man’s divinity consists in overcoming these opposites. Unfortunately, man falls a prey to limitless desires and ends his life in misery and despair. (SSS Vol.29, p. 98)
Be happy; make others happy; all will be happy; then god will be happy with you. (Uniq, p. 142)
Be centres of love, compassion, service, mutual tolerance, and be happy, very very happy. (EL, p. 232)
Happiness or worry is based on your feelings. If you consider the body to be a cause or worry, it will be so. On the other hand, if you consider it sacred, it will be a source of happiness for you. (DD on 13.03.02 , p. 8)
Happiness is union with God. You are not ordinary mortals. All are essentially divine. In order to realise your true nature, practise what you preach. Only then can you experience bliss. Verily, bliss is the true nature of man. Why should you give that which is natural to you and lead an ordinary life?
True education is that which originates from the heart. Heart is very important for human existence. When a child is born, the first thing that people observe is the heart beat. You should rely more on your spiritual heart than on the physical heart. Conscience is another name for spiritual heart. Keep your heart pure. That should be your main endeavour. Whatever is done with love and purity of heart will confer bliss on you. In fact, bliss is latent in everyone. But man is unaware of this truth. One should make every effort to manifest one’s innate bliss in him.
What is the nature of bliss? Brahmanandam Parama Sukhadam Kevalam Jnanamurtim Dvandvathitam (God is the embodiment of eternal bliss, He is wisdom, absolute, beyond the pair of opposites). It transcends duality. So long one is immersed in duality one cannot experience bliss. First of all one should understand the principle of unity. Unity leads to purity and purity leads to divinity. A true human being is one who strives for unity, purity and divinity. Otherwise, he is no better than birds and animals. First purify your senses and develop unity. Consider all as your brothers and sisters. In public meetings, we hear the speakers addressing people as brothers and sisters. But do they really mean what they say? Do you find unity among brothers and sisters today? No. True happiness lies in unity. Human life can be compared to a tree. Our relations are like branches and sub-branches. Contemplation of God is like a flower from which you will get the fruit of bliss. (DD on 17.08.05 , pp. 4-5)
Wholesome happiness arises only from the fullness of love;
Truth, peace, charity, fortitude – these can fructify
Only in the atmosphere of love – sayeth Sai.
Men yearn for good times, high status, power, good life;
But seldom do they yearn for good thoughts, wisdom and virtue.
What better advice can Sai give.
(SSS Vol. 15, p. 103)
Happiness and misery are two pots balanced on back and front by the rod to which they are tied and placed on the shoulder. Everyone has to carry both in equal measure. In case one has no misery, one cannot identify happiness. (RKRV Part I, p. 462)