Sunday, December 29, 2013

347. To experience Eternal Happiness is the Matter Within……

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/spiritual-blogs/seekers/self-improvement/to-experience-eternal-happiness-is-the-matter-within


Last year on one Sunday our entire family had been to Melukote about 130 kms from Bangalore. It is a place on a rocky hill overlooking the Kaveri valley and is a famous pilgrimage center. We left our place in the wee hours of the morning when even Sun was not up. As I drove towards Channapatna (city famous for hand made wooden toys) at the backdrop of the green paddy fields emerged the crimson red cheery ball on the eastern side. The joy of seeing the rising sun was unmatchable. Thanking nature for the beautiful sight we moved on to our destination.


We were feeling hungry and decided to stop at Maddur about 80 kms from Bangalore a place very famous for Maddur vada. We relished hot Maddur vada and coffee. Maddur vada is made of rice flour, suji and maida mixed with chopped onions, chilies curry leaves which are all fried, soaked, and made as soft dough. A small amount of it is taken and pressed into a patty and then deep fried in oil until it turns golden-brown. The pleasure in relishing the vada was unimaginable. Thanking our ancestors for such a recipe and we moved on.


We reached Melkote around 10 am and went to the temple to have the darshana of Lord Chaluvanarayana Swamy. The Lord at the sanctum was enchanting and the experience of having a look at Him was enthralling and most inspiring. We thanked our stars for the darshana of the lord and we spent some time in the vicinity of the temple. In and around the temple were lots of school kids who were on a one day excursion and I had some biscuits and chocolates and I wished to offer it to the school kids who were studying in class IV at Government School, Mysore. I experienced the joy in sharing the biscuits and chocolates with the kids and spending time with them was priceless. 



When I looked back at the events of that day I was happy my mind experienced the pleasure of the beautiful sight in the morning of the rising sun at the backdrop of the lush green paddy fields. Then it was again happy and had the sense of satisfaction when I relished the Maddur vada at the hotel and there was a feel of ecstasy at having the look at the enchanting image of the Lord in the sanctum. And lastly there was a sort of gladness felt in while giving biscuits and chocolates to the school kids at the temple.

Do all these emotions or mood fall in the category of happiness?????? No, These are all the feel of happiness that was experienced by me through my mind that I could relate thus; The sight of rising sun was the happiness I could get from something away from me and which is also available to others and this is Priya (Liking). Sense of satisfaction while relishing Maddur vada was happiness that I could get from things that are not mine but for my consumption and this is Modha (Pleasing). The feel of ecstasy while having the darshana of the Lord was due to the happiness which I could get from my own; I could relate Him as my own and this is Pramoda (Exhilaration). And lastly and the most important one the gladness that I felt while sharing the biscuits and chocolates with the kids at the temple which I thought is meant for me when I purchased them and this is Ananda (Eternal Happiness).



Though Priya, Modha and Pramodha could give me happiness it had to depend on the objects away from me, it is Ananda which makes me experience happiness without depending on the objects outside me. 


The pleasure and happiness in sharing is unique and to express that kind of experience there are no words.

No comments:

Post a Comment