संतोषादनुत्तमसुखलाभः॥४२॥
saMtoshaat = from contentment; anuttama = the highest; sukha = happiness; laabhaH = attainment
Sw. Satchidananda
"By contentment, supreme joy is gained."
We need to understand the difference between contentment and satisfaction. Contentment means neither to like nor dislike whatever we get in life, just be contented. We don’t hanker after outside things for happiness.
Bryant
"From contentment, the highest happiness is attained."
Vyasa states, "whatever happiness we get in this world or even in the celestial word, it doesn’t amount to even 1/16th of happiness attained by giving up desires". With contentment, sattva is established and supreme joy which is the nature of pure sattva is attained. Sattvic happiness does not depend upon outside objectss but is inherent in the mind.
Discussion
(Commentary by Kailasam Iyer)
"Cultivation of contentment born of freedom from needs leads to the attainment of better than the best comfort"
“Cessation of desires” is what Vyasa considers as a requirement for transcendental happiness. So, what can this state of mind be and how does it fit in with the context of Yoga?
Homeostasis is a condition of dynamic equilibrium and a live agent does what has to be done to bring the needle back to the center. If you get what you want you are satisfied. If you can’t get what you want and if you can adapt you can continue to live. But there is a slight twist here. When you get what you want you want more or something different and when you have to adapt to less than what you want there is remnant bitterness. An example from real life is when you exercise on a regular basis, the same routine gets you used to a state and you are usually advised to take it to the next level – increase the weight or reps. If you don’t, you don’t get stronger or better. If you can’t, you are OK but slightly disappointed. So, you strive for the next higher plateau. We think of this as life. Standing still is equivalent to falling behind precisely because the environment keeps changing. Our efforts to keep up with the environment leaves vasanas behind.
An ascetic travels in the opposite direction because his objective is not survival but a knowledge of the Self. His objective is to clear the mind. He gradually REDUCES his needs and forces his body to acclimatize to less and less dependence on the environment until he is a minimalist. An alternate approach had been suggested earlier. Enjoy or suffer but don’t get attached. Even if this is possible before you are a realized person, this is a bit different from not having needs. Freedom from needs leads to a sustained sense of relaxation.
I am interpreting the phrase “anutthama sukham” as comfort beyond human measure. I get the picture of transcendence . Please see the joy of that child in the attachment. Imagine you being suffused with that feeling while you are free from needing ANYTHING.
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