Seeking happiness remains to be the basic purpose in our life. All our activities are directed towards achieving happiness. Yet happiness continues to elude us. Why ! We glibly talk about happiness being state of mind but fail to understand its true meanings. Happiness is a product of love. We love our children, parents, life partner other relations and friends. We love our belongings and have longing for these. In all these relations and possessions we are guided by our basic purpose of fulfillment of our desires. We keep chasing our desires to no end. This love for our relations and belongings is reciprocal. We have expectations in return for our love. In our offerings too we seek much bigger returns. Even alms giving is guided by our desire to be thanked in return. When these expectations are not fulfilled we feel disappointed and sad. Jealousy, a product of ego is another cause of our unhappiness.
So, in order to achieve eternal happiness we need to understand eternal love. The love that is not reciprocal. It is one way act, without any expectations in return. It is a different plane altogether from reciprocal love which is based on give and take. “Sarbat da bhala” (Well being of all) enunciated by Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji is out of eternal love for all. Love for all, even of those who may not like us or have gone astray from right path, that we call criminals. Love without discrimination. Eternal love has no scope for hatred. Instead we feel sorry for those who suffer for having lost their true bearings, (Na ko bairi nahen begana sagal sang ham ko ban aai). Compassion replaces hatred. It is total surrender to Him, that is called 'Bhagti” Once we are one with Him we achieve eternal happiness, the bliss. Till than the true happiness will continue to elude us.
Lt Col HS Cheema
