How and Where to Find Peace of Mind (The Secret to a Happy Life)
The Illusion of Wealth and Luxury
Today, in the blind race to earn money, people acquire luxury cars, grand mansions, vast wealth, elegant furniture, televisions, refrigerators, microwaves, stylish clothes, shining shoes, a variety of gourmet dishes, fruits, and sweets in abundance. However, despite possessing all the comforts, they have lost peace of mind and the joy of life. Even with numerous means of pleasure, people remain mentally disturbed, restless, exhausted, depressed, and stressed. They are so busy with work that they barely have time to eat the very food they work hard to earn.
A businessman sitting at his shop is found eating at 4 PM. When asked if he is having lunch or dinner, he replies, "I eat whenever I get time." Such a hectic life, family problems, insecurity, greed, jealousy, ego, an undisciplined lifestyle—such as eating late at night, waking up at 11 AM, excessive use of air conditioning, stale food from refrigerators, fast food, burgers, chemically preserved foods, and toxic soft drinks—are all major contributors to an unhealthy body and a restless mind.
The Burden of Wealth and Stress
The more wealth people acquire, the greater their worries, leading only to stress, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart diseases, cancer, tuberculosis, and even suicides—where stress is often the primary cause.
People believe that acquiring wealth will bring them happiness and fulfillment, but in reality, the opposite happens. The wealthier a person becomes, the more restless they feel because money and riches are not the solution to inner peace.
The Teachings of the Scriptures-
In the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (2/4), Sage Yajnavalkya tells his wife Maitreyi that while wealth can provide comfort, beautiful homes, luxurious clothes, and all the pleasures of life, it cannot bring peace to the soul. Similarly, in the Katha Upanishad, a sage warns about the fleeting nature of worldly pleasures. When the young boy Nachiketa asks the sage about the mystery of death, the sage tries to dissuade him, offering instead worldly kingdoms, pleasures, and a long life. But Nachiketa replies, “Worldly pleasures are temporary; desires never end. No matter how much wealth one accumulates, the heart is never satisfied.”
The Endless Desire (Trishna)
King Bhartṛhari, after renouncing his kingdom, declared that "desires always remain young; they never age or diminish." He stated:
"Bhoga na bhukta, vayameva bhukta;
Trishna na jirna, vayameva jirna."
Meaning, "We never truly enjoy pleasures; instead, pleasures consume us. Desires never grow old; it is we who grow old."
Working tirelessly, using deceit, fraud, and unethical means to accumulate wealth does not bring the joy of life or peace of mind.
Earn Wealth but with Honesty-
The Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, and other scriptures do not consider the material world as false; rather, they accept it as real because the Creator (God) is true, and His creation cannot be false.
The Rigveda states, "Vyayam Syama Patyo Rayinam"—which means, "Let us become masters of wealth." It encourages earning wealth, but through honesty and righteousness.
We should earn well but also share generously. Hoarding wealth like a serpent serves no purpose. The saying "Ajgar kare na chakari, panchi kare na kaam, Das Maluka kah gaye, sab ke data Ram" may apply to lazy individuals but not to intelligent and hardworking people. We are not serpents or birds; we are humans meant to act and contribute.
The True Purpose of Wealth—Charity and Service
The belief that wealth should be limited to feeding one’s family and saints is incorrect. If that were the case, who would fund charitable institutions like schools, hospitals, orphanages, widows’ homes, cowsheds, and Gurukuls?
Thus, the Vedas advocate earning wealth but emphasize that it must be tied to righteousness (Dharma). Money should come from honest means, not through deceit, corruption, or exploitation.
Always remember, the ultimate goal of human life is not indulgence in luxury or suffering from diseases but achieving true peace and happiness.
The Real Goal of Life
Everyone seeks Moksha (liberation), but why? The answer is simple—to attain eternal happiness and bliss. Hence, happiness is our true goal, not merely earning money or seeking pleasure. Becoming a doctor, engineer, lawyer, CA, IAS, IPS, or MBA is not the ultimate objective; rather, attaining peace of mind should be our true aim.
The Path to Peace of Mind-
Instead of getting lost in materialistic distractions, one must turn to pure devotion to the Supreme Creator (God), daily prayers, and meditation on Om (ॐ).
To attain real peace, one should wake up early during the Brahma Muhurta (pre-dawn hours) and dedicate time to the worship of the Creator. If we fail to remember God in this human life, we will regret it later. Everything will be left behind—not even a needle can be taken along after death. Only our good deeds and righteous acts will accompany us. Therefore, one must always remember and meditate on God (Om), which is His eternal and true name. Other names like Ram, Krishna, Jagannath, Dinanath, Shankar, etc., are secondary names, not the original name.
Understanding the True Nature of God-
However, it is crucial to have the correct understanding of God’s true nature. God is formless, not embodied. He is omnipresent and cannot be seen with physical eyes, but He can be experienced—just like the fragrance in sandalwood and roses, or the feeling of fever or headache, which cannot be seen but can be felt.
Through deep meditation and Ashtanga Yoga, one attains divine knowledge, strength, and bliss—this is the true realization of God. People visit temples and chant, "Tum ho ek, agochar, sab ke pran pati" (You are one, invisible, the Lord of all beings). But if He is truly "one" and "invisible," then how can multiple temples house Him in a visible form?
The idols in temples cannot protect themselves from theft; how can they protect us? True understanding of God means realizing that He is formless, all-pervading, and present in every particle of existence.
God does not need offerings—He does not eat, nor does He have any desires. He is self-sufficient and free from needs.
Conclusion
Real peace and happiness do not come from wealth, luxury, or material possessions but from a disciplined life, selfless service, righteousness, devotion to God, and meditation on Om (ॐ).
By understanding and following these principles, one can attain a peaceful, content, and truly fulfilling life.
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