ये हि संस्पर्शजा भोगा दु:खयोनय एव ते | आद्यन्तवन्त: कौन्तेय न तेषु रमते बुध: || 22 || |
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“The pleasures that arise from contact with the sense objects, though appearing as enjoyable to worldly-minded people, are a source of misery. O son of Kunti, such pleasures have a beginning and an end, so the wise do not delight in them.”
Commentary :
The nature of the material world, perceived through our senses, is one of constant change. Everything—from material objects to places, people, events, and experiences—is subject to flux. Even the happiness derived from sensory perceptions is intertwined with moments of suffering. While change can bring about growth and transformation, it also carries with it the pain of impermanence. In the face of this inherent transience, how can one find lasting joy amidst the ebb and flow of existence? Some may argue that change is simply part of the natural order and must be accepted.
However, imagine being shown a future where the cycle of birth and death repeats endlessly, with each iteration echoing familiar patterns of life—infancy, youth, marriage, and so on—ad infinitum. This prospect may not appear particularly promising. Yet, in the universal compassion of the divine, God shields us from the burden of remembering past and future experiences, lest we become demoralized or despondent. The veil of Maya, cast by the Divine Mother, obscures our consciousness, allowing us to focus on the present moment.
True and enduring joy, however, lies beyond the realm of the material and the transient. It is found in the unmanifested Spirit of God. The supreme Lord Krishna, in His eternal form, experiences boundless joy as the creator, sustainer, and destroyer of all creation. For the enlightened soul who is detached from the ever-changing world, this joy is accessible. By realizing their identity as eternal souls, untouched by the flux of creation, they come to understand that all things and beings belong to and exist within them. In this realization of oneness, devoid of separation, lies the experience of ever-new joy—a joy that transcends the limitations of time and space.