Happiness in Ayurveda (आयुर्वेदे सुखानन्दश्च)

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Sukha and Ananda are 2 most commonly used terms in Ayurveda to indicate Happiness. There are many other terms like nanda, harsha etc. that also indicate the similar emotion as happiness. Happiness being an integral component of good health, all the discussion around happiness in Ayurveda is in the context of Health. In-fact, the definition of the 'Svastha' meaning an Healthy individual has also been given in such words that the word 'Prasanna' or happiness is used as an adjective of 3 integral components of life namely Atman, Indriyas and Manas.

Happiness as the subject of Ayurveda

The definition of Ayurveda itself includes the word sukha which is translated as Happiness. What is happy life and what is unhappy life OR following and doing what, makes one's life happy or unhappy has been preliminarily described in Ayurveda. The definition of Ayurveda is,

हिताहितं सुखं दुःखमायुस्तस्य हिताहितम्|

मानं च तच्च यत्रोक्तमायुर्वेदः स उच्यते||४१|| (Char. Samh. 1.41)

विकारो धातुवैषम्यं, साम्यं प्रकृतिरुच्यते|

सुखसञ्ज्ञकमारोग्यं, विकारो दुःखमेव च||४|| (Char. Smah. 9.4)

Happiness and being healthy

समदोषः समाग्निश्च समधातुमलक्रियः |

प्रसन्नात्मेन्द्रियमनाः स्वस्थ इत्यभिधीयते ||४१||(Sush. Samh. 15.41)

Happiness is associated with 3 components of life beyond physical dimension viz. Atman, Indriyas and manas.

Among those things that can keep one healthy, non-depression or lack of dejection or self-reliance is identified to be the best one!

अनिर्वेदो वार्तलक्षणानां (Char. Samh. 25.40)

The root of happiness

Ayurveda acharyas appear to have searched deeper to understand the roots of or the causes of happiness. The word Harsha is used synonymously with the word Ananda. It means delightfulness/ecstacy or happiness. Acharya Charaka says that the best thing that generates harsha is tatvavabodha i.e. Discovery/understanding/realization is the best one for feeling exalted/ecstatic.

तत्त्वावबोधोहर्षणानां | (Char. Samh. 30.15)

Moreover, one more word 'Nanadan' used synonymously with the word ananda which means happiness is also described at the same place. The very cause of happiness is mentioned as 'Indriyajaya' (Control over organs). This means that a person's control over his sensory, motor organs along with his mind is the one thing that can cause happiness. Such happiness is long lasting, and also brings along the sense of satisfaction with it.

इन्द्रियजयो नन्दनानां| (Char. Samh. 30.15)

समग्रं दुःखमायत्तमविज्ञाने द्वयाश्रयम्| सुखं समग्रं विज्ञाने विमले च प्रतिष्ठितम्||८४|| ((Char. Samh. 30.84)

All the sufferings - diseases of both body and mind - are caused by ignorance. All happiness /health is due to the clear knowledge. Just as the Sun cannot help a blind man to see things even with all its light, similarly Ayurveda, which generously guides us through the path of dharma, artha, kama, and moksha, cannot guide someone devoid of its understanding or is a skeptic.

Developmental basis of Happiness

Being happy is the state which is a result of multiple factors. Developmentally, there are 6 factors that are responsible for different characteristic features of the man namely, Matruja, Pitruja, Atmaja, Satmyaja, Satvaja and rasaja bhavas. Among these 6 factors, the tendancy to be happy in general and happiness as the quality of one's life is said to be related to the Atmaja and Satmyaja factors. The same has been discussed in depth below,

Happiness as an atmaja bhava

आत्मजानि नानायोनिषूत्पित्तिर्मनश्चेतनेन्द्रियाणि प्राणापानौ धारणमाकृतिस्वरवर्णविशेषाः कामक्रोधलोभभयहर्षधर्मशीलतास्मृतिबुद्धीच्छाद्वेषप्रयत्नाहङ्कारसुख़दुःख़ायुरात्मज्ञानानि च||१६|| (Asht. Hrud. Sharirasthanama Adhyaya 5 Sutra 16)

कामादयः सर्व एव विज्ञानधर्मा आत्मभवाः| तथा सुख़ादयोऽप्यात्मनः कर्मफलत्वात्||

The effect of what is done during the previous life is known as daiva. The effect of what is done during the present life is known as purushakara. If the daiva is unrighteous sufferings are shared in the present life; if however, they are righteous then the individual enjoys a happy and healthy life.[31] On the contrary sinful or unrighteous purushartha is due to the sufferings of the present and future life. Indian mythology further explains and believes that righteous Purushartha also acts as an remedy for the unrighteous daiva. This is likely the law of probability, for example, if there is an autosomal dominant trait running in the family and only one partner is affected, 50% of the offsprings are expected be affected. The remaining 50% may escape unaffected. Even if it had been considered a mythological concept, it is a guiding path toward the righteous path for a happy and healthy present and future life if any.

Happiness as a satmyaja bhava

It can be enumerated that the Satmyaja (wholesome) procreative factor is responsible for conception, normal inheritance, and growth and development of the fetus leading to the birth of healthy, happy, active, and productive citizen of generations to come.

सात्म्यजान्यायुरारोग्यमनालास्यलोलुपत्वमिन्द्रियप्रसादस्वरवर्णौजः सम्पत्प्रशस्तता प्रहर्षभूयस्त्वं मेधाबलं

च||१७|| (Asht. Hrud. Sharirasthanama Adhyaya 5 Sutra 16)

Happiness and trigunas

राजसानि दुरुपचारताऽनार्यं शौर्य्यं मात्सर्यममितभाषित्वमहङ्कारो लोलुपत्वं दम्भो मानः क्रोधो हर्षः कामश्च||२०|| (Asht. Hrud. Sharirasthanama Adhyaya 5 Sutra 22)

Body components related to Happiness

Health and happiness are interrelated. There are certain body elements, the healthy state of which is probably essential to experience the generalised feeling of happiness which can be understood by the use of terms prasanna and sukha in the references.

Rakta dhatu

While describing the normal functions of healthy state rakta dhatu (equivalent to blood)

प्रसन्नवर्णेन्द्रियमिन्द्रियार्थानिच्छन्तमव्याहतपक्तृवेगम्|

सुखान्वितं तु(पु)ष्टिबलोपपन्नं विशुद्धरक्तं पुरुषं वदन्ति||२४|| Char. Samh. Sutra 24.24.

Rasa dhatu

The best quality of Rasa dhatu in a person leads to the happy state of life in general. Thus, happiness has been mentioned as the product of Rasa sarata.

सा सारता सुखसौभाग्यैश्वर्योपभोगबुद्धिविद्यारोग्यप्रहर्षणान्यायुष्यत्वं चाचष्टे||१०३|| Char. Samh. Viman, 8.103

Various implied meanings of the term sukha and prasanna in Ayurveda

प्रसन्नमनसस्तथा |...

While explaining the dynamics of Shukra dhatu Acharya Sushruta has used the word Prasanna manas i.e. happy mind. While clarifying the meaning, commentator Dalhana explains the association of this state of mind with the emotions.

प्रसन्नमनसः क्रोधादिरहितचित्तस्य (Dalhana's commentary on Sushruta Samhita Sharirasthanam Adhyaya 4 Sutra 23

सुप्रसन्नमीर्ष्याद्यनभिभूतम्| Dalhana commentary on Sush. Nida. 10.21

Various meanings of Sukha in the context of Ayurveda

सुखं स्वास्थ्योत्यादकम्|

सुखमिति अदोषमित्यर्थः| (SUSU 46.435-438)https://niimh.nic.in/ebooks/esushruta/?mod=read&h=sukha

प्रसन्नं प्रकृतिस्थम्|| (Dalhana on Su Ni 10.25) While describing the properties of prakrut stanya

प्रसन्नवदनां ...- प्रसन्नं-निर्मलं, (Asht. Hrud. Sharira 1.20)

Happiness as a therapy

For gaining weight and strength

कैर्बृंहयेत् ? इत्याह - - - -

-----------------------------------------------|

मांसक्षीरसितासर्पिर्मधुरस्निग्धबस्तिभिः||९||

स्वप्नशय्यासुखाभ्यङ्गस्नाननिर्वृतिहर्षणैः|

-----------------------------------------------|१०| (Asht. Hrud. Sutra. 14.10)

निर्वृतिः-सन्तोषः| हर्षणं-आनन्दः| (ayurveda rasayaana commentary on AH)

अचिन्तया हर्षणेन ध्रुवं सन्तर्पणेन च|

स्वप्नप्रसङ्गाच्च कृशो वराह इव पुष्यति||३४|| (Asht. Hrud. Sutra. 14.34)

अचिन्तया-चेतसः शोककार्याद्यनाकुलत्वेन, तथा हर्षणेन-चित्ततुष्ट्या,

In Intra uterine growth retardation

हर्षयेत्सततं चैनामेवं गर्भः प्रवर्द्धते||२०|| (Asht. Hrud. Shar. 2.20)

हर्षयेत्-मुदितां कुर्यात्| (Arundatta commentary)

In Diarrhea

भीशोकाभ्यामपि चलः शीघ्ऱं कुप्यत्यतस्तयोः|

कार्या क्रिया वातहरा हर्षणाश्वासनानि च||१२३|| Asht. Hrud. Chi 9.123

In Infertility

Happiness and male infertility

सुप्रसन्नं मनस्तत्र हर्षणे हेतुरुच्यते | Sush. Nida. 10.21

If the person is unhappy, angry and depressed, the natural pathways that help to bring about the degree of erection required to release the male seeds containing semen can not occur and as a result impotency and infertility might be experienced.

सुप्रसन्नमीर्ष्याद्यनभिभूतम्| Dalhana commentary on Sush. Nida. 10.21

Treatment

यत्किञ्चिन्मधुरं स्निग्धं बृंहणं बलवर्धनम्|

मनसो हर्षणं यच्च तत्सर्व वृष्यमुच्यते||३५|| Asht. Hrud. Uttarasthanam 40.35

Nonpharmacological therapy in psychiatric disorders

हर्षणाश्वासनोत्त्रासभयताडनतर्जनम्|

अभ्यङ्गोद्वर्तनालेपधूपान् पानं च सर्पिषः||२१||

युञ्ज्यात्तानि हि शुद्धस्य नयन्ति प्रकृतिं मनः| Asht. Hrud. Uttarsthanam 6.22

Some pathological states that can make one look unhappy

visha signs and symptoms in a aperson

प्रसन्नदोषं प्रकृतिस्थधातुमन्नाभिकाङ्क्षं [१] समसूत्रजिह्वम् |

प्रसन्नवर्णेन्द्रियचित्तचेष्टं वैद्योऽवगच्छेदविषं मनुष्यम् ||३२|| Su. Kalpa. 6.32

i.e. if a person is poisoned then pathologically his mind and senses will experience depression or sadness in general .

Eshanas or desires and happiness

इह खलु पुरुषेणानुपहतसत्त्वबुद्धिपौरुषपराक्रमेण हितमिह चामुष्मिंश्च लोके समनुपश्यता तिस्र एषणाः पर्येष्टव्या भवन्ति| तद्यथा- प्राणैषणा, धनैषणा, परलोकैषणेति||३|| Char. Samh. 11.3)

A person having sound mind, intellect, physical strength, energy and psychological strength, one who is desirous of attaining benefits in this world and the other world (after death), should try to fulfill three desires. These desires are- desire for (long and healthy) life, desire for wealth (livelihood), and desire for a blissful life in the other world (after death).

Need of societal or global Happiness

नैकः सुखी, न दुःखशीलाचारोपचारः (Char. Samh. su 8.26)

Finding the right way to achieve the state of Happiness

अजातानामनुत्पत्तौ जातानां विनिवृत्तये|

रोगाणां यो विधिर्दृष्टः ^[१] सुखार्थी तं समाचरेत्||३४||

सुखार्थाः सर्वभूतानां मताः सर्वाः प्रवृत्तयः|

ज्ञानाज्ञानविशेषात्तु मार्गामार्गप्रवृत्तयः||३५|| (Char. Samh. Sutra 28.34-35)

Responsibility of one's own happiness

आत्मानमेव मन्येत कर्तारं सुखदुःखयोः|

तस्माच्छ्रेयस्करं मार्गं प्रतिपद्येत नो त्रसेत्||२२|| (Char. Samh. Nida. 7.22)

Happiness as a criterion for selecting a pupil

प्रसन्नचित्तवाक्चेष्टं क्लेशसहं च भिषक् शिष्यमुपनयेत् | Su. SU 2.3

Happiness and Dharma

Degradation of qualities of human life step by step from Krutayuga to Kaliyuga has been described chronologically. In that the superior qualitties of human body and mind were said to be present in the krutayuga that sequentially reduced due to adharma and how can be found described in Charaka Samhita. In this topic, how adharma led to greed, materialistic desires, anger, hatred , fear and then to stress, anxiety, distress (ultimately leading to loss of happiness ) has been systematically explained. This has specifically been occurring since Tretayuga as per Acharya Charaka.

भ्रश्यति तु कृतयुगे केषाञ्चिदत्यादानात् साम्पन्निकानां सत्त्वानां शरीरगौरवमासीत्, शरीरगौरवाच्छ्रमः, श्रमादालस्यम्, आलस्यात् सञ्चयः, सञ्चयात् परिग्रहः, परिग्रहाल्लोभः प्रादुरासीत् कृते|

ततस्त्रेतायां लोभादभिद्रोहः, अभिद्रोहानृतवचनम्, अनृतवचनात् कामक्रोधमानद्वेषपारुष्याभिघातभयतापशोकचिन्तोद्वेगादयः प्रवृत्ताः|

ततस्त्रेतायां धर्मपादोऽन्तर्धानमगमत्| (char. Samh. Vimanasthanam Adhyaya 3.24)