happiness is in the mind..

happiness is in the mind..

चित्ते प्रसन्ने भुवनं प्रसन्नं चित्ते विषण्णे भुवनं विषण्णम्।

अतोऽभिलाषो यदि ते सुखे स्यात् चित्तप्रसादे प्रथमं यतस्व॥

citte prasanne bhuvanaṁ prasannaṁ citte viṣaṇṇe bhuvanaṁ viṣaṇṇam|

ato'bhilāṣo yadi te sukhe syāt cittaprasāde prathamaṁ yatasva||

the subhashitam found in many standard compilations can be translated as follows.

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When the mind is in a healthy, calm and pleasant state, all things around would appear to us as happy and favourable

When the mind is mired in sorrowful and depressing thoughts, the whole world around would look miserable too.

Therefore if you are interested in having a healthy happy and comfortable life, concentrated on attaining a state of mind which is ever happy and balanced..

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It is not exactly pep talk..

When the mind is positively oriented, even many inconveniences and challenges around would seem to be tolerable.. And a pleasant mind adds sweetness to the beauty and prosperity all around.

But when the mind is depressed, even the best things around us would fail to have any positive effect on us.. And for a person with a depressed mind, even minor challenges can bring in doom.

Of course the benefit of positive outlook is highlighted here.

Sure, mere smiles, dances and songs will not enable us to face life and win..

word analysis.

चित्ते प्रसन्ने( सति ) when the mind is calm, composed and happy भुवनं प्रसन्नं( दृश्यते ) the entire world appears to be filled with happiness

चित्ते विषण्णे (सति ) when the mind is haunted by miserable thoughts and unhappiness

भुवनं विषण्णं (दृश्यते) the world around too would look miserable.

अतः यदि ते सुखे अभिलाषः स्यात् therefore if you have desire to live a comfortable life with pleasing environs

(तर्हि )चित्तप्रसाधे प्रथमं यतस्व then concentrate your mind towards pleasing thoughts.

Regards

k v ananthanarayanan

I found this slokam in Pundalika charitram