yad agre chānubandhe cha sukhaṁ mohanam ātmanaḥ
nidrālasya-pramādotthaṁ tat tāmasam udāhṛitam
yat — which;
agre — from beginning;
cha — and;
anubandhe — to end;
cha — and;
sukham — happiness;
mohanam — illusory;
ātmanaḥ — of the self;
nidrā — sleep;
ālasya — indolence;
pramāda — negligence;
uttham — derived from;
tat — that;
tāmasam — in the mode of ignorance;
udāhṛitam — is said to be
This verse talks about a type of happiness that is not genuine but comes from being sleepy, lazy, or lost in daydreams. Such happiness makes a person feel good temporarily, but it is really just an illusion. When someone is only looking for pleasure in sleeping too much or avoiding responsibilities, they are living in ignorance. They don’t see things clearly and often don’t know the right actions to take or what to stay away from.
For example, think about someone who spends all day lounging around on the couch, binge-watching TV shows while neglecting their work or relationships. Initially, they might feel happy enjoying their favorite shows and staying in their comfort zone. But this kind of happiness is shallow and temporary. Over time, they might feel more and more unhappy because they are avoiding important aspects of life, like their job or family obligations.
In this state of ignorance, people don’t just miss out on true happiness; they often end up in a worse situation than when they started. They might struggle with depression, anxiety, or feelings of emptiness because their so-called happiness never leads to true fulfillment.
Unlike those in the mode of passion, who might feel a little uplifted at first but eventually face sadness or regret, a person lost in ignorance is stuck with unhappiness both at the beginning and at the end of their experience. The key takeaway here is that if someone relies on laziness or mindless activities for happiness, they are not living life fully and will eventually find themselves unhappy and confused. Understanding this can encourage us to look for deeper, more meaningful sources of joy in our lives instead of getting caught up in these illusions.