Real peace and happiness spring from within

Man is a divine self. When he forgets that he is the soul and identifies himself with the body, ego originates. With the birth of this ego, the transcendental nature is forgotten.

In the Mundaka Upanishad it is stated that on the same tree there are two identical birds, eternal companions, one on the top, the other below. The divine self, seated on the top, is calm, silent and majestic, immersed in his own glory. The one on the lower branches eats sweet and bitter fruits by turns hopping from branch to branch and is happy and sad by turns.

After sometime, the bird sitting on the lower branch eats a bitter fruit, and feels miserable. It comes near the other bird and when he finds that he is a reflection, he is relieved of all grief.

This story teaches us that man suffers only because he is ignorant of his true being. In the Gita, Krishna says that jiva (soul) is part of the supreme soul. As a spark from a conflagration contains all the potentialities of the mighty fire, jiva contains all the divine qualities of the supreme.

Swami Vivekananda said: “Every soul is potentially divine.” When a man advances towards his inner self and experiences peace, then he realises that as heat is the nature of fire, his true nature is peace.

Swami Ramakrishna Paramahamsa said: “Real happiness springs from within self.” Even Jesus said: “The kingdom of heaven is within us.” Seers have experienced unlimited bliss, and gained the vision of the lord within the depth of their souls.