What is Joy in Vedanta – Part 2

Introduction

In the previous blog “What is Joy (Part-1)”, we saw how the Taittiriya Upanishad, in its section Brahmananda Valli, describes the measure and expansion of joy. Each higher world offers a hundredfold increase, until the highest reaches an immeasurable magnitude. Yet the Upanishad reveals a deeper truth: “Shrotriyasya cha akamahatasya” — the one who is learned in the Vedas and free from desire experiences the same supreme joy. In this continuation, where we ask What is Joy ? Part-2, we explore further dimensions of this state.

This profound statement is the key to understanding joy in Vedanta. In this second part, we reflect on its meaning through the light of Advaita philosophy — where joy is not gained but realized as the very nature of the Self.

Understanding Brahman in Vedanta

Keywords: Brahman; Brahma Sutra; Advaita Vedanta; Upanishad

The word Brahman will appear often in this discussion. Its meaning is vastness. It is important to note that Brahman does not refer to any caste, creed, or sect. According to Vedanta, the term comes from the root brh, meaning to grow or expand, combined with the suffix man, which signifies without limitation.

In Vedanta, Brahman is neuter in gender and therefore referred to as That. It represents the infinite, boundless reality — indefinable and beyond human comprehension. Brahman cannot be understood through the senses alone. Yet Vedanta guides us toward realizing Brahman as the Supreme Consciousness, the source and essence of all that exists.

In this article, I will share what I have understood from various scriptures, hoping readers find these reflections meaningful and inspiring.

---

The Revelation and the Meaning of Joy

To begin our discussion in Part 2, we must understand the statement:
“A man full of revelation but without desire has equal joy.”

What is this revelation? It is the knowledge of the Vedas.
Knowing the Vedas completely is beyond our present scope, yet we can experience glimpses of their essence through timeless verses of Vedantic wisdom.

One of the most celebrated lines appears in the Taittiriya Upanishad (2.1.1):
“Satyam jnanam anantam brahma” — Truth, knowledge, and infinity are Brahman.
It declares that the one who knows Brahman attains the Supreme.

I discussed this verse earlier in “The Wisdom of the Five Sheaths (Pancha Kosha)”, where the five layers of human existence were shown as progressive steps toward realization of the Self.

---

The Meaning of Brahman

Before we proceed, it is important to understand the true meaning of Brahman.
According to the Upanishads, Brahman is the infinite reality — vast, limitless, and beyond comparison. The word Brahman is derived from the root brh, meaning to grow or expand, with the suffix man signifying without limitation.

In Vedanta, Brahman is neuter in gender and referred to as That. It is beyond name, form, and attributes. Brahman cannot be perceived through the senses but can be realized as Supreme Consciousness through inner knowledge and reflection.

Five great Acharyas have interpreted Brahman in different ways. Among them, Adi Shankaracharya, the founder of Advaita Vedanta, declared:

“There exists one Absolute Brahman, who is Sat-Chit-Ananda — existence, consciousness, and bliss — homogeneous in nature.”

The entire philosophy of Vedanta, rooted in the four Vedas, goes back thousands of years and teaches the oneness of the soul and the ultimate reality. This is the essence of Advaita — the realization that the individual self and the Supreme are not two, but one.

---

The Four Great Sayings — Maha Vakyas

Ancient scholars selected four principal statements, known as the Maha Vakyas or great sayings, each drawn from one of the four Vedas. They summarize the core teaching of Vedanta and serve as guiding lights for seekers of liberation.

1. Prajnanam Brahma — Consciousness is Brahman.
   From the Rig Veda (Aitareya Upanishad).
   It teaches that Brahman is supreme knowledge — the essence of what we truly are.

2. Tat Tvam Asi — You are That.
   From the Sama Veda (Chandogya Upanishad).
   It points to the identity of the individual self and the universal Self.

3. Ayam Atma Brahma — This Self is Brahman.
   From the Atharva Veda (Mandukya Upanishad).
   It reveals that Atman and Brahman are one, just as the wave and the ocean are not different.

4. Aham Brahmasmi — I am Brahman.
   From the Yajur Veda (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad).
   It proclaims the realization that the essence of the self is the Absolute.

These Maha Vakyas form the spiritual foundation for all Vedantic study and practice.

---

The Triple Canon of Vedanta — Prasthana Traya

To study Vedanta in depth, one must understand its three foundational texts, collectively known as the Prasthana Traya or the Triple Canon of Vedanta:

• Upanishads (Shruti Prasthana): The original revelation or source of truth.

• Bhagavad Gita (Smriti Prasthana): The distilled essence of the Vedas and a guide for living spiritual knowledge.

• Brahma Sutra (Nyaya Prasthana): The logical systemization of Vedantic philosophy, also called the Uttara Mimamsa Sutra.

A sincere student of Vedanta should study the Ten Principal Upanishads and the Brahma Sutra, after reflecting on the Bhagavad Gita.
Among these, the Brahma Sutra holds a special importance, as it reveals the philosophical essence of Advaita Vedanta.

---

Structure and Meaning of the Brahma Sutra

The Brahma Sutra consists of four chapters:

1. Unity of Brahman — establishing Brahman as the single reality.

2. Reconciliation of Texts — showing the harmony of Vedanta with other scriptures.

3. Practice — explaining the means to attain realization of Brahman.

4. Attainment — describing the result of realization, which is liberation and bliss.

The first topic of the first chapter is Jijnasadhikaranam, meaning “the enquiry into Brahman and its prerequisites.”
The opening sentence, “Athato Brahma Jijnasa” (1.1.1), translates as “Therefore, let us enquire into Brahman.”

---

Who is Qualified for Vedantic Study

Vedanta is meant for seekers who are prepared — those with a tranquil mind, discrimination, and detachment from worldly desires.
These qualifications are called the Fourfold Discipline (Sadhana Chatustaya):

1. Nitya-anitya-vastu-viveka — Discrimination between the eternal and the transient.

2. Ihamutrartha-phala-bhoga-viraga — Indifference to pleasures in this life or in heaven.

3. Shatsampat — The six virtues:

   • Sama (control of mind)

   • Dama (control of senses)

   • Uparati (withdrawal from indulgence)

   • Titiksha (endurance of opposites)

   • Shraddha (faith)

   • Samadhana (focused concentration)

4. Mumukshutva — The deep longing for liberation.

Even without detailed ritual knowledge (Karma Kanda), a genuine desire to know Brahman arises from the study of Sruti — the revealed scriptures. This aligns perfectly with the statement:
“A man full of revelation but without desire has equal joy.”
It emphasizes that realization of Brahman depends not on action, but on knowledge — the essence of the Ananda Valli section of the Taittiriya Upanishad.

---

Why One Should Enquire into Brahman

Why should we seek Brahman at all?
Because all other joys — worldly or heavenly — are transient.
Most traditions teach that life’s results depend on good actions (karma), but Vedanta declares that the knowledge of Brahman alone grants everlasting bliss and immortality.

Ignorance is the root of all suffering, and knowledge of Brahman destroys that ignorance completely. Once Brahman is known, there remains nothing else to know.

---

Definition of Brahman

The second topic of the Brahma Sutra is Janmadyadhikaranam (1.1.2):
“Janmadyasya yatah” — Brahman is that from which the origin, sustenance, and dissolution of the universe proceed.

Brahman is eternal, pure, wise, and free.
He is omnipotent and omniscient.
Knowledge of Brahman comes through reflection on these attributes.

This truth is beautifully illustrated in the Taittiriya Upanishad (III.1) through the dialogue between Varuna and his son Bhrigu.
Bhrigu asks, “Father, teach me Brahman.”
Varuna replies, “That from which all beings are born, by which they live, and into which they enter at death — know That as Brahman.”

These three functions — creation, sustenance, and dissolution — belong to the universe, which is changing by nature. Yet they point toward the unchanging Brahman, the eternal cause behind all.

Another scriptural definition states:
“Satyam Jnanam Anantam Brahma” — Truth, Knowledge, and Infinity are Brahman.

---

Brahman as Revealed by the Scriptures

The third topic of the first chapter is Sastrayonitvadhikaranam (1.1.3):
“Sastrayonitvat” — The scriptures are the source of true knowledge.

Only through the scriptures can we grasp the nature of Brahman. They act as a light revealing what is beyond perception.
Brahman is formless, colourless, and without attributes.
It cannot be perceived through the senses, yet it pervades all.

Brahman is One, Infinite, and Without a Second.
This is the central realization of Advaita Vedanta — that behind all multiplicity, only the One Reality exists.

---

The Essence of Joy in Vedanta

We now understand why the statement “A man full of revelation but without desire has equal joy” holds such importance.
It expresses the very heart of the Taittiriya Upanishad:
True joy does not arise from external experience but from direct realization of Brahman — the Infinite Consciousness that dwells within all.

Knowledge of Brahman frees us from ignorance, ends the cycle of birth and death, and leads to the highest bliss — the eternal joy that is the Self itself.

For further insights into the process of realization see “The Journey to Realization: A Brief Overview”.

I request to my readers give me feedback for improving the content. Please send your comments/suggestions for improvement to my email, arun7663@gmail.com

“More on Part 3. This is the end of Part-2.”