If we reflect upon our ancient scriptures and epics like Rāmāyań and Mahābhārat and analyze them carefully; we will find lots of suggestions on 'how to achieve this goal'. They teach us
'where' happiness is and 'how' to achieve it by living a life according to ' Dharma' with the right attitude. Following Shlok from Bhagavad Gitā is a good example. It not only gives us the goal to achieve but shows the path on how to achieve it: वीतरागभय ोध म या मामुपा ताः ।
बहवो ानतपसा पूता म भावमागताः ॥ ४ :१० ॥
When we are able to give up the pursuit of pleasures
(of the senses), fear and anger;
Focus our attention and surrender to the ‘Higher Power’,
Acquire a lot of scriptural knowledge,
become spiritually purified,
Then we can attain permanent residence with Me
(Realize Me, merge with Me or attain Moksh).
Bhagavad Gitā 4:10
Three Guń-s (गुण )
There are three main basic characteristics, qualities or attributes ( Guń-s गुण) to describe all our thoughts, speech, and actions. They are called Satv (स व), Rajas (रजस), and Tamas (तमस). There are no equivalent English words. They may be very roughly translated as good (Divine, god-like), passionate (रा स Rākshas), and devilish or bad (असुर Asur). They are like three primary colors – when they are mixed in different proportions they can make all the other colors. All three Guń (गुण)-s exist in all of us in different proportions and create millions of different individual and unique personalities.
The other meaning of Guń (गुण) is rope, a rope that binds our Ā tmā (soul) down to our body, mind, intellect, and our sense of ego. The spirit ( Ātmā), the unlimited power, begins to feel the pain and limitations of the physical body because of this bondage.
Knowledge about Guń-s (गुण) helps us analyze our own personality, determine our own weaknesses, and take corrective action so that each individual characteristic changes from Tāmasic (ताम सक) to Rājsic (राज सक) to Sātvic Guń (साि वक गुण). This can be a road map for our evolutionary path for becoming an ideal (noble) citizen of the world ( Āryan) and Self-realization or Moksh. All of us are capable of improving. All of us have all three Guń-s (गुण) in different proportions in our thoughts, speech, and actions. No one is perfect and everyone can improve & evolve.
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