The Goal of Human Life!

 

It is a fact that every individual performs actions with a specific aim. No one can remain inactive even for a moment and no action is performed without a purpose.

The Darśhan Śhāstra declares-

prayojanamanuddiśhya mando̓pi na pravartate

However, we can say that every individual performs various actions every moment with a single purpose. It may appear strange but it is true. Some do good deeds and some perform bad ones. In reality, everyone performs actions that give them happiness.

Like an evil person finds happiness in harming others, a Saint performs actions for the welfare of others which give Him happiness. The motive behind achieving wealth, health, wife, son, fame, beauty is one - HAPPINESS. This proves that without any teaching or training every individual wants happiness and nobody wants sorrow, grief or pain because­

ānando brahmeti vyajānāt (ved)

Happiness, Bliss, peace are other names or synonyms for God.  Now arises a question. What is the relationship between our desire for happiness and God being Bliss personified?  Yes, there is a relation.

īśhvar  añśh jīv avināśhī (rāmāyaṇ)

The relation is that every individual soul is an eternal part of God, and God is Bliss Personified. Therefore being an eternal part of Him, every individual soul naturally seeks happiness.  No soul can ever wish for sorrow.

Since infinite lifetimes, all of us are searching happiness in this material world but according to our scriptures (Vedas) and our personal experiences, there is no doubt that worldly happiness is short lived. It is finite and illusive. When we eat a rasgulla (an Indian sweet) for the first time, we experience great pleasure. But if someone asks us to keep eating the same sweet, we feel like vomiting. So if there is pleasure in rasgulla or any such object, then we should experience this pleasure for ever. But this is not the case. Why don't we derive constant happiness from that object? In the same manner, the pleasure from wealth, spouse, children, food etc. keeps on fluctuating and finally comes to an end.
So why haven't we attained true happiness till now? Because we have not understood, realized and decided the true nature of happiness. Where is that kind of happiness? How can we attain it? Surprisingly, despite our continuous efforts to achieve happiness, we have not understood what and where we will get this happiness. Happiness is that which is unlimited, ever increasing and ever lasting. Sorrow cannot overccome it, like darkness cannot overcome light.  So where is this kind of happiness? The answer to this question can be categorized into two areas (which are intensely debated) - materialism and spirituality. According to materialism, there is no entity or authority called God and one will get happiness through material objects. Whereas, according to spirituality, only God is Bliss and by attaining God we can be happy for eternity. There is no other way to the attainment of happiness and removal of pain and suffering.

raso vai saḥ

The Vedas declares that even the most intellectual cannot comprehend God because He is beyond our material senses and by the grace of God even a fool can know God. Thus, every individual seeks happiness and since God is Bliss, everyone is a seeker of God. Every person will work continuously till he attains true happiness and peace.

The materialists deny the existence of God, but they can only claim that there is no entity called God if according to the scriptures, we do not attain God even after surrendering to a Guru and performing devotion.

The conclusion is that we must believe in the existence of God. But a question arises: what is our purpose of worshiping Him? Yes, there is a purpose. We are all selfish in nature, and whoever satisfies our self-interests, we get attached to that person. We all long for unlimited, everlasting happiness and that happiness is only in God. All our self interests will be fulfilled by worshiping God, and without understanding Him we cannot attain true happiness Therefore, having a human body, if we do not understand God, that will be our greatest mistake. We would have to suffer in the cycle of 8.4 millions species of life, because only in the human form, we can attain God and acquire the knowledge of God, to attain our ultimate goal of Divine Bliss.