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The Bliss of Non-Expectation

निष्किंञ्चना मय्यनुरक्तचेतसः
शान्ता महान्तोऽखिलजीववत्सलाः ।
कामैरनालब्धधियो जुषन्ति यत्
तन्नैरपेक्ष्यं न विदुः सुखं मम ।।
– श्रीमद् भागवतम् ११.१४.१७

niṣkiñcanā mayyanuraktacetasaḥ
śāntā mahānto’khilajīvavatsalāḥ |
kāmairanālabdhadhiyo juṣanti yat
tannairapekṣyaṁ na viduḥ sukhaṁ mama ||
– Śrīmad bhāgavatam 11.14.17

Translation:

Those exalted souls – who have nothing in their possession, whose minds are lost in the romance of devotion to Me, who are given to composure, filled with affection towards all creatures, and whose minds are completely free of desires – incessantly taste the bliss emerging from the state of non-expectation. That is the unique bliss born of Me. How can the others get to know of it?

Points for Introspection:

Most of us are happy when we get what we desire. Suppose somebody wants to buy a house or a car. When that wish is fulfilled, he is happy. If someone wants to get a good job or a promotion in the job, he is happy when he achieves it. When one wants a harmonious atmosphere at home or work place, he is happy when it is so, etc.

But in all these, we find that our happiness depends on objects, places and events. Since the happiness depends on objects, which are themselves impermanent, the happiness derived from them is never permanent. The happiness that we get by the fulfillment of desire disappears after some time as the object of desire either is already achieved or is not present any more.

However, there is a happiness which is ever-lasting. This happiness does not depend on any object. It belongs to the Soul and wells forth spontaneously from the Soul without any dependence on or expectation from anything. One must look within to discover this happiness. Unfortunately, instead of looking within for this unending bliss which is not dependent on anything, man always looks outside to gain happiness from the perishables. This ever-lasting happiness is termed as nairapekṣyaṁ sukhaṁ (नैरपेक्ष्यं सुखं) – happiness experienced when the mind is free of any desire or expectation.

This shloka says that this ever-lasting happiness is enjoyed by only those who have attained certain qualities and not by others. They are the ones who are niṣkiñcanā, i.e., who feel that nothing belongs to them. God is their supreme treasure. Their minds are totally enveloped in love and fondness for the Lord. Their minds are calm and tranquil and they are ego-less. They have love and sympathy for all creatures. And above everything, their minds are not smitten by any desire whatsoever.

When somebody has attained all these qualities, his mind is full and expanded. As a result, his mind is completely devoid of agitation and he enjoys everlasting contentment. Others, who have not cultivated these qualities are not able to experience that unending joy which emanate from the Self and is not dependent on any object of the world.

Those who yearn to enjoy the non-expectational, unmotivated ever-lasting bliss, must cultivate the above qualities. Cultivation of these qualities itself is the saadhana (pursuit) for the seekers of Truth.

Repeated chanting of this shloka makes one love that happiness which is born out of one’s own Self. It simultaneously generates increasing love to grow the qualities mentioned in the shloka. The compulsion to attain the non-expectational joy deepens.

Word Meaning:

निष्किंञ्चनाः (niṣkiñcanāḥ) = those who are free of all kinds of possessiveness; मयि (mayi) = in Me; अनुरक्तचेतसः (anuraktacetasaḥ) = whose minds are deeply reveling in; शान्ताः (śāntāḥ) = peaceful souls; महान्तः (mahāntaḥ) = great souls; अखिलजीववत्सलाः (akhilajīvavatsalāḥ) = those who are filled with affection towards all creatures; कामैः अनालब्धधियः (kāmaiḥ anālabdhadhiyaḥ) = whose minds are untouched by desires or sensory pleasures; जुषन्ति (juṣanti) = they delight; यत् (yat) = which; तत् (tat) = that; नैरपेक्ष्यम् (nairapekṣyam) = state of nonexpectation; न (na) = not; विदुः (viduḥ) = know; सुखम् (sukham) = bliss; मम (mama) = My;

अन्वयः

निष्किञ्चनाः, मयि अनुरक्तचेतसः, शान्ताः, महान्तः, अखिलजीववत्सलाः, कामैः अनालब्धधियः मम यत् नैरपेक्ष्यं सुखं जुषन्ति, तत् (अन्ये) न विदुः ।
niṣkiñcanāḥ, mayi anuraktacetasaḥ, śāntāḥ, mahāntaḥ, akhilajīvavatsalāḥ, kāmaiḥ anālabdhadhiyaḥ mama yat nairapekṣyaṁ sukhaṁ juṣanti, tat (anye) na viduḥ.