Hare Krsna,
It is a common understanding in Gaudiya theology that the spirit soul is Ananda-mayo-bhayasat. We are hankering after pleasure. The living entities, like the Lord, are full of consciousness, and they are after happiness. The Supreme Lord Krsna is the reservoir of all pleasures. The Lord is perpetually happy, and if the living entities associate with the Lord, cooperate with Him and take part in His association, then they also become happy.
Unfortunately, the conditioned living entities, out of ignorance and illusion, is searching for happiness in the wrong place. Rather they have a wrong understanding of happiness. These living entities do not understand the difference between the happiness and bliss (Ananda). Happiness is just a temporary absence of misery. We eat a nice, sumptuous food and we feel happy for a short time. The hunger returns again. We watch TV for a short time, we feel good temporarily, and the miseries reappear. This is the cycle of so-called happiness in this material world. Actually we should be desiring ananda and not mere happiness. This happiness is derived from sense enjoyment – by the contact of the material senses with the sense objects. Since the material body and senses are temporary and not perfect, the happiness gained through this body is also temporary. We should actually be focusing on the need of the soul; the soul craves for pleasure and bliss. Since the Supreme Lord Krsna is the reservoir of all pleasures and bliss, it is natural that we derive such pleasure from the Supreme Source, Krsna.
In BG 1.5.18, it is mentioned that as far as happiness derived from sense enjoyment is concerned, it can be obtained automatically in due course of time, just as in course of time we obtain miseries even though we do not desire them. Srila Prabhupada explains in the purport that the philosophically inclined person must not be tempted by such temporary material positions. He should try to get into the permanent life of bliss and knowledge where he will not be forced to come back again to the miserable material world, either in this or that planet. Miseries and mixed happiness are two features of material life, and they are obtained in Brahmaloka and in other lokas also.
Since the conditioned living entities are clueless as to where to find real happiness, the Lord sends His great philanthropic souls (such as Srila Prabhupada) who travel on the earth in behalf of the Lord to show compassion to the fallen souls, who are averse to the sense of subordination to the Lord and are thus suffering. (SB 3.5.3) They teach that real pleasure can be obtained when one renders devotional service to the Supreme Lord, Krsna. By devotional service only does one’s heart become completely purified from all material coverings like karma, jnana and yoga – concepts that do not lead to real happiness. Only in such a purified stage does the Lord, who is seated in everyone’s heart with the individual soul, give instruction so that the devotee can reach the ultimate destination of going back home, back to Godhead, and attain a state of ultimate bliss. Devotional service is su-sukham kartum avyayam. It is everlasting and is joyfully performed.
It is important that we chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra sincerely and regularly to remove all material contaminations from our heart. This material contaminations cover the true knowledge of where we can find real happiness and bliss.
SB 1.2.19: As soon as irrevocable loving service is established in the heart, the effects of nature’s modes of passion and ignorance, such as lust, desire and hankering, disappear from the heart. Then the devotee is established in goodness, and he becomes completely happy.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Krsna Katha 