The Journey from Object to Existence: Regaining Pure Being for Brahma Saukhyam

The Journey from Object to Existence: Regaining Pure Being for Brahma Saukhyam

In the pursuit of happiness, modern society is often ensnared by the lure of vishaya—the sensory objects and events that seem to promise fulfillment. This objectification of happiness, however, limits us, tethering the self to transient forms, actions, and materiality. True happiness—ananda—is not an object to be grasped or a fleeting event to be pursued. Instead, it is rooted in the essence of sattvam, the pure and illuminated state of being that reflects our innate connection to the infinite, to Brahman.

Hegel, in his profound analysis of consciousness and freedom, speaks of the journey from dependence on externalities toward absolute self-awareness. The soul, in its development, begins by projecting itself onto objects—finding itself in what is “other”—whether it be in material possessions, achievements, or relationships. But this mode of existence is inherently limited, for the object is impermanent, subject to decay, loss, and transformation. Thus, Hegel asserts, to regain the true freedom of spirit (atman), the soul must transcend these externalizations and return to itself in pure self-consciousness. In spiritual terms, this is the process of sattva-shuddhi, the purification of the mind, wherein the distractions of the external world (prakriti) are dissolved, and one comes face to face with their own chaitanya, or consciousness.

We can only achieve brahma-saukhyam, the bliss of Brahman, by moving beyond the vyavahara, or worldly transactions of pleasure and pain, and regaining our pure existence—our intrinsic, unconditioned state of being. In this journey, we cease to define happiness as the outcome of external events (objectification) or fleeting occurrences (eventification). Instead, happiness becomes existification, a realization that it is not something to be pursued but something to be realized—it is already present, within our very being.

The purification of sattva leads to clarity, inner peace, and the awakening of our intrinsic connection to the eternal. Through this transformation, our sense of self becomes attuned to the universal, realizing that ananda—the ultimate happiness—was never "out there" but always within, waiting to be uncovered. In this state, the soul experiences the non-dual bliss of Brahman, free from the limitations of the external world, free from dependence on objects, and centered in the eternal now.