ānanda / आनन्द: / bliss
ānanda (आनन्द) is the very nature of Brahman, a defining and inherent attribute of its nature. It signifies that Brahman is of the nature of unadulterated, limitless, and unsurpassed joy. This is not merely an absence of suffering, but a positive and active experience of infinite happiness that is both the motivating factor for devotion, as well as the ultimate result of liberation. Brahman, while being the source of all bliss, is also an experiencer of this absolute form of joy.
- Essential Nature of Brahman: Ānanda is not a quality that Brahman acquires, but is part of its essential nature. "विज्ञानमानन्दं ब्रह्म" (vijñānamānandaṃ brahma) highlights the inherent connection between knowledge and bliss in the Brahman. The phrase “आनन्दो ब्रह्म” (ānando brahma), meaning, "Bliss is Brahman," emphasizes that bliss constitutes the very being of Brahman (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 5.9.28 and Taittiriya Upanishad 3.6.1)
- Unsurpassed and Infinite: Brahman's bliss is "anavadhika-atisayānanda" (अनवधिकातिशयानन्द), that is “unlimited and unsurpassed bliss”, indicating that it is a unique and infinite form of happiness which is far superior to any other earthly or heavenly pleasure.
- "रसो वै स: रसं ह्येवायं लब्ध्वाऽऽनन्दी भवति" (raso vai saḥ rasaṃ hyevāyaṃ labdhvā 'ānandī bhavati) "He is, indeed, joy. Upon attaining joy, one becomes blissful".(Taittiriya Upanishad 7.1)
- Experiential Realization: Attainment of ānanda is not just a theoretical understanding but a direct, lived experience of Brahman. It is not merely an abstract intellectual concept, but also an experiential transformation of the jiva.
In summary, ānanda is not just an attribute or a state of being, but it is the very essence of Brahman as the source and the goal of all creation. It is the perfect, unadulterated joy that is inherent in Brahman’s being, and is an end goal in and of itself, whose realization is the path to liberation.`