Explanation:
The medium of God is a human being, which consists of the five sheaths (pancha kosha). The Veda says that the five sheaths like food, oxygen, mind, intelligence and bliss are recognized as God (Annam Brahmeti…etc.,). The statements refer to the medium of God and not to God directly. These five sheaths constitute the three bodies of the human being, which are gross, subtle and causal states [or bodies]. Food (annam) and oxygen (pranah) constitute the gross body. Mind (manah), intelligence (buddhih) and bliss (anandah) constitute the subtle body. The material of the subtle body (jiva) is awareness, which is the causal body (Atman). The causal body is always [automatically] mentioned whenever the subtle body is mentioned. Water is [automatically] mentioned whenever the water-wave is mentioned. Gold is mentioned whenever the golden chain is mentioned. A bundle of golden ornaments is called as gold directly. Hence, when jiva is mentioned, naturally Atman is mentioned through jiva and a separate mention of Atman is not necessary. Ananda is simply intense and continuous happiness (sukham) and thus, it is a quality. jiva is a bundle of various qualities. Mind is a bundle of wishes. A wish is a quality. Intelligence is a bundle of confirmed wishes and thus, it is also a bundle of qualities. Hence, the jiva is a group of qualities, which are like waves of water. Awareness is the water in these waves or qualities.
Note:
Whenever you try to describe God, you can only describe the medium in which God is present. Whenever someone talks about God, He can only talk about the medium in which God is present. He cannot talk about God directly. When I explain the nature of the medium, it is because God has identified with the nature of the medium. So by explaining about the medium, you can say that God is explained. But when you say or think that by that explanation, God Himself is explained, then God withdraws from that the medium to show you that only mediated God was explained and that the original God was never explained. When you say that the live wire is electricity, I will ask you to show me the electric current. Electric current is a stream of electrons that cannot be seen directly. You will show Me a live wire and say that it is the electric current. It does not mean that you have shown Me the stream of electrons. You have shown me a metallic wire in which the electric current is present. I will think that the metallic wire itself is the current. That is no problem, because the entire wire is charged by the current. Temporarily, it serves the purpose. But suppose, I think that the metallic wire itself is really the current, which is a stream of electrons, it is not true. The wire is after all only a chain of metallic crystals. The stream of electrons is different. For the time being, through the medium, I can say that the current is the chain of crystals. This is the concept of mediated God.
What is bliss?
Bliss is intense happiness. Happiness is a quality of awareness or the soul. An inert stone cannot have bliss or misery. Bliss is only a quality. Misery is also a quality like generosity, love etc. When God charges a soul, that soul will never undergo misery, it will always be in intense happiness. Through such intense happiness one can detect the presence of God. Bliss is not God; it is only a quality of awareness. Awareness is the medium in which God is present. When God is present in awareness (soul), that awareness will always have intense happiness. This is because God can enjoy misery as well as happiness. So, He is in continuous happiness. The quality of bliss can indicate the existence of God in the awareness (that particular soul). When electric current passes through a metallic wire, the metallic wire becomes red hot. The red color and heat are the properties of the metal alone. But they can indicate the presence of the current. The red color itself is not the current. Bliss is not God, but bliss can indicate the existence of God in that awareness. Bliss is a quality of awareness. It does not mean that awareness has only one quality: bliss. Other qualities like misery are also present in the awareness. In an ordinary soul, you can see misery as well as happiness. But when God charges a soul, only happiness exists; there is no misery because He enjoys even misery. Such bliss, one can take as the identity mark of the existence of God in that awareness.
Can a soul which does not contain God, ever have bliss?
By the grace of God, even a soul that does not contain God, can have bliss. Liberated souls have continuous bliss. Bliss is common in a liberated soul and a Human Incarnation. The Lord identifies Himself even with a liberated soul. There is no difference. Even if God is not present in the liberated soul, He still gives complete status to the liberated soul except for the power of ruling, maintenance and destruction of the world. He identifies with them and considers them to be equal to Him. If you worship a liberated soul as God, there is no problem. God is pleased. It becomes indirect worship. You love your son very much and suppose I honor your son, will you not be pleased?
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