Five Delightful Experiences Based On A Contrast

“In the middle of the day, it is exceedingly pleasant to go about and it is delightful to the touch. In the daytime the sun is pleasing, while the shade and water are not pleasing.” (Lakshmana speaking to Lord Rama, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 16.10)

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अत्यन्त सुख संचारा मध्याह्ने स्पर्शतः सुखाः
दिवसाः सुभग आदित्याअः छ्हाया सलिल दुर्भगाः

atyanta sukha saṃcārā madhyāhne sparśataḥ sukhāḥ
divasāḥ subhaga ādityāaḥ chhāyā salila durbhagāḥ

1. Food after hunger

“Are you familiar with these eating contests that they have? They show them on television now. I know that local pubs and restaurants host their own versions, from time to time. I have never had the chance to participate, but it is always interesting to see. Apparently, strategies have developed over time. It is not as simple as just sitting down for a meal.

“I have always had the feeling that I could really excel if the contest involved pizza. There have been many times where I was inclined to devour an entire pie in one sitting. It only happens when there is intense hunger preceding the interaction. It is like the hunger makes the pizza taste better. I almost want to be hungry in these instances, so that I can enjoy more.”

2. Beverage after thirst

“Do you ever feel as if you could down an entire liter of water? In one sitting. As if participating in a chugging contest. Someone else daring you to do the same. The clock starting so as to note down the time it takes.

“I get these feelings often after intense exercise. Maybe I am stuck in an office where there is limited access to the restroom facilities. Therefore, I intentionally limit my intake of liquids. Once I leave, I sit down to enjoy my beverage of choice. The taste is like no other. It is a wonderful experience that I actually look forward to.”

3. Rescue after terror

“You never really know how bad it is until you experience it for yourself. We were in one of those large office buildings in a metropolitan area. There was this loud sound followed by shaking. No one knew exactly what happened, but moments later there was an announcement over the loudspeaker system. We were told to evacuate.

“I immediately thought the worst. They told us to use the staircase, but that soon became overcrowded. We were stuck. No one was moving. I took a chance with the elevator system. I got lucky. I made it out quickly, all by myself. I later learned that a helicopter had crashed into the building, landing on the roof. That was the cause of the commotion.

“Let me tell you, that feeling of rescue was amazing. When I was finally back home, sitting comfortably on the sofa, I felt so great. It is like I finally appreciated life for everything that it has to offer.”

4. Silence after noise

“I swear these alarms on cars are totally useless. Does anyone actually benefit from them? Have you ever rushed outside to see if something is going on? Okay, perhaps if the alarm goes off in the middle of the night you will know that there might be an issue.

“But more often than not, the alarms are false in nature. They go on for hours and hours, while the owner is away. The rest of us have to suffer. Let me tell you, though, the silence after the resolution is like the greatest gift in life. I feel so much joy that it is impossible to accurately describe.”

5. Sunshine during winter

There is a specific word in this regard: apricity. The warmth of the sun during the winter is particularly noteworthy because of a level of comfort, the increase in appreciation, and the gratefulness a person might not otherwise offer. One might be surprised to learn that we can find this same concept described in the ancient Sanskrit poem known as the Ramayana.

One of the key tenets of Vedic teachings, supported by respected authorities like His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and Prahlada Maharaja, is that no one in the material world is really happy. The joy they experience is false in nature; it is based on conditions.

We see from the above referenced examples that the enjoyment only exists with the presence of a preceding misery. Hence, the reliance on conditions. The wise say that there is a real kind of happiness, which is more than sukha. It is a kind of ananda, or bliss, which relates directly with the properties of the individual soul.

At the same time, through a change in consciousness, that which we appreciate can also have a relationship with transcendental life. With the concept of apricity, for instance, we can immediately think of the Supreme Lord in His avatara of Shri Rama. As described by Lakshmana, the wintertime is particularly pleasing to Rama.

The sunshine is pleasing during the day. It is safe to go outside. It is pleasurable to walk outside, in most cases. This is in contrast to the scorching heat of summer. Walking outside during the daytime, when the sun is shining brightest, is not advisable.

This section of the Ramayana also shows that nothing is lacking within the devotional culture. There is every kind of artistic expression to satisfy the cravings of the individual. Devotional service, bhakti-yoga, is not a dry and stale activity relying only on forced restriction with an accompanying lack of enjoyment. Rather, even during the cold of winter, we can appreciate the merciful appearance of the sun, who brings warmth in the manner of the sun of the solar dynasty appearing in the glorious house of the Raghus.

In Closing:

Like water after intense thirst,
From hunger in the line first.

The contrast enjoyment making,
Joy after misery first taking.

Way for Shri Rama also to see,
Even in the cold of winter to be.

Where though the days abbreviated,
The sun in afternoon appreciated.