For Eternal Beginners
यत्तत् अग्रे विषम् इव परिणामे अमृतोपमम् ।
तत् सुखम् सात्विकम् प्रोक्तम् आत्मबुद्धि प्रसादजम् ॥ ३७ ॥
yattat agre viSam iva pariNAme amRtopamam |
tat sukham sAtvikam proktam Atmabuddhi prasAdajam || 37 ||
यत् तत् [yat tat] The happiness that इव विषम् [iva viSam] seems like poison अग्रे [agre] at first, परिणामे [pariNAme] then ripens अमृतोपमम् [amRtopamam] into bliss तत् सुखम् [tat sukham] - such happiness प्रोक्तम् [proktam] is said to be सात्विकम् [sAtvikam] in
sattva
. प्रसादजम् [prasAdajam] It generates the serenity of आत्म बुद्धि [Atma buddhi] the intellect that pursues the Self.
At the beginning, while initiating focus, the activity is intense and is very strenuous.
Without the exclusive experience of the Self, it seems as painful as poison. It then ripens into bliss - with the power of repetition, it ripens to manifest as the unique and blissful experience of the Self.
That bliss generates the serenity of the intellect that pursues the Self. This intellect works to comprehend the Self. Serenity is about the intellect being free of all other subjects.
When intentions are free from all other subjects, happiness is born. This happiness comes from the exclusive experience of the Self in all its characteristics. Such happiness is like the ultimate bliss. It is said to be in sattva .