|| 18.37 ||
यत्तदग्रे विषमिव परिणामेऽमृतोपमम्। तत्सुखं सात्त्विकं प्रोक्तमात्मबुद्धिप्रसादजम्।।
yat tad agre viṣam iva pariṇāme ’mṛtopamam tat sukhaṁ sāttvikaṁ proktam ātma-buddhi-prasāda-jam
Word by Word
yat (which) tat (that) agre (in the beginning) viṣam (poison) iva (as if) pariṇāme (at the end/result) amṛta-upamam (compared to nectar) tat (that) sukham (happiness) sāttvikam (in the mode of goodness) proktam (is called) ātma-buddhi-prasāda-jam (born of the clarity of the self).
Translation
That which in the beginning may be just like poison but at the end is just like nectar and which awakens one to self-realization is said to be happiness in the mode of goodness.
Meaning
Kṛṣṇa defines ‘Happiness in the Mode of Goodness’. It has a very specific signature: it feels like ‘Poison’ in the beginning but tastes like ‘Nectar’ in the end. It is born of the ‘Prasāda’ or the clarity and peace that comes from mastering the mind and intelligence. It is the joy of discipline and self-realization.
Examples: Waking up at 4 AM to meditate is ‘Poison’ for the lazy mind, but the resulting clarity and health are ‘Nectar’. Studying a difficult scripture is ‘Poison’ for the restless mind, but the resulting wisdom is ‘Nectar’. Sāttvika happiness requires ‘Delayed Gratification’. It is the joy of a person who has done the hard work and is now reaping the internal peace. It is a joy that grows stronger over time and never leaves you with a ‘hangover’ of regret.
It teaches us to ‘Tough it Out’ in the beginning. We should not be discouraged if our spiritual practices feel difficult or ‘bitter’ at first. That bitterness is just the ego dying. If we persist, that very practice will become the sweetest nectar of our lives. We should choose the ‘Poison’ of discipline today to ensure the ‘Nectar’ of liberation tomorrow. Goodness is for the long-distance runner of the soul.