How Do We Constantly Remember God In Joy And Sorrow?

Joy and sorrow are illusions. They are not permanent. We refer to favorability as joy and adversity as sorrow. When one receives a favourable circumstance, object, person, or place, he feels joy; when he gets an unfavourable situation, object, person, or place, he feels sorrow. Both of these are within the realm of duality. There is no existence of joy and sorrow.

Are Joy and Sorrow Real?

In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says, O Arjun, this favorability, this adversity, this winter, this summer, this joy, this sorrow, these are impermanent, they are perishable, they are going to come and go, they are not permanent. Therefore, you bear with them. “Tams titikshasva Bharata”. The Lord is asking us to bear with them. “Find resilience in my remembrance”, God said. Chant the name of God so that whether joy comes or sorrow, the name does not slip away.

“Matra-sparshas tu kaunteya
Sitosna-sukha-duhkha-dah
Agamapayino ‘nityas
Tams titikshasva bharata”

Bhagavad Gita 2.14

One who indulges in happiness is bound to suffer sorrow. On one side is God, the ocean of joy, and on the other is the fleeting enjoyment of worldly experiences. If we forget God in our joy, we will inevitably suffer when sorrow strikes. If we remember God in sorrow, we should also celebrate Him joyfully. The mind that seeks pleasure will also face suffering. Without attachment, hatred cannot arise; without lust, there is no anger. If we consistently remember God in joy, it will naturally carry over in sorrow. In happiness, we dance and chant joyfully; in sorrow, we chant seeking shelter from Him.

Who is Bigger? God or Material Enjoyment?

Sorrow and joy are not strong enough to disrupt our chanting (devotion). However, when we embrace happiness, we often find someone or something that brings us joy and forget God. On one side is the Lord, and on the other is the joy we experience from that person or object. Now, who is greater in our eyes? The joy from that person is why we forget God.

Do we place more importance on the joy of a substance, a position, or an event? By elevating them in times of joy, we inevitably set ourselves up to suffer in times of sorrow. As seekers, we must improve our thinking. It’s not that we should avoid enjoying pleasant circumstances. We must drink water, eat food, and dress according to the weather. Engaging in practical life is necessary, but we must not lose sight of God.

You are someone’s partner, friend, family member, and parent. You must adhere to all these dealings while chanting the name of God. But you cannot be saved from sorrow if you forget to chant the holy name. That is not right when we fail to chant the holy name in joy. Things will get better soon if you chant when happy but not when sad. If we forget to chant in joy, we must suffer sorrow. There is sorrow where there is no remembrance of God, and if there is remembrance of God, then there is no sorrow. We will have to make some improvements. In happiness, we must dance and chant with joy; in sorrow, we must pray, “Oh Lord, please bless me so that this sorrow does not make me forget you and does not take me away from you”.