BLISS

   We often talk about Bliss  or ANAND. In our day to day life we have pleasure and then at a higher level we talk about Bliss. There is difference between the ordinary pleasure that we get with day to day activity. So what is the difference when we talk about BLISS or ANANDMAY KOSHA or the pleasure  that we get with eating ice cream and then when we do chanting or with Samadhi. In Hindu concept these things are called by different names. In the ordinary day to day life when we do something to please the sense organs - any of the 5 - we eat, listen, touch, see or taste - we get happiness. This is directly connected to the object that we come in contact with through our sense organs. Without the direct contact we will not be able to get the happiness.. We cannot get pleasure just by thinking about ice cream or seeing it. We must taste it . So, the happiness is external or at least depending upon contact of the external object with our sense. This is called VISHAYANAND .Vishay is object .So the idea is that Anand or happiness comes from object or Vishay , but we still need MIND to have the happiness. So 2 things are needed  with Vishayanand. The next one is called BHAJANAND . When we do chanting or pray  without asking for mortal things and do meditation, we also get  happiness. It becomes more intense when our mind is EKAGRA or single pointed and we achieve the higher levels of Samadhi. This does mot depend upon any external object that has to come in contact with our senses. We do need something - some Mantra or Image etc. but it all HAPPENS IN MIND . So, the mind is needed but not the senses. This is called BHAJANAND. This happiness is at higher level but it is still in Mind. The highest level of Bliss is the BRAHMANAND. When the Samadhi is perfected and we are one with the ultimate CONSCIOUSNESS ,it gives a bliss or happiness that is called BRHMANAND But we have to PERCEIVE that WE ARE SAT CHIT ANAND  and we are not BODY-MIND -INTELLECT  UNIT. As long as we have separation from the ultimate consciousness the happiness is borrowed  and is not at he highest level. It will still need the Body-Mind - Intellect for perceiving it.

 So, there are 3 different types of happiness - VISHATANAND - BHAJANAND - BRAHMANAND .