Restraint and Happiness

Restraint is the source of happiness. Controlling all the mental propensity is restraint. Mental tendencies are fickle – momentary. Who can keep control over them?

Answer to this is – Discretion. All the tendencies can be easily controlled by prudence. As soon as control is removed, these tendencies make the man dance to their tune and make him continue to dance throughout the life. Such a man cannot be happy either in this world or in the next.

On the contrary, one whose tendencies are in control i.e. one who does everything with proper thinking, not as per mental dictates, who steps out only after due consideration; one who is contented with little also, wise man say that such a person who controls his self, he is only happy in this world as well as the next.

- Uttaradhyayana Sutra 1/15