QnA with Sri Sri

Q: In the Bhagavad Gita, it is written that rajoguni people pursue happiness by means of hard work, but the real happiness lies in meditation. Does this mean that I should stop studying, and meditate all the time?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: No, this is some misinterpretation. Which translation did you read? Not at all. It is not like that.
Rajoguni happiness is that which suddenly goes high and suddenly comes down. When someone gets a prize, they jump to the ceiling, and then just fall flat.
Satoguni happiness is that of equanimity. If you win, you don’t lose your head and if you lose, you don’t lose your heart. You keep your heart in the right place, your mind in the right place and still be happy.
This may be little difficult in the beginning. It is like when you are asked to do some yoga, pranayama and meditation, you think it is so boring. Your mind says, 'Better go for a party outside somewhere'.
So in the beginning it may seem not so good, but once you start doing, your experience changes. It gives you such a high. Once you do it, you realize, 'It is so good. I want to do it again and again. It is better than going for a party'. That happiness which in the beginning appears to be difficult but in the end gives you lot of happiness, is satvik happiness. Rajasik happiness, is one which brings you a lot of joy in the beginning, but later on it brings you disaster. In the beginning it gives you a little high, but later on destroys your body, mind and spirit.
Tamasik happiness is one which only promises happiness, but neither in the beginning nor in the end gives any happiness. You are just caught up. Just like smoking. Smoking does not make you blissful, but people who are addicted to it, can’t leave it. And when they leave it, it gives them pain, even though doing it doesn’t give them any great pleasure. This is a habit.