सन्तोषः परमो लाभः सत्सङ्गः परमा गतिः । विचारः परमं ज्ञानं शमो हि परमं सुखम् ॥ १९ ॥
santōṣaḥ paramō lābhaḥ satsaṅgaḥ paramā gatiḥ | vicāraḥ paramaṁ jñānaṁ śamō hi paramaṁ sukham || 19 ||
Translation
Contentment is the highest gain, good company the highest refuge, inquiry the highest knowledge, and peace the highest happiness.
Word by word
- santōṣaḥ
- contentment
- paramō
- (paramaḥ) the highest
- lābhaḥ
- gain
- satsaṅgaḥ
- good company
- paramā
- the highest
- gatiḥ
- refuge
- vicāraḥ
- inquiry
- paramaṁ
- the highest
- jñānaṁ
- knowledge
- śamō
- (śamaḥ) peace
- hi
- and
- sukham
- happiness
Meaning
Each of the four is set at the top of its own kind. The commentary turns it into four denials: there is no gain equal to contentment, no refuge equal to good company, no knowledge equal to inquiry into the Self, no happiness equal to peace. Together they answer the four things people chase: gain, a refuge, knowledge and happiness.