यत्तदग्रे विषमिव परिणामेऽमृतोपमम् | तत्सुखं सात्त्विकं प्रोक्तमात्मबुद्धिप्रसादजम् ||
yat tad agre viṣam iva pariṇāme 'mṛtopamam tat sukhaṁ sāttvikaṁ proktam ātma-buddhi-prasāda-jam
Translation
That which is like poison at first but like nectar at the end — that happiness is called sattvic, born of the serenity of the Self-knowing intellect.
Interpretation
Sattvic happiness is initially like poison and ultimately like nectar — the reversal of sensory pleasure. Meditation is difficult at first; self-discipline requires painful effort; honest self-examination is uncomfortable; genuine love sometimes demands sacrifice. But the fruits of these sattvic practices are increasingly deep joy, lasting peace, and the dissolution of suffering. This happiness is 'born of the serenity of the intellect that knows the Self' — it arises from within, independent of external circumstances, and it grows with practice rather than diminishing.