This World Is Not Our Home: Why True Happiness Lies Beyond the Temporary

Dukhalayam Ashashwatam: Understanding Life Through Krishna's Eyes

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There’s a verse in the Bhagavad Gita that, for me, feels like the heartbeat of truth when everything else fails to make sense. It is one of those verses that doesn’t gently knock on your door—it breaks it down, sits you down, and tells you with brutal honesty: "My dear friend, this world… it’s duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam—a place of misery, and it’s temporary."

Let’s look at the verse first. In Bhagavad Gita 8.15, Krishna says:

"mām upetya punar janma
duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam
nāpnuvanti mahātmānaḥ
saṁsiddhiṁ paramāṁ gatāḥ"

Translation:

"Having attained Me, the great souls, having reached the highest perfection, never take birth again in the temporary place full of miseries (the material world)."

At first glance, it might sound pessimistic. A world full of misery? Isn’t that too harsh? But pause for a moment and ask yourself: is Krishna exaggerating? Or is He simply telling it like it is?

The Illusion of Permanence

We work hard, we love deeply, we dream bigger, and somewhere, we tell ourselves—"this is it, this will last." But how often does it really?

The home we build brick by brick, the relationships we invest our hearts into, the body we nurture with discipline—it all slips away eventually. Things break, people leave, and the body ages and dies. Everything we thought would last forever ends up being… just a chapter. That’s what Krishna meant by aśāśvatam—nothing here is permanent.

And isn’t that the root of most of our suffering? We try to anchor ourselves in something that won’t stay still. We try to draw water from a mirage, only to end up dry and disappointed.

The Nature of Suffering

The term duḥkhālayam literally means “abode of suffering.” Now, some may object—“But there are happy moments too!” Absolutely, there are. A mother holding her baby, a young couple in love, a student graduating with honors—these are precious moments. But they come with a tag: This too shall pass.

The Gita doesn’t deny the existence of happiness. But it tells us something even deeper—that all happiness that is tied to this world is fleeting. It comes, but it comes with an expiration date. That very ephemerality makes us suffer even more. The moment we get attached, we set ourselves up for pain.

But Why Did Krishna Create Such a World?

A fair question. Why would the all-merciful Krishna create a world like this?

Because this is not our home.

Think of a prison—not in the sense of a punishment, but as a reform center. The soul comes here not because Krishna wants to see it suffer, but because it has chosen to turn away from Him, to taste independence, to play the part of the controller. And in this divine arrangement, Krishna gives us the full freedom to try—but also leaves behind signs everywhere, whispering, “Come home. You don’t belong here.”

Duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam is not just a warning. It’s an invitation. An invitation to wake up from the dream and start walking back to Him.

The World Has Its Purpose

Let’s be clear: Krishna doesn’t ask us to abandon life or run away to the Himalayas. He’s not preaching escapism. The Bhagavad Gita was spoken on a battlefield. Life is a battlefield. But He’s showing us the higher perspective—that while we engage with this world, we must not forget its true nature. We must not fall for the illusion that this is the be-all and end-all.

That’s why Arjuna was asked to fight, but without attachment. To serve his purpose, but with his eyes open.

A Supreme Optimism Hidden in a Harsh Truth

What seems harsh—calling this world an “abode of suffering”—is actually the most hopeful truth you can ever hear. Because it sets you free from false expectations. It removes the blindfold and helps you stop banging your head against a wall hoping it will one day turn soft.

You begin to look elsewhere. You begin to look within.

You start asking: “If this isn’t it, then what is? What is my true home? Who am I beyond this name, this job, this skin?”

And the moment that question sincerely arises—Krishna steps in. He guides you, gently but surely. Through the Gita. Through saints. Through your own life experiences.

So, What Do We Do With This Realization?

Here’s what it has meant for me, and maybe it will resonate with you too:

1. Start seeing the world for what it is. Not with hatred or frustration, but with clarity. Enjoy the beauty, cherish the moments, but don’t build your home here.

2. Turn inward. Use the suffering not to despair but to search. There is a reason for every heartbreak, every disappointment—it’s Krishna’s way of saying: “My child, look higher.”

3. Take shelter in devotion. The Gita is not a book of dry philosophy. It is soaked in love. Krishna offers us His heart. When we turn to Him—through chanting, prayer, and remembrance—we find a joy that no stock market crash or heartbreak can touch.

4. Live in this world but stay anchored in truth. Just like a boat on water, we can float as long as the water doesn’t seep in. Let the world remain outside; don’t let it flood your soul.

The Soul’s Real Home

Ultimately, Krishna is not offering us an escape from suffering—He’s offering us freedom from it. Not a temporary bandage, but a permanent cure. And that cure lies in realizing our eternal identity as His part and parcel.

He’s not asking us to suppress our longings. He’s asking us to redirect them. The longing for permanence, for perfect love, for joy without end—those are not wrong. They are misplaced. Once they are placed at His feet, the heart finds peace.

And that peace is not of this world. It is not duḥkhālayam aśāśvatam. It is sat-cit-ānanda—eternal, full of knowledge, and full of bliss.

In Closing

Yes, this world is temporary. Yes, it is filled with suffering. But that’s not the end of the story—it’s the beginning. The beginning of a journey inward. A journey back to Krishna.

And once you taste the sweetness of Krishna’s name, the warmth of His presence, and the shelter of His love—you’ll realize that even in the midst of this temporary world, you can live with an eternal smile.

Because now you know who you are.

And more importantly… now you know whose you are.