Pavan K. Varma (Echoes of Eternity: A Journey Through Indian Thought)

""The essential nature of our Self or Atman is joy; Brahman, is joy; the world is joy. We are from joy, and we return to joy, which is our sole essence, prior to birth, during life, and on death. For reasons that I have discussed earlier, the joy which is the nature of our real Being, is pushed to the margins because the buddhi (mind), ever active and never still, and the ahamkara (ego), the futile sense of ‘I’-ness, dominate our lives. The spiritual purpose of life then is to quieten the mind and vanquish the ego, so that the chit or the Atman, the silent and joyful observer within us, awakens and makes us aware of who we really are—purnta or unblemished joy and fulfilment