Taittirīyopaniṣat 02.17
saiṣānandasya mīmāṁgāṁsā bhavati। yuvā syāt sādhu-yuvā'dhyāyakaḥ। āśiṣṭho dṛḍhiṣṭho baliṣṭhaḥ। tasyevaṁ pṛthivī sarvā vittasya pūrṇā syāt। sa eko mānuṣa ānandaḥ। te ye śataṁ mānuṣā ānandāḥ। sa eko manuṣya-gandharvāṇāmānandaḥ śrotriyasya cākāma-hatasya ॥17॥
This is an inquiry into bliss. Suppose there is a youth, a virtuous and learned student, most aspiring, most firm, most strong. For him, this entire earth filled with wealth may belong. That is one unit of human bliss. A hundred such human blisses make the one bliss of the human gandharvas, which belongs to the knower of the Veda who is not overcome by desire.
Taittirīya Bhāshya 02.17
Testimonial continues to reflect on the varied experience of bliss by various categories of beings, as stated in the Upanishads.
"... viduṣāṃ niyamena tu। syādeva mokṣastatrāpi hyānandasya vicitratā॥
"... However, for the wise, liberation is certainly attained by rule; yet even there, the experience of bliss is varied.
yastu sādhuguṇairyuktastasyaivāpyakhilā mahī। tretāyuge cakravartī yadāmuktastu saṃsṛteḥ॥ adhītiphala pūrṇatvādādhyāyaka itīritaḥ॥
He who possesses virtuous qualities truly owns the whole earth. In the Tretā age, even a universal monarch is not freed from the cycle of rebirth. Due to the completeness of the fruit of study, he is called a reciter, thus is said.
sa eva viṣṇunā yukto gacchatīti yuvā smṛtaḥ। ekānandasvarūpo'sau mānuṣo mukta iṣyate॥
He who is united with Lord Viṣṇu and who proceeds thus is called a youth. That human, whose nature is singular bliss, i.e. one unit of bliss, is regarded as liberated.
tasmāt śataguṇānandāḥ gandharvā mānuṣātmakaāḥ। muktāḥ śrutiphalaṃ prāptāḥ tataḥ kāmāhatāstathā ॥17॥"
Compared to that, Gandharvas of human essence are endowed with hundredfold bliss, having attained liberation and the fruit of hearing, after being afflicted by desire."
