Santosha (skt. संतोष saṃtoṣa) literally means "contentment, satisfaction".Peter H Van Ness, Yoga as Spiritual but not Religious: A Pragmatic Perspective, American Journal of Theology & Philosophy, Vol. 20, No. 1 (January 1999), pages 15-30 It is also an ethical concept in Indian philosophy,Andrea Hornett (2012), Ancient Ethics and Contemporary Systems: The Yamas, the Niyamas and Forms of Organization, in Leadership through the Classics (Editors: Prastacos et al), Springer-Verlag, Berlin, , pages 63-78 particularly Yoga, where it is included as one of the Niyamas by Patanjali.
Definition Santosha, sometimes spelled Santosa, is a portmanteau in Sanskrit, derived from Saṃ- prefix (सं-, सम्-) and Tosha (तोष (from root √तुष्, √tuṣ)). SaM-, means "completely", "altogether" or "entirely",saM Monier Williams Sanskrit English Dictionary, Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, Germany and Tosha (from the root √tus), "contentment", "satisfaction", "acceptance", "being comfortable".toSa Monier Williams Sanskrit English Dictionary, Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, Germany Combined, the word Santosha means "completely content with, or satisfied with, accepting and comfortable". Other words based on the root Tuṣht (तुष्टः), such as Santusht (सन्तुष्ट) and Tushayati (तुष्यति) are synonymous with Santosha, and found in ancient and medieval era Indian texts.tuS and santuSTa, Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Koeln University, GermanyKiran Salagame (2013), Well-being from the Hindu/Sanātana Dharma Perspective, in Susan A. David et al. (Editors) - Oxford Handbook of Happiness, Oxford University Press, , pages 371-382
IsaacsNora Isaacs (2014), The Little Book of Yoga, Chronicle, , page 154 translates Santosha as “contentment, accepting one's circumstances”. WoodsMeans of Attainment or Sadhana The yoga-system of Patanjali or the ancient Hindu doctrine of concentration of mind, James Haughton Woods, Harvard University Press, page 189, 182 describes it as the lack of Trsna (तृष्णा, craving) and desiring that which is necessary for one's life, while translating verse II.42 and II.32 of Yoga Sutrās, respectively. OthersMeadow, M. J. (1978), The cross and the seed: Active and receptive spiritualities, Journal of religion and health, 17(1): 57-69Donna Farhi (2011), Yoga Mind, Body & Spirit: A Return to Wholeness, MacMillan, , page 13 define it as an attitude of contentment, one of understanding and accepting oneself and one's environment and circumstances as they are, a spiritual state necessary for optimism and effort to change the future. BhattaBhatta (2009), Holistic Personality Development through Education Ancient Indian Cultural Experiences, Journal of Human Values, 15(1): 49-59 clarifies Santosha as inner contentment, a state of inner peace.
Yoga Darshana, which includes commentary of Rishi Vyasa on Patanjali's Yogasutra, defines contentment as the inner state where, "exists a joyful and satisfied mind regardless of one's environment, whether one meets with pleasure or pain, profit or loss, fame or contempt, success or failure, sympathy or hatred".Alain Daniélou (1991), Yoga: Mastering the Secrets of Matter and the Universe, , page 36
Discussion Santosha as a Niyama is discussed in Indian texts at various levels - intent, inner state and its expression. As intent, Santosha is doing one's best and accepting the results of one's efforts.JM Mehta (2006), Essence of Maharishi Patanjali's Ashtang Yoga, , pages 60-62 As inner state, it is contentment that combines with and works with other virtues such as Asteya (non-coveting, non-stealing), Aparigraha (non-hoarding, non-possessiveness) and Daya (compassion for others).Helena Echlin, When less is more, Yoga Journal, December 2006, page 91-95Showkeir and Showkeir, Yoga Wisdom at Work, , page 84 As outward expression, Santosha is the observed "serenity", of being “totally satisfied, not desiring anything other than the fundamental".Claude Maréchal (1984), La integración, Granollers: Viniyoga, in Traducción y comentario de los aforismos sobre el Yoga Sûtra de Patanjali, En La integración. Libro I. Barcelona
Maréchal states that Santosha is rooted in the desire to avoid anything negative to self, to others, to all living beings and to nature. It is not the state of abandonment or being without any needs, rather the state of neither taking too much nor taking less than what one needs, one of contented optimism.Stuart Sovatsky (1998), Words from the Soul, SUNY Series in Transpersonal and Humanistic Psychology, State University of New York Press, , pages 21-22 It is the habit of being able to accept circumstances one finds self in, without being upset, of accepting oneself, and of equanimity with others who are balancing their own needs as they share what they have. Santosha is also abstaining from taking and consuming something to excess, even if its appearance makes it tempting. Maréchal states, that in cases the environment is one where one is forced to listen to a painful speech or someone's anger, Santosha is the serenity of accepting it completely as an instructive and constructive message, understanding the other, then detaching oneself and patiently seeking reform and change in one's environment.
Śankarâchârya, of the Vedanta school of Hinduism, in verses 521-548 of the text Vivekachudamani (The Crest-Jewel of Wisdom), states that Santosha is a necessary virtue because it frees a human being from the compulsions of all bondage, manipulation and fears, whereafter he can "dwell according to his will", do what he thinks is right, pursue his own calling wherever, whenever and however he wants.Original (see the whole chapter, as "virtue of contentment" is discussed from verse 521 onwards):कामान्निष्कामरूपी संश्चरत्येकचारो मुनिः ।स्वात्मनैव सदा तुष्टः स्वयं सर्वात्मना स्थितः ॥क्वचिन्मूढो विद्वान् क्वचिदपि महाराजविभवःक्वचिद्भ्रान्तः सौम्यः क्वचिदजगराचारकलितः ।क्वचित्पात्रीभूतः क्वचिदवमतः क्वाप्यविदितःचरत्येवं प्राज्ञः सततपरमानन्दसुखितः ॥निर्धनोऽपि सदा तुष्टोऽप्यसहायो महाबलः ।नित्यतृप्तोऽप्यभुञ्जानोऽप्यसमः समदर्शनः ॥ ५४३ ॥ For translation: Charles Johnston, The Crest-Jewel of Wisdom, Freedom Religion Press, John Grimes (2004), The Vivekacudamani Of Sankaracarya, Motilal Banarsidass, , Part 2, Verses 521-548 Johnston translates Śankarâchârya view on Santosha as the inner state where, "things neither distress him nor elate him much, nor is he attached to or repelled by them; in his own Self he ever joys, the Self is his rejoicing; altogether contented by the essence of uninterrupted bliss; with Santosha (contentment), he knows his Self – the Eternal, he is free from bondage, he is delighted no matter what, his life is victory; he moves where fancy leads him, unconstrained; he sleeps by the river-bank or the wood, his couch is the world; he moves in paths where the beaten road has ended; he then is one delighting in the supreme Eternal".Śankarâchârya (Translated by Charles Johnston), Vivekachudamani or The Crest-Jewel of Wisdom, Freedom Religion Press, ; For original sanskrit, see Vivekachudamani; For one version of a free online translation of these verses by Adi Shankara, see wikisource
Literature Santosha is a broadly discussed virtue in over thirty five ancient and medieval era texts of Hinduism.SV Bharti (2001), Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: With the Exposition of Vyasa, Motilal Banarsidas, , Appendix I, pages 680-691 Most of these are in Sanskrit, but some are in regional Indian languages. As a few examples, Santosha is discussed as an important virtue and ethical concept in verses 2.1.39 through 2.1.48 of Purana Samhita, verse I.218-12 of Garuda Purana, verse 11-20 of Kurma Purana, verse 19.18 of Prapancha Sara, verse 24.156 of Paramananda, verse 3.18 of Shandilya Yoga Shastra, verses 2.1 to 2.2 of Yoga Yajnavalkya, and in verses 1.53 through 1.66 of Vasishtha Samhita. In some texts, such as Trishikhi Brahmana Upanishad and Sutrās, synonymous concepts and words such as Santusti (सन्तुष्टि)santuSTi Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Koeln University, Germany and Akama (अकाम, non-desire, non-neediness)akAma Monier Williams' Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, Germany are used, calling it as a virtue that represents "affection for the Supreme Reality". Samkhya Karika, in its section on ethics and the effect of virtues and vices on a human being, states contentment is achieved in nine categories, four of which are externalSamkhya Karika lists these as Prakrti (nature), Upadhana (means), Kala (time) and Bhagya (luck) and five internalSamkhya Karika lists these as material and non-material desires related to five senses: sight, sound, taste, touch and smell to him.Original:आध्यात्मिक्यश्चतस्रः प्रकृत्युपादानकालभाग्याख्याः । बाह्या विषयोपरमात्पञ्च नव च तुष्टयोऽभिहिताःSource:Samkhya KarikaDiscussion: Samkhya Karika Verse 50, (in Sanskrit), Calicut, India, pages 41-42; for context see discussion starting from Verse 27 onwards
Yoga Vashista describes the path to Santosha as follows,
In the Indian Epic Mahabharata, the virtue of Santosha is discussed in many books. For example, in Shanti Parva (the Book of Peace),
Mythology The Vishnu Purana recites a myth that includes Santosha as a progeny of Tushti and Dharma, and it is loaded with symbolism. The myth is as follows,
The desire paradox ScholarsS. Schiffer (1976), A paradox of desire, American Philosophical Quarterly, 13(3): 195-203 have questioned whether contentment (Santosha) is equal to having the "desire to be without desire", and if so, is it a paradox in itself? This question is of interest to both Hinduism and Buddhism. HermanA.L. Herman (1979), A Solution to the Paradox of Desire in Buddhism, Philosophy East and West, 29(1): 91-94 states that there is a difference between the mindless pursuit of "craving" and mindful pursuit of "needs". The former is of concern to Indian philosophies, while for latter they acknowledge and encourage the proper pursuit of "needs".
Craving is an intense, ever-expansive compulsion to hoarding material possessions, an addiction for something or someone, and a state where the person accumulates the target of his greed or lust while ignoring dharma. Contentment is the opposite state, free from cravings that create bondage and dependence, an understanding of the minimum he needs and alternate ways to meet those needs, thus liberated to do whatever he wants and what feels right, proper, meaningful to him. Proper and simultaneous pursuit of dharma, artha and kama is respected in Hindu texts. For example, in Book 9, the Shalya Parva of the Epic Mahabharata, the proper and simultaneous pursuit of artha (wealth, profit, means of livelihood), dharma (righteousness, morality, ethics) and kama (love, pleasure, emotional contentment) is recommended,
In cases where there is conflict between Artha, Kama and Dharma, Vatsyayana states Artha precedes Kama, while Dharma precedes both Kama and Artha.Vatsyayana, Translated by The Hindu Kama Shastra Society (1925), The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayana, page 8
References
Further reading T.M.P. Mahadevan, The Pañcadaśī of Bhāratītīrtha-Vidyāraṇya: An Interpretative Exposition, Chapter 7 - Elucidation of Contentment, Centre of Advanced Study in Philosophy, University of Madras, 1969,