The path of happiness and liberation from unhappiness is mostly disappearing in the present time, without knowing the real nature of self which is infinite knowledge and infinite happiness itself. Most of the beings of the world are in the wrong quest. A millionaire with all the so-called means of happiness, namely, a position in life, a fine house with all the amenities to staying, a beautiful or handsome mate, is seen in search of happiness. So also a wretched being, may be human or animal, is found toiling for it. If one knows about the plight of a hellish being or a celestial being, it is also the same-desire or greed for more happiness. Thus it is an universally acknowledged fact that every being is desirous of finding happiness and getting rid of unhappiness. He is not satisfied with what he has. If one has set a target of a million and gets it; if one has a desire to reach a particular position and reaches it; if one has a desire to get a particular “He?or “She?as a mate and gets it; if one has a desire to get a particular house and gets it ; then his or her desire must end. But this is not what we experience in life. On the contrary, on the fulfilment of a desire, a new desire emerges resulting in unhappiness till it is satisfied. Such chain of desire continues. 

This situation must raise questions to thoughtful persons as to what is real happiness? What is un happiness? What is liberation from unhappiness? Unless one has real answers to these questions, there is no meaning in indulging in desire for happiness or desire to get rid of unhappiness. 
In fact the ordinary man has no such question, because to his conditioned mind, happiness means the enjoyment of the above-stated enjoyable objects. All these and like objects are believed by him as the means of happiness and therefore all his efforts are directed to achieve more and more of them. So in the discourses about advancement of happiness, it is said to toil hard for more produce from the land, from industry, from handicrafts, etc. for acquiring good food, good clothings, good houses and other good amenities. It is said that all will be happy only then. We do not question here whether all these would be acquired or not. But the question is whether one will really be happy even by acquiring these objects of sensual pleasures. If the answer to this question is affirmative, then in the countries which have reached the highest limits of prosperity and abundance of all these means of happiness, all the peoplemust be happy. But this is not so in reality. A considerable number of people there is found with fear, with confusion, with anxiety, with unhappiness and without peace of mind. 

It is therefore imperative for all the thinking world to contemplate on the question as to what is happiness is in reality. Without its correct solution, the people will not be able to make endeavour in the right direction and achieve the real happiness. 

Some people say that if the desires are satisfied, the real happiness arises and if they are not satisfied, unhappiness, impatience or confusion arises. They, therefore, want to do this or that for making the changes or modifications in the condition of other substances either living or non-living, so that their desires are fulfilled and the desired substances are acquired. But the modification in the condition of other substance or its acquisition is not the result of the desire of any person. It is the effect, the cause of which is that substance itself. When the desire of the person and the occurrence of the particular modification in the other substance coincide, there is a delusion in ignorant person that he has satisfied his desire by making modification in the other substance or by its acquisition. 

From the study of ‘Atma-Siddhi?an aspirant for self-realisation attains the knowledge of all these aspects about self, about happiness and about the path for self realisation and liberation.