Object-happiness (viṣaya-ānanda) is a name given to a phenomenon that naturally occurs in the subtle body.
Brahman is of the nature of sat-cid-ānanda (Existence-Awareness-Fullness).
Although Brahman pervades the entire universe (jagat) as its substratum (adhiṣṭhāna) – the manifestation of its nature varies from object to object.
The inert objects, like a rock, of the world manifest only as Existence (sat).
While sentient creatures (with a subtle-body) manifest as Existence-Awareness (sat-cit).
Existence-Awareness-Fullness (sat-chit-ananada) is only fully manifest in an subtle-body that is predominated by sattva-guna (fancy name for when the mind is still, not agitated by need to fulfill desires).
The subtle-body becomes predominated by sattva-guna when it is without any pursuit (like goals, desires, fears, wishes, or expectations on what should happen).
The subtle-body is without pursuit when it attains a desired object that it was pursuing. The object was a means to remove the mental agitation covering one's natural statue of fullness, in form of happiness.
For example, when the man gets the girl, or girl gets the man — his mental agitation (which was preventing ananda/fullness manifesting in form of happiness) — disappears because the object of desire was attained. Hence his subtle-body is predominated by Sattva, therefore experiences viṣaya-ānanda (object-happiness).
The happiness underneath the mental agitation is your nature – thus it's always present – but covered and inaccessible due to presence of rules/conditions you learned over time that have to be satisfied in order for mind to still itself. We can call this “underneath, ever present happiness”, brahma-ananda (or Brahman's bliss).
So the vishaya-ananda is nothing but manifestation of brahma-ananda. In simple terms: The experienceable happiness that comes and goes in your life, is a taster of your nature.
The manifestation of brahma-ānanda (bliss of the Self) in the subtle-body is a natural phenomenon.
It happens in every subtle-body, including the subtle body of a jnani / jivanmukta (Enlightened person).
Meaning, jivanmukta's subtle-body also experiences object-happiness. It can't be stopped.
The ignorant person (lacking Vedantic knowledge) concludes the happiness is coming from the object.
While the liberated person, recognizes the happiness gained from the object (vishaya-ananda) is just a taster, small sampler of infinite brahma-ananda, his nature.
The ignorant person actively seeks objects, mistaking them for source of happiness.
The wise person, doesn't actively seek objects in hopes to taste a sampler of brahma-ananda, but recognizes “I am brahma-ananda even when it's not experienced”. It's simply a cognitive understanding.
OBJECTION:
So far I've understood that object-happiness is experienced when the subtle-body becomes predominated by sattva — or when mind is not agitated by desires and rules that have to be met in order for the mind to quieten itself down.
In short: the subtle body becomes predominated by sattva when it is without any pursuit.
Bit isn't a wise person always without pursuit?
Isn't he always aware of the fact that he is of nature of ananda (sat-cid-ananda)?
ANSWER:
The subtle-body can be simultaneously aware of two things — only if one awareness is GENERAL, and one is SPECIFIC.
Your mind can only be specifically aware of one thing at a time.
For example, imagine a person is cooking. He is “specifically aware” of his action of cooking.
He can simultaneously be “generally aware” of his name, at least in the background. But this background does not translate to a specific thought such as, “My name is X”.
If someone comes and asks his name, the general awareness of his name can become specific, and he can verbalize, “My name is X”.
However, as soon as he is “specifically aware” of his name, he is no longer specifically aware of his action of cooking.
In the same way, the subtle-body can be specifically aware of either brahman OR the world at any given time — not both.
The subtle-body is specifically aware of brahman only when it is in nididhyasana (thinking of the Self).
When a jnani is engaged in the world, his subtle-body must be specifically aware of the world for sake of transaction — and only generally aware of brahman. But just because Brahman is not at the forefront of awareness, doesn't mean he doesn't know Brahman as oneself.
When his subtle-body is specifically aware of the world, it can be predominated by any thought. It can also be engaged in a pursuit.
Meaning, even a jnani's subtle-body becomes predominated by sattva and experiences object-happiness.
For example, imagine a person is cooking. He is “specifically aware” of his action of cooking.
When a jnani is engaged in the world, his subtle-body must be specifically aware of the world for sake of transaction — and only generally aware of brahman. But just because Brahman is not at the forefront of awareness, doesn't mean he doesn't know Brahman as oneself.
