In plain words
Brahmānanda means ....
To use words without recognising their meaning is ignorance. Many people, enjoying worldly pleasures and riches, say, “I am in Brahmānanda.” You must recognise what Brahmānanda is. Bodily comforts and pleasures are called human Ānanda. A hundred times greater than human Ānanda is the Ānanda of Indra. A hundred times greater than the Ānanda of Indra is the Ānanda of Devendra. A hundred times greater than the Ānanda of Devendra is the Ānanda of the gods. A hundred times greater than the Ānanda of the gods is the Ānanda of Bṛhaspati. A hundred times greater than the Ānanda of Bṛhaspati is the Ānanda of Prajāpati. A hundred times greater than the Ānanda of Prajāpati is Brahmānanda. So what comes and goes from moment to moment is not Brahmānanda. Brahmānanda is eternal. “Brahmānandaṃ parama sukhadaṃ ....” That alone gives true happiness. Happiness that belongs to the body and the mind is not true happiness. It is like a passing cloud. The Ānanda that does not change even through waking, dream and deep sleep is Brahmānanda. Outward joy is there only in the waking state. It is not there in the state of sleep. It is not there in the state of dream. But Brahmānanda is there in the waking state, it is there in dream, and it is there in deep sleep too.
Man thirsts for Ānanda. But because he gathers into himself base, narrow and petty feelings, he falls prey to sorrow. Man must give up narrow feelings and cultivate broad ones. He must develop Prema. Ānanda comes through Prema alone. Through Prema alone can you gain every kind of happiness. There is no Ānanda greater than Prema. The Veda has said, “Satyaṃ jñānam anantaṃ Brahma ....” The Jñāna that does not change in the three times is Brahman. Such everlasting divinity is within you yourselves. If you are to experience it, you must give up attachment to the body and take up attachment to the Ātma.
This body comes and goes. No one knows when it will go, or how.