Bharadavaja said You have said that happiness is the greatest object. I do not understand this. This attribute of the soul which you describe as so desirable, is not sought by the Rishis who are engaged in something promising a greater reward. We have heard that the Creator of the three worlds, viz., the powerful Brahman, lives alone, observing the vow of celibacy. He never seeks happiness which is obtained from the gratification of desire. Also, the divine Master of the universe, the lord of Uma, reduced Kaima (god of love) to ashes. Therefore, we say that happiness is not sought by great people. Nor does it seem to be a high attribute of the Soul. I cannot believe what your divine self has said, viz., that there is nothing superior to happiness. It is merely a commonplace cant of the world that, there are two sorts of consequences of our acts, viz., the origin of happiness from good acts and of sorrow from sinful deeds.
भरद्वाज उवाच यदेतद् भवताभिहितं सुखानां परमा स्थितिरिति न तदुपगृहीमो न ह्येषामृषीणां महति स्थितानामप्राप्य एष काम्यो गुणविशेषो न चैनमभिलषन्ति च तपसि श्रूयते त्रिलोककृद् ब्रह्मा प्रभुरेकाकी तिष्ठति। ब्रह्मचारी न कामसुखेष्वात्मानमवदधाति। अपि च भगवान् विश्वेश्वर उमापतिः काममभिवर्तमानमनङ्गत्वेन शममनयत्। तस्माद् ब्रूमो न तु महात्मभिरयं प्रतिगृहीतो न त्वेषां तावद्विशिष्टो गुणविशेष इति। नैतद् भगवतः प्रत्येमि भगवता तूक्तं सुखान्न परमस्तीति लोकप्रवादो हि द्विविधः फलोदयः सुकृतात् सुखमवाप्यते दुष्कृताद् दुःखमिति॥