Understanding Subconscious Imprints towards our likes, dislikes

In the vast tapestry of existence, the question "Koi hame kyu achchha lagta hai?"—Why does someone or something appeal to us?—stands as the eternal inquiry piercing the heart of human experience, influencing everything from the intimate bonds of personal relationships that promise a stress-free life to the intricate webs of business partnerships, industrial collaborations, and administrative harmonies that drive productivity, profit, and societal order. In simple terms anything pleasurable is lovable.

Modern science calls it the surge in dopamine, the brain's reward chemical, alongside secretion oxytocin and testosterone, forging bonds of affection. A lover's touch floods neural pathways with these molecules, igniting prem's sacred fire, making the beloved irresistibly lovable. However, Indian philosophy, with its profound emphasis on the unity of atman (individual self) and Brahman (ultimate reality), reveals that attraction arises not from mere chance or superficial whims but from deeper, cosmic currents of sukha (सुख /blissful ease and joy) and a natural alignment with our inner svabhava (स्वभाव/innate disposition). As illuminated by timeless wisdom akin to the teachings of Sage Yajnavalkya, the foundational principle declares without exception: any person, object, idea, or circumstance that delivers true sukha (सुख) becomes likable/ loveble/ affectionate to us, igniting the sacred fire of prem/प्रेम (love and attachment) like a river drawn inexorably to the ocean. Yajnavalkya's teaching in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad (specifically 2.4.5 and 4.5) forms the basis of this principle। He declares to his wife Maitreyi that no object—be it a husband, wife, wealth, or any circumstance—is loved for its own sake; instead, for the love of the Atman which is ultimate sukh/सुख, everything is dear.This holds universally because every experience of likability stems from the Self's innate pull toward completeness; even painful things lose appeal when they obscure sukh.

(coutsey https://www.reddit.com/r/hinduism/comments/1j7rot2/yajnavalkya_on_love_in_brihadaranyaka_upanishad/)

This universal law echoes through every sphere: in personal affections, it fosters untroubled harmony; in business, it enhances mutual prosperity; in industry, it streamlines collective effort; in administration, it upholds righteous governance. Yet, while this core remains unchanging, daily life unveils fascinating variations shaped by cultural imprints, evolving personal needs, circumstantial demands, life-stage transformations, gender-specific energies, professional experiences, and the inexorable chisel of karma/कर्म  (action's fruits), all reminding us that our likes and dislikes are dynamic expressions of prakriti/प्रकृति  (nature) dancing in service to purusha/पुरुष (conscious consciousness).

The Philosophical Core: Sukha as the Magnet of Attraction

At the very root of all human liking lies sukha/सुख, the subtle, all-pervading essence of delight that resonates deeply with our atman, pulling us toward whatever promises inner harmony and dissolves the turbulent ripples of duhkha/दुख (suffering and unease), much like a serene Himalayan lake undisturbed by worldly winds reflects the clear blue sky above. Indian philosophical traditions, particularly those rooted in sankhya and yoga, teach that we are inherently drawn to entities—be they people, pursuits, or principles—that align seamlessly with our gunas/गुण (fundamental qualities of sattva, rajas, and tamas), evoking an effortless, profound pleasure which is no fleeting sensory thrill but a sacred recognition of the wholeness and completeness we eternally seek within our own being. Elaborating this foundational wisdom, the principle asserts unequivocally and without a single exception: whatever brings sukha/सुख—true, unadulterated joy born of equilibrium—enchants us, fostering raga/राग (loving attachment) as naturally as breath sustains life; conversely, anything stirring tamas/तमस (dull inertia) or excessive rajas/रजस (passionate agitation) repels us, generating instinctive dislike. Consider a trusted companion whose presence calms our mental vrittis/वृत्तियाँ (fluctuations), flowing gently like the sacred Ganga through the soul—this becomes achchha because it mirrors the stillness of samadhi/समाधि (enlightened absorption). This law permeates all domains: in personal life, it binds hearts in stress-free unions; in business, ethical partners deliver sukha through reliable collaboration and growth; in industry, frictionless processes and harmonious teams boost productivity as if by divine leela/लीला (play); in administration, dharmic policies evoke loyalty by ensuring collective well-being. Dislikes, by contrast, signal misalignment, urging course correction. Thus, the path to mastery over likes begins with atma-vichara /आत्म विचार (self-inquiry)—What sukha/सुख does this truly evoke in me?—a yogic practice transforming ephemeral preferences into stepping stones toward moksha/मोक्ष (liberation), revealing that all attractions are but pointers to the infinite bliss within.

Sukha's/सुख) Embrace from Heart to Marketplace Harmony

Delving into personal relationships, we see liking blossom most vibrantly from sukha's tender embrace, where bonds with spouses, friends, or family foster a life free of stress, harmonious as the synchronized chants of Vedic mantras resonating in a temple at dawn, embodying the ideals of ahimsa/अहिंसा (non-violence), prema/प्रेम (pure love), and sahacharya/साहचर्य (harmonious companionship). A mother's lap offers profound sukha through unconditional shelter, channeling matri shakti/शक्ति (maternal cosmic energy); partners enchant by fulfilling artha/अर्थ (material security), kama/कर्म (legitimate desires), and dharma/धर्म (righteous conduct) within life's sacred framework, their appeal deepening when they nurture our atman's evolutionary journey. Experiences act as master sculptors here—a betrayal's scar imprints caution, redirecting future affinities toward those radiating unwavering satya/सत्य (truth) and karuna/करुणा (compassion); gender nuances further color this dance, with women often drawn to prakriti's nurturing stability and emotional profundity, while men embody purusha's directive strength, seeking admiration and purposeful synergy. Life stages paint evolving canvases: a child's unbridled ananda (bliss) flares for playful toys or companions sparking innocent joy; youth's rajasic(राजसी) fire chases passionate romances and bold adventures; maturity seeks balanced unions blending security with growth; elders gravitate to serene presences easing life's twilight with jnana/ज्ञान (wisdom)'s gentle light. This fluidity underscores karma's pivotal role, where past actions ripen into present bonds, transforming relationships into living sadhana/साधना (spiritual practice) that mirrors the blissful union of samadhi/समाधि.

Seamlessly extending this to business relations, attraction to partners or ventures arises from the same sukha principle, manifesting as enhanced productivity, amplified profits, and mutual prosperity akin to the righteous pursuit of artha within the purusharthas/पुरुषार्थ (four aims of life), where dharmic collaborations prioritize lokasangraha/लोकसंग्रह (universal welfare) over selfish gain. Envision two merchants in a bustling bazaar: one driven by asuric/आसुरी (demonic) cut-throat tactics repels with duhkha's looming shadow of distrust and eventual downfall; the other, a beacon of dharma, thrives on transparent dealings and shared vision, yielding sustained sukha through reliable wealth accumulation and stress-free expansion, much like karma yoga's selfless action bearing sweet fruits. Professional experiences are crucial— a history of profitable alliances imprints an indelible preference for ethical integrity, while betrayals hone discernment toward resilient, value-aligned networks. Cultural imprints amplify this: India's bhakti-infused loyalty favors familial or long-term ties over transient individualism seen elsewhere, with needs and circumstances dictating further—startups adore agile innovators sparking creative sukha, while established enterprises cherish steady anchors ensuring enduring stability. Thus, business liking evolves as a profound karma yoga, where choosing partners that evoke collective sukha not only skyrockets productivity but aligns commerce with cosmic rita/ऋत (order), proving that true profit flows from inner harmony.

Collective Sukha in Labor and Governance

In the grand arena of industrial relations, liking efficient systems, innovative machinery, or cohesive teams propels superior output and profit, embodying shramayoga/श्रम योग (the yoga of dedicated labor) where workplaces hum without discord, reflecting varna dharma's (occupational harmony) timeless blueprint and delivering sukha by minimizing the duhkha/दुख of exploitative toil. A supervisor liked for empathetic guidance, much like a guru to shishya (disciple), fosters unshakeable loyalty, elevating productivity as naturally as monsoon rains nourish fields; age-specific tastes emerge vividly—youth thrill to technological innovations and dynamic challenges, elders to tradition's reassuring stability and proven rhythms. Gender energies interplay: women flourish in collaborative, community-oriented roles evoking prakriti's nurturing flow, men in directive positions harnessing purusha's focused might. Experiences serve as the forge—scars from labor unrest make union-friendly policies irresistibly achchha, while booms shift preferences toward scalable expansions. Circumstances, from economic tides to resource scarcities, further modulate, yet all converge on loka kalyana/लोक कल्याण (world welfare), where industries become temples of collective karma/कर्म , their likability rooted in sustainable growth mirroring the universe's harmonious leela/लीला.

Parallel to this, administrative ties thrive on sukha/सुख from nyaya/न्याय (justice) and rajadharma/राजधर्म (governance by duty), where citizens and officials bond over policies ensuring societal frictionlessness, much like Ram's maryada purushottama/पुरुषोत्तम (ideal manhood) attracting devotion through unflinching dharma. A leader's appeal surges when decisions yield collective sukha/सुख, dissolving corruption's venomous duhkha/दुख; professionals favor meritocratic systems honed by mismanagement's bitter lessons, while cultural loyalty in India leans toward paternalistic guidance contrasting purely merit-driven models elsewhere. Life stages infuse variety—youth champion progressive reforms igniting rajasic zeal, elders preserve time-tested traditions for sattvic peace. Thus, administrative liking upholds samaj dharma/धर्म (social righteousness), crafting stress-free polities as microcosms of personal relational bliss.

Cultural Variations : The Multifaceted Prism of Likes

While sukha's principle stands absolute and immutable, cultural variations introduce a mesmerizing prism, where intrinsic values enshrined in samskaras/संस्कार (cultural impressions) shape its expressions—India's collectivist ethos, infused with aparigraha/अपरिग्रह (non-grasping) and bhakti/भक्ति (devotion), prizes loyalty and grihastha/गृहस्त duties, making relational endurance achchha over fleeting individualism; comparative cultures might favor autonomy, yet all orbit the same sukha, modulated by needs like scarcity breeding resourcefulness and abundance refining aesthetic tastes. Likes evolve dramatically across life's ashramas/आश्रम: childhood's brahmacharya revels in playful anand/आनंद a from simple joys like dolls evoking boundless wonder; youth's grihastha/गृहस्त phase blazes with romantic and ambitious fires; vanaprastha/वानप्रस्थ maturity balances artha/अर्थ and kama/काम with deepening wisdom; sannyasa/सन्यास elderhood seeks moksha-aligned serenity in contemplative bonds. Gender dynamics, rooted in purusha-prakriti/पुरुष प्रकृति complementarity, add layers—men drawn to respect and conquest mirroring directive energy, women to security and nurture channeling creative flow—yet their union promises wholeness, as in ardhanarishvara/ अर्ध-नारीश्वर Shiva-Shakti unity).

Professional Molds, Experiences, and Overcoming Dislikes: Forging Beliefs Through Karma's Fire

Professional landscapes mold tastes indelibly: artists like boundless creativity sparking sattvic/सात्विक inspiration, engineers precision's logical sukha/सुख , administrators order's dharmic/धार्मिक calm—all refined by experiences that craft core beliefs, successes amplifying affinities, failures instilling vigilant discernment. To transcend the duality of likes and dislikes, Indian philosophy prescribes viveka/विवेक (discriminative wisdom) and vairagya/वैराग्य (detachment), netting the eternal sukha/सुख beyond maya/माया (illusion). Dopamine doesn't create love; it echoes the Self's eternal bliss, binding us to objects or people as reflections of wholeness. Thus, any circumstance delivering this neurochemical sukha becomes cherished, sans exception—proving Yajnavalkya's insight endures in synaptic sparks.