After the Yogī begins to feel that he is Śiva, he enters the state of Bliss and begins to enjoy the Bliss.

Lokānandaḥ samādhisukham लोकानन्दः समाधिसुखम् (sūtra I.18)

Loka – world (both subjective world and objective world); ānanda – the Bliss; samādhi – intent and perpetual concentration (on Śiva); sukham – the delight (arising out of samādhi).

Loka comprises of both subjects and objects, as the one without the other is not possible for existence. A mundane person gets attached to the objects without attempting to know the subject, the Self. The Self, as the subject always witnesses the activities of the objective world, without getting involved in any of the actions that happen in the objective world. Subject is always the same (the Self) and only the object (material world) differs. Objective world is the manifestation of the Self into various shapes and forms. {Difference between the subject and the objective world can be explained through this example. The sun is one. If we place different pots containing water before the sun, every pot reflects the sun. These are only the reflections, but not the true sun. If water in the pots is emptied, the sun cannot be seen. The images of the sun in the pots are not eternal, but the sun is eternal. Images of the sun in the pots are the objects and the sun is the subject.}  Loka also refers to the one who looks at the material world. Therefore, both the perceiver and the perceived are referred as loka.

The Yogī always stands connected to the Self, which alone is the subject for the multifarious objects and activities of the objective world. The Yogī’s connection with the Self is both intent and perpetual. Because of this intent and perpetual concentration on the Self, his awareness on the objective world is almost nothing. As a result of his disconnect with the objective world and as a result of his intent concentration on the Self within, he always remains in the state of happiness. Dualities like happiness and sorrow arise only if one is connected to the material world. Samādhi in this context does not refer to the trance.  It refers to the intensity of perpetuality of his awareness on the Self, who is also the source of knowledge. He is in the state of perpetual happiness because he stays connected to the source of knowledge. He would not have derived this kind of happiness, had he been concentrating on the objective world. In other words, he continues to live like others, but at the same time, he is connected only to the Self.  He will speak, walk and sleep like others. But during all his actions, his intent awareness on the Self never gets disconnected.

Therefore, it is not necessary that one should meditate for long hours trying to fix his consciousness with the Self. If one sits for long meditative sessions without trying to control and focus his mind, the duration of mediation could go waste. On the contrary, if one is able to establish his individual consciousness with the Supreme Consciousness, it is not necessary for him to meditate at all, as he is always in the meditative state. He is known as a Yogī. Since this Yogī’s awareness is not distracted by the material world, though he behaves like an ordinary person, he is always in the state of bliss.

Samādhi can also be experienced in the active state and not necessarily in the meditative state. Even during the active state, the Yogī is able so align his mind with the Self. His mind is totally pervaded by the Self. At this stage, his mind has no thought processes, as his mind is fully occupied by the omnipresent Self. It is ultimately the mind and its thought processes that alone decide one’s spiritual advancements. Without taming the mind, any amount of practice will not help. Taming or controlling the mind is called knowledge; hence acquiring the right knowledge is a prerequisite to perfect spiritual practice.

There is a lot of difference between ordinary state of happiness and the state of bliss. The state of happiness is not permanent and will change according to the state of mind. Bliss on the other hand is experienced when the individual consciousness unites with the Supreme Consciousness. This is not subject to changes, as this does not depend upon the states of the mind. Mind at this stage does not have any other thoughts except the Self. Such a Yogī does not look at the material world from the point of view of an individual, but from the point of view of the Supreme Self, where all dyads cease to exist.  What one thinks about, he becomes that. (One should not think negatively. Negative thoughts are more powerful than the positive thoughts. Any trace of negative thoughts in one’s mind will rapidly pervade his entire mind. If one thinks positively, not only about him, but also about others, he will gradually begin to experience bliss, which in due course becomes very potent.  He begins to emanate positive vibrations from his body that can be felt by others around him. He ultimately becomes a Yogī though further practice.) Since this Yogī always thinks about the Self, he too becomes the Self (I am THAT). Since the Self does not have dualities, the Yogī is also liberated from dualities and perpetually stays in the state of Bliss, where all dualities are already dissolved.

Vijñānabhairava (65) also explains this. “The Yogī should contemplate simultaneously on the universe or his own body filled with spiritual bliss, he then becomes united with the Supreme Bliss.”

Spandakārikā (II.7) says, “This alone is Self-realization; this alone is the initiation of liberation leading to the merger with Śiva.”

Kṛṣṇa also explains this in Bhagavad Gītā (VI.14 and 15). He says, “Keeping himself perfectly calm and the mind held in restraint and fixed on Me, the vigilant Yogī should sit absorbed in Me. Thus constantly applying his mind to Me, the Yogī of disciplined mind attains the everlasting peace, consisting of supreme bliss, which abides in Me.”