For Own Happiness

Arjuna is a budding writer. He uses his imagination skills to put his ideas and thoughts in black and white, interspersed with multichromatic creativity. He used to send his articles and stories to various periodicals and newspapers for publication, but would get disappointed after receiving rejection slips from them, that too after a lag.

So he developed a fascination for social media for his creative juices to flow and receive applauses instantly from his follower-readers. But here too, despondency didn’t leave him alone.

Even after sharing great posts one after another, he received likes and comments in single digit only. Arjuna’s heart was broken. He always thought why response was so poor, while he writes better stuff than others. Nobody was coming to his rescue. Overwhelmed with such emotions, he retired to bed one night.

Lord Krishna’s heart melted at his devotee’s pathetic look and He came to him in his dream. With folded hands, Arjuna immediately put forward his case, “My Lord, what’s happening with me? When I find my posts alone in the crowd of those likes and comments, then I start thinking that this is nothing but a sheer waste of my time. I’m your disciple. Kindly give me your wisdom and take me out of the present dilemma.”

After listening to him patiently, Shri Krishna said, “You see, Partha, those who like your ideas will like your post without even reading it, and those who don’t have to, no matter what you write, they will not do it. But those who don’t like you, they will not like your posts, no matter how much they like your posts. There may be some other kind of people, who like your posts, but due to some reasons, they will not be able to express in the group.”

Before sharing his pearls of wisdom, Shri Krishna shot back at Arjuna, “But why do you write? Who asked you to do so?”

Arjuna meekly replied, “It is my own initiative, my Lord, as I think I should share my ideas for the benefit of others. I get immense satisfaction when I publish a post.”

Lord asked him again, “Then, why are you diminishing your happiness by expecting something that is not in your hands? Keep yourself completely away from this cycle of infatuation of likes, shares and comments. Don’t get sucked into a vortex of sorrow and despair. Keep writing and sharing your posts with selfless devotion for your own happiness. Remember my shloka:

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन।
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि।

[You have a right to Karma (actions), but never to any fruits thereof. You should never be motivated by the results of your actions, nor should there be any attachment in not doing your prescribed activities.]”

God then disappeared and Arjuna woke afresh with single determination to continue doing what he likes most.

–Kaushal Kishore

images: pixabay