Happiness Hub #3: Check your charge

Written by : Param Pujya Muniraj ParijatVijayji Maharaj Saheb and Param Pujya Muniraj RushiHemVijayji Maharaj Saheb

After an electricfying musical concert, the venue buzzed with lingering energy. Fans clustered around Blissking, the evening’s star, showering him with bountiful praise.

“Amazing… Fabulous… I’ve no words to admire your talent… You’ve got a mesmerizing, melodious voice, Blissking!”

Blissking accepted the compliments with genuine humility, without any trace of ego on his face. Instead, he smiled warmly, bowing slightly as he replied to the crowd, “Thank you all so much. It’s your energy that makes the music come alive.”

Off in a quiet corner, away from the spotlight, another musician who had performed earlier that night, his face was darkened by a sudden expression, like a storm cloud hovering over him. Blissking caught sight of it immediately.

Veer had given his all on stage, pouring his soul into every note, but the audience’s response was fade. Silent applause felt like a personal rejection, stinging deeply and leaving him embarassed and disheartened.

Blissking with a seavast heart, himself approached Veer. He placed a reassuring hand on Veer’s shoulder, breaking the ice with warmth.

Blissking: “Nice performance, my friend. I liked your tingling voice - it had a unique spark that really stood out.”

Veer was taken aback, his eyes widening in surprise. He hadn't expected the star of the show to notice him, let alone compliment him.

Veer: "Th-thank you," he stammered, his voice barely above whisper, still awed by the gesture. But beneath the surface, his self doubt churned.

Sensing the deeper unrest, Blissking leaned in slightly, his gentle and inviting.

Blissking: "Can I have a word with you? Just a quick chat, if you’re up for it."

Veer hesitated, glancing around as if unsure, then nodded.

Veer: "Yeah, sure," he replied, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, masking the envy bubbling inside.

Blissking began with a timeless piece of wisdom, his voice steady and empathetic.

Blissking: "Comparison is the thief of joy - a famous English proverb. You must've heard it before, right? It's one of those truths that hits hard when you're feeling down."

Veer stared at him, startled by how accurately Blissking had pinpointed his inner struggle. He nodded slowly, then opened up, his frustration spilling out.

Veer: "The devil mind does all the calculations automatically. It was like I had no reins on it - no control at all. One moment I'm performing, the next I'm comparing myself to you, and it just spirals. Why did they love you so much and not me? It's not fair."

Blissking nodded understandingly, his expression one of quiet compassion.

Blissking: "Exactly. When your thoughts steal your mental peace, when your mind robs you of your inner joy like a sneaky thief in the night, it's time to get alert. You have to recognize that mental skirmish before it takes over completely."

Veer furrowed his brow, still perplexed but intrigued.

Veer: "But... what? What can I do about it? How do I stop that from happening? It feels automatic, like I can't turn it off."

The Wisdom Shared

Blissking delved deeper, drawing from his own journey with a sincere depth that made his words resonate.

Blissking: "Sing for the sheer joy of singing, not for public opinion. Impressing people is the surest way to end up sad and unhappy. Trust me, I've been there - chasing applause only leads to emptiness. Perform from your heart, for the love of the music itself, and the rest will follow naturally."

Veer's despair surfaced more openly now, his voice tinged with raw emotion.

Veer: "But my mood gets off when people don't cherish my performance. No claps, in spite of all the hard work and perspiration! I practiced for weeks, poured sweat and tears into it, and... nothing. It feels like all that effort was wasted. How do you deal with that kind of rejection?"

To make his point clearer, Blissking shifted to a relatable analogy, his eyes lighting up as he posed the question.

Blissking: "Veer, what do you do when you're playing a game on your mobile phone and suddenly there's a blackout on the screen because the charging is depleted? The whole thing just shuts down, right?"

Veer thought for a moment, then answered straightforwardly, curiosity piqued.

Veer: "Simple! I would plug in the phone to recharge it. Maybe grab a charger or a power bank if I'm out. Why, what's that got to do with this?"

Blissking smiled knowingly, connecting the dots with clarity.

Blissking: "Similar are the laws of life, buddy. The events you dislike, which seem like failures, the ones that dishearten you and make you question everything, actually depict a low charging of your merit. It's like your inner battery is running low, and life is signaling you to recharge it."

Veer leaned in closer, his interest fully captured.

Veer: "Oh, what kind of merit are you talking of? Is it talent, or skill, or something else? I've never heard it explained like that."

Blissking's tone grew more serious, yet still compassionate, as he elaborated.

Blissking: "When we laugh at the poor, the impaired; when we tease the duffs of our friends; when we boast of our skills and wash off our 'inner charging' we are actually depleting it. Those small negative actions - mocking someone less fortunate, bragging to make ourselves feel superior - they drain your spiritual energy bit by bit. It's like leaving apps running in the background on your phone; eventually, the battery dies."

Veer: "Oh, I've never thought of it that way," Veer admitted, a look of surprise crossing his face as the insight sank in. "So, all those little things add up?"

Blissking continued, building on the revelation.

Blissking: "No event occurring in your life is an injustice to you. Each event, positive or negative, is pre-planned by you - by the choices you've made, consciously or not. It's like karma's blueprint; what you put out comes back."

Veer brightened at the empowering idea, a spark of hope in his eyes.

Veer: "If it's that so, it's clever to plan the best for us. I mean, if I'm the one planning it through my actions, then I can change it, right? Start building better merit now?"

Blissking: "Exactly. Jain religion therefore propounds the positive act of Upabråhanfa' - that is, praising the noble acts of others from the depth of your heart. The more you praise others genuinely, without envy, the more you become victorious in your own life. It's like recharging your battery by sharing positive energy."

Veer: "Wow! Is religion so deep and scientific?" Veer asked, his initial skepticism melting into genuine wonder. "I always thought it was just rituals and rules, but this sounds like a practical guide to happiness."

Blissking: "Jain religion is, in fact, an in-depth science of staying happy forever, in spite of unfavorable circumstances. It's about understanding the mechanics of the soul and mind, much like how physics explains the world around us."

Blissking: "So, my friend, when you face a failure, get alert of your low charging and work upon it, instead of despising the event. Don't blame the audience or the circumstances - look inward, recharge through kindness and humility, and watch how things shift."

As they parted ways, Veer felt a renewed sense of purpose. The concert hall, once a source of bitterness, now felt like a turning point. Blissking's elaborated wisdom, especially through their heartfelt dialogue, had transformed his perspective. Checking one's "charging" wasn't just a tech tip; it was a profound key to inner harmony, reminding him that true success stems from a well recharged soul - fueled by positivity, self-reflection, and authentic appreciation for others.