The One Pani-Puri: A Lesson in Desire and Enough
Today, I want to talk about something we all wonder at some point: How much do we really need to live a happy life?
Is there a universal standard, or is it something deeply personal?
We humans are full of desires—money, love, power, fame, validation. Many of these are linked to survival, but beyond that, where does it end? Think about it: animals survive without money, reputation, or social validation. They eat when hungry, rest when tired. They don’t hoard or compare.
But we’ve built a society that constantly pushes us to want more. Be successful. Be admired. Prove your worth. We rarely stop to ask: Are the successful people actually happy?
Does success equal happiness?
Does happiness come from outside, or is it something we carry within?
The Pani-Puri Monk
Yesterday, I had a moment that shook something inside me. I was enjoying pani-puri at a street cart when an old man appeared—probably 70 or 80 years old. He looked like a monk, dressed in simple saffron robes. He quietly asked the vendor for a pani-puri.
The vendor, a kind man, smiled and offered him one. Then another. But the old man refused the second. He said, “I need only one,” gave a gentle blessing, and walked away in peace.
Curious, I followed him. He walked a short distance, sat down on the bare earth in a nearby alley—no mat, no cushion—and began chanting “Ram Ram.” His face was glowing with bliss. He had nothing, yet he looked more at peace than most people I know.
That moment hit me hard.
He wanted a pani-puri, but he knew exactly how much he needed. No craving for more, no compulsion to accept generosity out of politeness. Just one. He was crystal clear.
The Trap of More
We, on the other hand, are caught in an endless loop.
The poor look to the rich. The rich look to God or society for more.
A person earning ₹30k wants ₹50k, then ₹1 lakh, then ₹10 lakh. The bar keeps rising. The same goes for love, respect, status. But why does getting more often leave us more empty?
Because we never define how much is enough.
And when “enough” is undefined, the hunger never stops.
It grows. It haunts. It exhausts us.
What If You Knew What Was Enough?
Imagine if you knew exactly how much you needed to live peacefully—not just in terms of money, but attention, ambition, approval. What if you chased only what was necessary, and once you had it, you paused?
You are not a machine, built only to produce or consume.
You are a conscious being, born to reflect, to feel, to seek meaning.
And maybe your final goal is not success or wealth but something far deeper: to answer the sacred question—
“Who am I?”
You may never find a perfect answer. But the search itself is beautiful. And along the way, you might discover that the happiness you’ve been chasing outside has quietly lived inside you all along.
Final Thoughts:
Take a moment. Reflect.
Define your “one pani-puri.”
Be clear. Be still. Be enough.
Good observed
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