I am thankful to all the people who have loved and listened to

Hear, O listener, the words of Asha Bhosle, the nightingale whose voice has carried across generations, who declared with humility and grace: “I am thankful to all the people who have loved and listened to me.” This statement, though brief, is the hymn of a lifetime, a song not sung upon a single stage but over decades of devotion to her craft. It is the recognition that the power of music does not lie in the singer alone, but in the bond between the one who sings and the multitude who listen.

The origin of this utterance lies in the immense journey of Asha Bhosle, who rose from trials and tribulations to become one of the most celebrated playback singers in the history of Indian cinema. Over thousands of songs, she lent her voice to stories of love, sorrow, and joy, becoming the echo of emotions for countless lives. But her gratitude shows she knows this truth: no matter how beautiful the song, it finds its true life only when there are ears to receive it, hearts to embrace it, and souls to carry it forward. Thus she is thankful for the people, for without them her art would remain incomplete.

This wisdom is eternal. Consider the tale of Homer, the poet of Greece, who sang his verses not to himself but to the people. His Iliad and Odyssey were carried not in written lines but in the living voices of listeners, passed from generation to generation. Without those who listened and remembered, Homer’s words would have vanished like mist. In the same way, Bhosle’s acknowledgment reflects this ancient truth: the audience is not a passive crowd, but the co-creator of the artist’s immortality.

Her words also reveal a profound humility. For many, fame and adoration breed pride, but Bhosle bows instead before the love she has received. She sees not herself as a queen demanding loyalty, but as a servant of song, lifted and sustained by those who chose to listen. Gratitude becomes her crown, more radiant than jewels, for it binds her greatness not to arrogance, but to the shared joy of human connection.

The lesson here is this: whatever gifts we possess—be it voice, wisdom, skill, or strength—they find meaning only in their service to others. The craftsman without patrons, the teacher without students, the leader without followers—all stand alone in silence. To be thankful for those who love and listen is to recognize that the worth of our gifts is measured by the lives they touch.

Therefore, O seeker, learn from Asha Bhosle’s wisdom. Do not glory in your talent as if it were yours alone. Instead, honor those who allow you to share it—those who trust you, those who support you, those who simply bear witness to your labor. Speak your thanks aloud, for gratitude deepens bonds and turns fleeting recognition into eternal legacy.

So let the words of Asha Bhosle endure: “I am thankful to all the people who have loved and listened to me.” For in them lies the truth that greatness is never solitary, but always shared. Carry this teaching, and you will find that your own work, when joined with gratitude, will not only echo in the moment but live on in the hearts of those who walk after you.