My happiness is not dependent on others; it comes from within.

The words of Sonu Nigam, “My happiness is not dependent on others; it comes from within. Spiritual growth in a person is never encouraged, but it is important. I don't know why people want to judge others instead of doing their own thing. I firmly feel that I don't need to follow or live according to other people's rules. I like living life the way I want to,” flow with the calm strength of one who has learned to listen to the voice within rather than the noise without. In this statement lies a profound declaration of spiritual independence, the courage to seek happiness not in applause or approval, but in the quiet harmony of one’s own soul. Nigam, a man whose voice has touched millions, reminds us that the highest song we can sing is not the one the world expects of us, but the one that rises naturally from the heart.

To understand these words is to confront one of the oldest struggles of humanity—the battle between the self and society, between authenticity and conformity. From ancient times, men and women who have sought truth have been misunderstood. The world rewards imitation and punishes originality, for it fears what it cannot control. Yet Nigam’s wisdom aligns with the teachings of the saints and sages who came before him: that happiness is not a prize bestowed by others, but a light that burns within the self. To depend upon others for joy is to build one’s house upon shifting sands; to find it within is to stand upon the rock of eternal peace.

The idea that spiritual growth is neglected is no new lament. The ancients of every land have warned that man, lost in the chase for wealth and approval, forgets the cultivation of the soul. In the Vedic scriptures, it is said that the mind of man is like a restless monkey, leaping from thought to thought, craving constant validation. Only through inner discipline—through reflection, stillness, and truth—does one find freedom. Nigam’s words, though spoken in our modern age of noise and judgment, are the echo of this timeless wisdom: that the greatest journey is inward, and the most noble rebellion is to live truthfully, regardless of the world’s applause or condemnation.

Consider the life of Socrates, the philosopher of Athens, who lived by the same principle. The city admired his brilliance but hated his independence. When told to abandon his pursuit of truth, he refused, saying, “An unexamined life is not worth living.” They sentenced him to death, yet in his final moments, he was at peace. His happiness had never depended on the approval of the many, but on the alignment of his soul with truth. Like Sonu Nigam’s declaration, Socrates’ life teaches us that authenticity, not acceptance, is the root of joy. For the one who obeys the voice of his own spirit stands beyond fear and judgment.

There is also a quiet defiance in Nigam’s words—an assertion of freedom against the tyranny of judgment. “I don’t know why people want to judge others instead of doing their own thing,” he says. The ancients might have called this the folly of man: to see the faults of others more clearly than his own. Those who walk the path of self-discovery often find that the greatest opposition comes not from enemies, but from those who cannot bear to see another live freely. Yet judgment loses its power over the one who has looked within and found peace. The spiritually awakened man is like the mountain; the winds of criticism may strike him, but they cannot move him.

Nigam’s rejection of “other people’s rules” does not speak of arrogance, but of integrity. It is the voice of one who honors the divine individuality given to every soul. To live by another’s rules when they conflict with one’s own truth is to betray the self. True freedom, as the sages have said, is not the liberty to do whatever one wishes, but the courage to live in harmony with one’s deepest convictions. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna teaches Arjuna: “Better one’s own duty, even if imperfect, than the duty of another well performed.” Sonu Nigam’s words breathe this same spirit of righteousness—to walk one’s own path, guided by the light within, rather than the flickering lamps of others’ expectations.

So, my listener, take this teaching to heart: your happiness is not a gift to be earned from others—it is the garden you must tend within. Do not trade your peace for the praise of the crowd, nor your truth for their approval. Seek spiritual growth, though the world may not applaud it, for it is the only treasure that cannot be lost. When judgment comes—and it will—remember that those who judge are bound by their own fears. Walk forward with grace, guided not by their rules but by your own integrity.

For in the end, as Sonu Nigam reminds us, life is not meant to be lived as a performance for others, but as a prayer for the self. The one who listens to the music within will never be silenced by the noise without. Let your happiness flow not from approval, but from truth; not from conformity, but from freedom. For the soul that learns to live in harmony with its own essence has already achieved what kings and scholars sought in vain—the radiant, unshakeable peace that dwells in the heart of all who truly know themselves.