You Have Everyone, Yet No One? The Gita Explains Why
Riya Kumari | Mar 26, 2025, 12:30 IST
( Image credit : Times Life Bureau )
So, picture this. You’re at a party. You know people. People know you. You laugh, you clink glasses, you throw in a well-timed quip about how dating apps are basically a full-time job. The night is a blur of smiles and “Oh my God, we should totally hang out!” but then—cut to you, at home, staring at your ceiling, feeling... empty.
You could be surrounded by friends, colleagues, and family—people who know your name, laugh at your jokes, send you “let’s catch up soon” texts. Yet, at some point, in the quiet of your own mind, you’ve felt it—that unsettling emptiness, a strange loneliness despite having no shortage of people. We live in an age of constant connection, yet true belonging feels more distant than ever. But this isn’t a modern problem. It’s not because of social media, urban life, or the decline of deep conversations. The Bhagavad Gita—a 2,000-year-old conversation between a warrior and the divine—spoke of this very human paradox long before we had group chats and unread messages. So, why does this happen? And more importantly, how do we move past it?
1. Attachment: The Root of the Ache
Krishna, in the Gita, tells Arjuna something profound: Our suffering comes from attachment, not from the world itself. It’s easy to mistake attachment for love, but they are not the same. Love is pure, freeing. Attachment is possessive, dependent.
When you tie your happiness to who texts you back, who stays, who leaves, or who acknowledges you, you aren’t forming connections—you’re forging chains. Look closely. Are you seeking companionship, or are you seeking validation? Do you want to share your life with others, or do you need their presence to confirm that you matter? The first brings peace; the second brings suffering.
2. The Ego’s Illusion of “Everyone”
We assume that having many people in our life means we are loved. But Krishna would call this a trick of the ego. The ego measures worth in numbers—followers, invitations, acquaintances who nod at you across the room. But Krishna reminds us that none of this defines us. The ego whispers, “You are someone because others see you.” But what happens when they stop looking?
If your sense of self dissolves when people drift away, were you ever truly yourself to begin with? True connection isn’t about how many people you have; it’s about how deeply you exist with those who matter—and most importantly, with yourself.
3. The Search for “The One” to Fill the Void
Many people aren’t actually looking for love; they’re looking for someone to complete them. To be the reason they feel at peace. But Krishna warns: Nothing outside of you can give you what you refuse to find within yourself. People will come and go. Relationships will change.
The most constant presence in your life is you. If you cannot find solace in your own company, no amount of external love will ever be enough. This isn’t to say relationships don’t matter. They do. Deeply. But if you place the burden of your inner emptiness on another human being, you will only find more suffering.
So, What Now?
Krishna offers a simple, liberating answer: Focus on your dharma—your purpose. When you build a life of meaning, when you align with what you are meant to do, the emptiness begins to dissolve. Instead of asking, “Who do I have?” ask, “What am I here to do?” Instead of seeking people to fill the silence, build a life so full of meaning that loneliness loses its grip on you. Because the truth is, you don’t need “everyone” to feel whole. You just need to stop looking for yourself in other people.
1. Attachment: The Root of the Ache
Love
( Image credit : Pexels )
Krishna, in the Gita, tells Arjuna something profound: Our suffering comes from attachment, not from the world itself. It’s easy to mistake attachment for love, but they are not the same. Love is pure, freeing. Attachment is possessive, dependent.
When you tie your happiness to who texts you back, who stays, who leaves, or who acknowledges you, you aren’t forming connections—you’re forging chains. Look closely. Are you seeking companionship, or are you seeking validation? Do you want to share your life with others, or do you need their presence to confirm that you matter? The first brings peace; the second brings suffering.
2. The Ego’s Illusion of “Everyone”
Likes
( Image credit : Pexels )
We assume that having many people in our life means we are loved. But Krishna would call this a trick of the ego. The ego measures worth in numbers—followers, invitations, acquaintances who nod at you across the room. But Krishna reminds us that none of this defines us. The ego whispers, “You are someone because others see you.” But what happens when they stop looking?
If your sense of self dissolves when people drift away, were you ever truly yourself to begin with? True connection isn’t about how many people you have; it’s about how deeply you exist with those who matter—and most importantly, with yourself.
3. The Search for “The One” to Fill the Void
Meditation
( Image credit : Pexels )
Many people aren’t actually looking for love; they’re looking for someone to complete them. To be the reason they feel at peace. But Krishna warns: Nothing outside of you can give you what you refuse to find within yourself. People will come and go. Relationships will change.
The most constant presence in your life is you. If you cannot find solace in your own company, no amount of external love will ever be enough. This isn’t to say relationships don’t matter. They do. Deeply. But if you place the burden of your inner emptiness on another human being, you will only find more suffering.