Lajja gh^ňa bhaya krodha jugupsa ceti pancama kula çíla tatha jăti aätha păça prakírtităh
There are eight bondages that are noteworthy- lajja – shyness, ghrina- hatred, bhaya – fear, krodha – anger, jugupsa - jealousy, Kula – pride of ones caste, shila – pride of character and jati – pride of achievement.
Jugupsa - Jealousy Let us take a look at jealousy that greatly hinders the spiritual progress of a seeker. Jugupsa, matsarya or asuya in Sanskrit with minor differences can all be translated as jealousy, which is listed as one of the eight bondages to spiritual progress. It also ranks among the six inner enemies of kama, krodha, lobha, moha, mada and matsarya which have to be defeated for one to progress on the path of spirituality.
Comparison – The Cause What is this jealousy? From where and how does it start? Jealousy starts with comparison. I am jealous of the neighbor because he has an expensive car. I am jealous of my colleague as my boss supports him more. I am jealous of my friend because he has a nice house. When we compare with another two things happen: 1. If I am in a better position pride develops – a form of ego. 2. If I find myself in a lower position the jealousy starts.
Diversity is the beauty of creation. Can we compare the right hand and the left hand? No. Can you compare the thumb with the index finger? No. Can you compare the right eye with the left eye? No. Each one is unique and has its own use. It is a beautiful creation of God. God’s creation is unique because there is no duplication. Human creation is full of duplication and hypocrisy. In Gods creation even the twins are not exactly the same.
Accept God’s unique creation and the unique position of each in the family, in the society and in the world. Look at a bicycle. Every little part has a role to play. But in life we feel another is the competitor. Then jealousy develops. No one is a competitor to the other; every one is complimentary to the other, just as in a bicycle the spoke cannot compete with the tire or the tire with the handle. The creation of God is complete and beautiful what is there to compare? Do not compare and do not bring jealousy into the heart. Jealousy burns us from within and blinds us. Because of jealousy we cannot see in the right perspective. Jealousy is very common to all and is found even in the temples and monasteries. Jealousy is everywhere. There are very few who are really free from jealousy.
I will tell a few stories about jealousy and how it ruins the life. There is jealousy even in the divine kingdom.
Jealousy of the Three Goddesses One day Sage Narada a celestial sage who roams the three worlds went to Kailasha, the abode of Lord Shiva and met Parvati. Narada said he was coming from the ashram of Atri and Anasuya and added that she was the chestiest woman. Parvati felt a little jealous and asked “Is she better than me?” “She is beyond comparison,” said Narada. Narada is known to cause trouble by his mischief but he does it to teach people. Next he went to the abode of Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma and said the same thing to their wives Lakshmi and Saraswati respectively and caused the same feeling of jealousy in them.
The three wives of the trinity met and exchanged notes. They wanted to test the truth of Narada’s statement. They approached their husbands and requested their help in testing Anasuya. They wanted the three of them to be disguised as three Brahmins and go to the hermitage of Atri. They were to approach Anasuya as guests but request food on the condition that she should serve them being completely naked. If she agrees then her chastity is lost and if she says no, then she is violating the Hindu rule of serving guest as God.
The three approached Anasuya. The name Anasuya means free from jealousy. When they presented their strange request, at first she was puzzled but on contemplating a little she agreed. She cooked food and prayed to God, “O God, if I am a chaste woman, if I am of pure in heart, if I have served my husband duly and if I have no jealousy in my heart let these three guests become infants.” Through her sincere prayer from her heart the wish was fulfilled. We pray but we pray with the mouth and not from the heart. If we do, then our prayers will surely be fulfilled. So they became three babies. She removed her clothes and also their clothes and fed them taking them into her lap. The babies were very happy with her motherly love. She dressed after feeding them but she let them remain as babies.
Now the three wives were worried, as the husbands did not return. Narada went to see what happened and came back and reported that their husbands were three babies who were playing happily. “There is no other way except to approach Anasuya and seek her help,” he said, “She is sympathetic and may give your husbands back.” The three goddesses approached her in the guise of three Brahmin ladies and claimed their husbands. The story goes on that Anasuya asked them to identify their husbands by picking them up and changed them back into adults. To the surprise of the goddesses they had picked up the wrong husbands.
Compliment not Compete You may say the jealousy is there even in the kingdom of heaven. What can we mortals do? Remember, in the human body the brain is the kingdom of heaven. It has both jealousies as well as love. Sympathy and anger both come from the brain. In the Bhagavad Gita the Lord said, sat and asat – truth and false hood, real and unreal, all are Him.
am^tanca ,m^tyunca sat asat aham arjuna ,
‘I am the immortality; I am the death, I am the real, and I am the unreal.’
Let jealousy not touch us. God has given us talents and brainpower. Let us utilize them. In India the mother in law feels jealous once the son is married and daughter-in –law enters the family. Before marriage the son was asking the mother for everything. After the wedding he would ask the wife. Now the Mother feels jealous. If she can think of the daughter in law as a daughter and realize that she has come to fulfill and not compete, then there is no scope of jealousy. We have come not to compete but to compliment. With complementing life is beautiful and with jealousy life is ugly. With cooperation life is enjoyable with competition life is troublesome.
Jealousy begins with comparison. To Compare and contrast is ok. But don’t create complexity in you or in the others mind. We bring complexity into our life – inferiority or superiority complex. Be happy with what God has given you and never be envious of what others have achieved.
Getting rid of jealousy is a prerequisite for spiritual life.
In the Bhagavad Gita the Lord says to Arjuna,
idamtuteguhyatamam pravakäyăm anasú yave
jnănam vijnăna sahitaĺ yajnătvă mokäase çubhăt IX: 1
“I am giving you the secret of knowledge and experience required for liberation, as you are free from jealousy.”
Again in the 3rd chapter we have
yeme matamidam nityam anutiäthanti mănavah
çraddhăvanto anasúyanto mucyante tepikarmabhi III: 31
“Those who follow my teaching with faith and devoid of jealousy they are liberated from the bondage of Karma”.
Feel the Presence of God in All
How to live in this world of comparisons? Experience or try to feel the presence of God in all. If God is in all there is no need for comparison.
The Upanishad declares,
“tatra ko mohah kah ekatvamanupaçyatah”
“Where is delusion or sorrow for one who sees the same in all?”
How to avoid jealousy? When we begin the life of acceptance jealousy decreases. A little broader outlook will help. Those who are jealous are mean minded and narrow minded. Those who are God conscious try to manifest their love and are free from jealousy. A prayerful and helpful attitude towards others, without expectation will help to over come jealousy.