Asserted Topics:
Avoidance of Matsar (Jealousy).
Main Points:
- When one feels burnt by the good qualities of others, that is called Matsar.
- Women, wealth, good food, and honor are the causes of Matsar.
- When one follows the path of a Sant, firmly resolves to avoid Matsar, and sacrifices everything for Bhagwan and His devotees, only then is their Matsar eradicated.
Commentary:
In this Vachanamrut, the devoted Haribhakt Prembai of Deev Bander brought Puja for Maharaj and requested Him to personally accept it. Upon this, Maharaj descended from His seat, approached her, and accepted her offerings of Puja. He then returned to His throne and was seated once again. Maharaj was very pleased after accepting the Puja. During this time, Dinanath Bhatt bowed at the feet of Shreeji Maharaj and sat in the assembly. Shreeji Maharaj gifted all the elaborate garments and ornaments that were brought in the Puja to Dinanath Bhatt.
Seeing how pleased Maharaj was with this devotee, Muktanand Swami asked Maharaj, “O Maharaj! What virtues does a devotee possess that pleases Bhagwan?”
Maharaj replied, “Bhagwan is pleased with a devotee who worships Him after becoming free from vices such as Kaam, Krodh, Lobh, deceit, pride, envy, and Matsar. Among these, Bhagwan is especially pleased with those who worship Him after renouncing Matsar. Matsar is the root of all vices and thus should not exist in a Sadhu. Bhagwan Vyasji has mentioned in the Shrimad Bhagwat that only Santo who are free from Matsar are qualified to practice Bhagwat Dharma. Therefore, Matsar is subtler than all other vices and is much more difficult to eliminate.”
At this point, a question may arise in the minds of devotees: What exactly is Matsar (Jealousy)? When something good happens to someone else or we witness another person’s success, and it causes our heart to burn with envy, that feeling is known as Matsar. Maharaj explains that whether someone gives or receives, a person filled with Matsar burns internally without reason. Seeing another person’s progress causes a burning sensation within the soul of someone who harbors Matsar. A person with Matsar cannot feel happy when witnessing the advancement of others. This kind of nature is what is called Matsar.
Then Brahmanand Swami asked, “What is the remedy for eradicating Matsar?” Maharaj responded, “Only those who follow the path of a Sant can rid themselves of Matsar, while those who do not walk the path of a Sant will not be able to remove their Matsar. Since Matsar is very subtle, it cannot be removed simply by fasting or strictly adhering to difficult rules. To eliminate it, one must broaden the heart. Matsar arises from the narrowness of the heart. The feeling that ‘if there is to be progress, it should be mine alone’ or ‘at the very least, no one else should progress as much as I do’—this type of narrow-mindedness causes Matsar to develop. One harbors such expectations, but in reality, things do not happen as one wishes.”
Then Muktanand Swami asked, “What is the cause of Matsar?” Maharaj replied, “The three causes of Matsar are women, wealth, and good food. For those who are not affected by these three, pride becomes the cause of Matsar. Maharaj further explains that these four – women, wealth, food, and pride – are the core sources of Matsar. Every person, without considering their own qualifications, believes that these four should be with them alone and not with anyone else. The entire history is filled with conflicts over beautiful women. Great wars have been fought over this. The same holds true for wealth, food, and pride. No one is ever truly satisfied with any of these four. If others don’t get them at all, that’s ideal. If they do receive them, they shouldn’t receive the best. They should only get inferior or mediocre things. And even if they do get good things, they should not receive as much as I do. This is because people tend to believe that they alone are most deserving of these four. So, when someone else obtains them, or receives more than they do, their hearts ignite with Matsar. Only when one renounces the desire for these four can Matsar be eradicated.”
Maharaj gave His own example to explain, saying, “In My heart, there is not even the slightest trace of such inner enemies. The desires for the Panch Vishay never arise in My heart. In fact, when the finest clothes and ornaments were offered to Me during the Puja, I immediately and without any attachment gave them to the deserving sadpatra, Dinanath Bhatt. Maharaj says, ‘Whatever I accept, I do so only in consideration of the devotion of the devotees, but never for My own bodily pleasure. All of My physical activities are solely for the sake of the Sant and the Satsang. If it ever seems otherwise, I immediately abandon it. I maintain this body only for the sake of the Satsang. Mulji Brahmchari and others who have been close to Me know this truth—that Maharaj is as unstained as the sky. I have dedicated this body to the devotees of God who have surrendered to Him through mind, action, and speech. Apart from this, I have no attachment anywhere, not even in the fourteen worlds. The devotees of Bhagwan must also conduct themselves in the same manner. Only then will Matsar be eradicated from their hearts. Until then, Matsar cannot truly be removed.'”