Five Ways Envy For My New Purchase Manifests

By krishnasmercy on January 21, 2024 • ( 0 )

“In Vrindavana all the pure devotees pray for the mercy of Shrimati Radharani, the pleasure potency of Lord Krishna. Shrimati Radharani is a tenderhearted feminine counterpart of the supreme whole, resembling the perfectional stage of the worldly feminine nature. Therefore, the mercy of Radharani is available very readily to the sincere devotees, and once She recommends such a devotee to Lord Krishna, the Lord at once accepts the devotee’s admittance into His association.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 2.3.23 Purport)

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From an outside perspective, devotional service does not look much different from regular, ordinary life. Bhakti-yoga is taking the same circumstances, conditions, and influences and simply changing consciousness. Since it is connecting everything with a higher purpose, it is like uniting the individual with the Divine.

“If everything looks the same, then how do we tell the difference? How can we recognize someone who is in tune with the Supreme Consciousness? How can we determine if they are making genuine progress along a path which carries permanent benefits, which transcend the material?”

As we know when to stop eating based on a feeling of satisfaction, we can judge the impact of devotional service based on symptoms. One area of potential study is envy. In material life, there is the tendency towards envy from all angles and all circles.

The wife towards the husband. The parents towards the children. The brother towards the sister. The employees viewing the manager. The long-standing friend, who has helped so much, is envious of even the slightest improvement of someone they supposedly care for.

In this example, we suppose that I have acquired something new. It is an automobile. My intentions were noble enough. I have never previously been known for lavish expenditures. I do not necessarily count every penny, but I do not waste for the sake of vanity.

This car fits a purpose. It carries more passengers. The ride is more comfortable. People in the household, who will not be driving the car, are excited to be higher up from the ground while travelling the roads.

I get a feeling that my friends are not so happy about my new purchase, however. I decided to buy a new car, even in a tough market, with limited inventory, because I would rather avoid the hassle of finding the best deal, of having to wonder where the car had previously been and how well it will stand up to the test of time.

1. Make sure to diminish the importance

“Wow, a new car? That is not like you. At the end of the day, it is just a car. No one really cares. You drive something. I drive something. Oh, it has the latest features? An overhead camera view to help you park? Your smartphone can now act as a digital key? I have never heard about that before. Anyway, I am satisfied with what I have got.”

2. Deliver bad news about the future value

“Wow, you are just driving the car off the lot now? Do you hear that sinking sound or is it just me? As you depress the accelerator to get moving, know that the same acceleration is taking place in depreciation. Know that simply by leaving the dealership your car has now diminished in value by a significant amount.”

3. Compare against their own possessions

“The brakes are fading. One of the headlights is out. The stereo doesn’t work. But just see how much I paid for my car compared to yours. There is no comparison, really. I barely have any monthly expense, when you extend it out over the life of the vehicle. Meanwhile, your interest rate is what? Ouch, that is really bad. I am not sure why you did not just pay cash up front.”

4. Change the subject at the mere mention

“Oh, so you took the car for a long drive today? It was smooth and comfortable. You are not tired after the fact? Well, let me tell you what we did yesterday. We went out to the store and returned Christmas gifts that we did not like. It was great. We have a huge gift card balance now to spend on whatever it is we want.”

5. Take pleasure in any difficulty

“Oh man, so the car does not fit in the garage? You did not run the measurements prior to the purchase? And now you are out all that cash. Really hurts. The car will have to stay in the driveway now. Just imagine the beating it will take during the winters, with the snow and the salt dropped on the roads.”

…

As easy as it is to criticize the supposedly offending party, these dealings are commonplace in the material world. Everyone is envious of one another, since there is the view that there is only a finite amount of enjoyment to be had. If someone else is advancing, I think that I am regressing. The success of my friend is my failure. Your loss becomes my gain, and so forth.

यदृच्छालाभसंतुष्टो द्वन्द्वातीतो विमत्सरः ।
समः सिद्धावसिद्धौ च कृत्वापि न निबध्यते ॥

yadṛcchā-lābha-santuṣṭo
dvandvātīto vimatsaraḥ
samaḥ siddhāv asiddhau ca
kṛtvāpi na nibadhyate

“He who is satisfied with gain which comes of its own accord, who is free from duality and does not envy, who is steady both in success and failure, is never entangled, although performing actions.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.22)

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains that this is the way of material life, that there is only envy when others should progress. In spiritual life, there tends to be only appreciation. The example given is Shrimati Radharani, who is the eternal consort of Shri Krishna.

In beautiful depictions on canvas and in the formal worship taking place in temples Radharani is always next to Krishna. She is the feminine side to the Divine. If God is the greatest enjoyer, Radharani is the one providing the most enjoyment to Him.

Despite the exalted position that she holds, Radharani is not a miser. She does not keep an exclusive lock on Shri Krishna. Rather, she is known to recommend devotees. If someone is serving nicely, if they have good intentions, then she essentially puts in a good word for them with the highest arbiter of all, who happens to also be the most merciful.