Question from a satsanggi:
I do kirtan and I am quite popular and receive lots of praises. My problem is that I get extremely jealous/hateful of other successful kirtanias especially those gifted with nice voices.
Please advice me:
Bhai Manjeet’s response:
Gurbani tells us that we must not be envious of others. This ‘jealousy or envy, is known as ‘taat prayee’ in SGGS Ji. This can be eroded in sadhsangat.
At Ang 1299, Kanra M 5 we are told …
“Bissar gayee sabh taat praiye” . (ਬਿਸਰਿ ਗਈ ਸਭ ਤਾਤਿ ਪਰਾਈ ॥)
But, this only happens
”jab tay sadhsangat mohay paiye”.. (ਜਬ ਤੇ ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਮੋਹਿ ਪਾਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥).
This cleanses the inner being so much that it enables one to see
“Na ko baeree nahi biganna”
and his relationship is now easy with all others;
“sagal sang ham ko bann aaiye”.
(ਨਾ ਕੋ ਬੈਰੀ ਨਹੀ ਬਿਗਾਨਾ ਸਗਲ ਸੰਗਿ ਹਮ ਕਉ ਬਨਿ ਆਈ ॥੧॥)
Instead of blaming others for your difficulties, you now accept all dukh as part of His bhana. – hence
“jo prabh kinno so bhal maneiyo”,
because you have received Divine wisdom from the Guru.
“Eh summat sadhu tay paiye”.
(ਜੋ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੀਨੋ ਸੋ ਭਲ ਮਾਨਿਓ ਏਹ ਸੁਮਤਿ ਸਾਧੂ ਤੇ ਪਾਈ ॥੨॥ )
In the final line ‘taat praiye” is so completely extinguished that he sees God in all. This gives him ecstatic joy.
“Sabh may rav rehiya prabh eko pekh pekh Nanak bisgsayee”. (ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਰਵਿ ਰਹਿਆ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਏਕੈ ਪੇਖਿ ਪੇਖਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਬਿਗਸਾਈ ॥੩॥੮॥)
In Gauri Ki Vaar M 4, Guru Ramdas Ji emphatically states,
” Jis day andar taat pariye hovay tis da kaday na hovi bhala.” (ਜਿਸੁ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਤਾਤਿ ਪਰਾਈ ਹੋਵੈ ਤਿਸ ਦਾ ਕਦੇ ਨ ਹੋਵੀ ਭਲਾ ॥ – Ang 308)
Now, this is a very strong warning. We often ask for happiness and release from difficulties which obstruct us. If you have envy against others, it means your ‘bhala’ will not happen as you wish bad for another of God’s children. Envy is very subtle, but extremely corrosive.
Envy is so subtle that it can exist even in the home. You may find one spouse having an underlying sense of unhappiness about her partner. “Everything seems to be going for him, health, work, friends but I have nothing.” That is a wrong stance to take. You should instead wish your partner well, and look to ways to improve yourself.
The Sikh is encouraged instead to ask for ” Teray bhanay sabhna da bhalla”. We must not just mechanically say this phrase but actually mean it, and remove all inner grudges and angers and rivalries. When you start wishing that for others you find, your bhala also occurs.
Gurfateh.
Manjeet Singh
October 20th, 2012.
