Virtues Promoted By Dharma – Anasuya
According to Hindu Dharma, matsarya is among the biggest negative traits. Matsarya, which means jealousy or envy, is a major obstacle to the spiritual growth of people. It comes under the purview of “arishadvargas” which include negative traits considered “enemies of the mind.” The absence of matsarya or jealousy is called “anasuya.” It is now appropriate to explore in greater detail how important it is to be free from matsarya, according to Hinduism.
Many Hindu scriptures state that jealousy, along with other negative traits, is one of the key obstacles that hinder an individual from realizing their true self.
Primarily, it is the ego that causes a person to feel disconnected from others. And it is this sense of disconnectedness that keeps them away from “anasuya.” Matsarya is a feeling that makes people experience an irrational sense of insecurity and low self-esteem. This happens when they see others who are happier or more successful.
The positive quality of anasuya is closely related to another noble virtue – mudhita. Muditha, which is a Sanskrit term, means experiencing genuine joy, deep within, when others are prosperous and happy. It is a selfless feeling.
It is matsarya that prevents a person from feeling happiness upon seeing the success and achievements of others.
Matsarya is such a grave characteristic that it depletes the mental and physical strength of an individual. This occurs even without their knowledge. These people are under the illusion that it is others who are impacted by their actions. It is only when they suddenly face major adversity that they realize the envy within was actually harming themselves.
The fact is, many people experience jealousy to some degree at various points in life. However, the key difference emerges when wisdom becomes the guiding force within. Then, it won’t take too long for these people to realize how crucial it is to integrate anasuya into their lives. After that, they do not get delayed in doing the needful; their spiritual growth continues smoothly.
There is a major drawback of matsarya. When an individual lets envy occupy their mind, they completely lose their focus. They are always obsessed with keeping track of others’ prosperity; they ignore the significance of working hard to make themselves successful. Eventually, they are more likely to end up as failures, and if that happens, that’s purely because of the negative trait – matsarya.
Many sacred texts of Hindu Dharma clearly state that it’s from envy that many other bad tendencies arise in people. A person whose mind is filled with matsarya becomes completely insensitive to fellow humans and other forms of life. But, there is a dramatic transformation when an individual breaks free from the grip of jealousy, and chooses “anasuya.” These people reach a state of bliss, and they spread happiness that positively influences people in the vicinity.
When people eliminate matsarya from their minds and cultivate anasuya in its place, they also experience freedom from aggression and anger. These noble souls never crave recognition and praise; they just prefer to silently do good deeds without any selfish motives.
Vedanta teaches that jealousy becomes a dominant emotion when a person identifies with their ‘lower self,’ giving top priority to worldly pleasures and material wealth. This only fuels matsarya. They continuously keep moving farther and farther from moksha – the ultimate goal of human life.
You may also Like to Read:
- Why Concepts Of Dharma Cannot Be Translated Neatly Into English Language Terms?
- Is Dharma Relevant In The Modern World
- Virtues Promoted By Dharma – Samatva, Ahimsa, Shaucha, Titiksha, Asteyam, Seva, Vairagya, Vinayam
- What Prevents A Person From Being Dharmic?