In this program, the Prayer Center is working with "Kinship of Greater Minneapolis" to help a few needy children by fulfilling the family wish list consisting of items such as clothes, toys, small appliances and other gift items befitting the Holidays. Please write to hamaresai@yahoo.com or call volunteers at 612-281-9554/952-994-7680 for more information on how to participate in this program.

Monthly Feature: IS IT SO EASY TO CONQUER ENVY?

There are six obstacles to leading a life of happiness ad gaining the knowledge of the Self. Known as six enemies, these are kama (lust), krodha (anger), lobha (covetousness), moha (delusion), mada (pride) and matsarya. Matsarya can be translated as a combination of jealousy and envy. We generally use the words jealousy and envy interchangeably. However there is a subtle difference. Jealousy is the feeling of hurt one experiences when he wants to get something but it has gone to someone else. If two people compete for a certain thing, one gets it and the other doesn’t, the negative hurt feelings of the one that lost it is called jealousy. This is more of an evil feeling because someone else has gained rather than the feeling that he/she has lost. Here, the feeling that the other has it is more painful to the person rather than the sorrow that he did not get it. If both do not get it, the sorrow vanishes and one is happy that the other also did not get it!

Envy is different. Envy is the mind which feels hurt when anything good happens to someone or when any one gets a windfall, even if it does not concern him at all, even if he does not try for it and even if he is not at loss by not possessing it.

Of the six obstacles, the remaining five have at least a semblance of logic behind them such as our ego, the desires and proclivities, the personal loss and gains, happiness and sadness. So to conquer them with mere reasoning can be difficult. But envy is not like that. It has no logic behind it. It exists as a shadow of the other weaknesses present in us. Many of us feel that we do not have this weakness in us. But, if we carefully examine our feelings, especially when we hear of the good fortune of the others we can see the flash of envy in us. If we are careful to identify it every time we feel it we can conquer envy. If we conquer this easy enemy by practice we can learn the methods of conquering the other five enemies too.

Let us see what Baba said about envy in his own style. Baba once said to Nanasaheb Chandorkar, "Of the six enemies it is the easiest to conquer envy. Envy can cause nothing to come or go from us. It is envy if we cannot bear to see the others prosper or benefit. We cannot bear it if they get a good status or wealth and we put about malicious gossip about them. We feel happy if they suffer a loss or suffer hardships. Is this correct? If somebody gets a benefit what is the harm to you? But people never think about this aspect. We should be able to feel happy if some one benefits and we too should try to get the same. That person has not snatched our share and he got what was his due by the play of his karma. What is the use of feeling bad about his good fortune? That is why we should conquer envy first."

(Translated from "Sai Bhakthi Saadhana Rahasyam" written by PujyaSri Sainathuni Sarath Babuji)

“Spend money in charity; be generous and magnificent but not extravagant” - Saibaba