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DISCOURSE 21
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a wealthy family and he was the apple of his parent's eyes. He was the only boy and there were three girls. The three girls loved their brother greatly but the boy was bitterly jealous of his sisters. If the parents gave the girls something good, his mind would begin to burn with jealousy and annoyance. "My sisters should not get anything good". This was his obstinate attitude. The sisters were so good that in order to keep their brother in high spirits, they did not take anything good. They did not take either good garments or good toys. They did not take even good food. Though the parents tried their best to make him realize his obstinacy, he would not yield or change his mind. The father died; the three girls went away to the houses of their in-laws. Now the ruin of the boy began. He never cared for the words of his mother. He was full of haughtiness, impoliteness and jealousy and other vices. He began to commit the sins of stealing the gambling also. He went to jail also. Friends and relatives with great difficulty got him released.
If jealousy appears in one's childhood, his life would be ruined soon. If such a boy leads even the life of a Sadhu, the vice of jealousy would not leave him. Even as a Sadhu, he would be jealous of the other Sadhus who are men of merit. He will feel jealous of the Sadhus who have achieved fame and prestige. Deception, trickery and other such evil qualities result from jealousy. A jealous man's heart keeps always burning with unhappiness, agitation and anguish. I have seen such people as have become unnecessarily victims of terrible mental agitations.
JEALOUSY IMPELS PEOPLE TO COMMIT BLUNDERS
Do you know the story of the previous life of Anjana, the mother of Hanuman? In her previous life she was a queen by name Kanakodari. The King had another wife by name Lakshmivati. Lakshmivati was a great devotee of the Paramatma. She had got built in her palace, a small but beautiful and artistic temple for the Paramatma. Every day, she used to go to the Jin Mandir, along with some other women of the city. She worshipped the Lord and glorified him by singing songs
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