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99.ENVY
AFTER the libation ceremony for
Bhishma was over, Vyasa narrated to
grief-stricken Yudhishthira an episode in
Brihaspati's life. The wisest of men are
sometimes affected by envy and suffer
thereby. Brihaspati, teacher to the gods
themselves, was master of all knowledge.
He was learned in all the Vedas and all the
sciences, yet he was once the victim of
this debasing emotion and suffered
disgrace.
Brihaspati had a younger brother,
Samvarta, who was also a person of great
learning and a very good man. Brihaspati
was, for this reason, stricken with envy of
his brother.
In this world men become envious of
others, just because the others are good,
while they themselves are not so good,
and they cannot bear this. It is strange
indeed that men should not suffer even
virtue in others.
Brihaspati harassed Samvarta in many
ways. When he could not stand it any
more, poor Samvarta put on the
appearance of an eccentric and wandered
from place to place, and spent his days in
that way to escape from his brother's
persecution.
King Marutta of the Ikshwaku dynasty
made great penance and obtained from the
Lord of Kailasa a great goldmine in the
Himalayas and, with his resources thus
augmented, he decided to perform a great
Yajna.
Marutta requested Brihaspati to conduct
the yajna for him. But Brihaspati feared
that Marutta would, as a result of the
yajna, overshadow the gods who were his
charge.
He refused to comply with the king's
invitation, despite his pressing entreaties.
Thereupon, king Marutta, who had come
to know about Samvarta found his
whereabouts and approached him with the
invitation to conduct his yajna.
He at first refused and tried to avoid the
honor, but finally yielded. This further
increased Brihaspati's envy of his
unfortunate brother.
"Here is this enemy of mine, Samvarta,
going to conduct king Marutta's great
yajna. What shall I do now?" Thus did
Brihaspati brood over it until his envy
affected his health. His health declined
rapidly and he became thin and pale. His
condition grew worse everyday, until it
attracted the attention of Indra himself.
Indra, chief of the gods, approached the
divine preceptor and saluting him asked:
"Lord, why are you ill? What has caused
this languishing? Do you sleep well? Do
the attendants serve you properly? Do
they anticipate your wishes and not wait
to be told? Do the gods behave
courteously towards you or has there been
any lapse in this respect?"
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