Srimad Bhagavatam Canto 4 Chapter 19 Verse 2

Canto 4: Creation of the Fourth Order | Chapter 19: King Pṛthu's One Hundred Horse Sacrifices

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 4.19.2

tad abhipretya bhagavān

karmātiśayam ātmanaḥ

śata-kratur na mamṛṣe

pṛthor yajña-mahotsavam

SYNONYMS

tat abhipretya — considering this matter; bhagavān — the most powerful; karma-atiśayam — excelling in fruitive activities; ātmanaḥ — of himself; śata-kratuḥ — King Indra, who had performed a hundred sacrifices; na — not; mamṛṣe — did tolerate; pṛthoḥ — of King Pṛthu; yajña — sacrificial; mahā-utsavam — great ceremonies.

TRANSLATION

When the most powerful Indra, the King of heaven, saw this, he considered the fact that King Pṛthu was going to exceed him in fruitive activities. Thus Indra could not tolerate the great sacrificial ceremonies performed by King Pṛthu.

PURPORT

In the material world everyone who comes to enjoy himself or lord it over material nature is envious of others. This envy is also found in the personality of the King of heaven, Indra. As evident from revealed scriptures, Indra was several times envious of many persons. He was especially envious of great fruitive activities and the execution of yoga practices, or siddhis. Indeed, he could not tolerate them, and he desired to break them up. He was envious due to fear that those who performed great sacrifices for the execution of mystic yoga might occupy his seat. Since no one in this material world can tolerate another's advancement, everyone in the material world is called matsara, envious. In the beginning of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is therefore said that Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is meant for those who are completely nirmatsara (nonenvious). In other words, one who is not free from the contamination of envy cannot advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In Kṛṣṇa consciousness, however, if someone excels another person, the devotee who is excelled thinks how fortunate the other person is to be advancing in devotional service. Such nonenvy is typical of Vaikuṇṭha. However, when one is envious of his competitor, that is material. The demigods posted in the material world are not exempt from envy.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness