seniors, juniors and equals

[Guest guest]

Seniors, Juniors, and Equals

gunadhikan mudam lipsed

anukrosam gunadhamat

maitrim samanad anvicchen

na tapair abhibhuyate

[sB 4.8.34]

gunadhikan -- who is more qualified; mudam -- pleasure; lipset -- one

should feel; anukrosam -- compassion; gunadhamat -- who is less

qualified; maitrim -- friendship; samanat -- with an equal; anvicchet --

one should not desire; na -- not; tapair --by tribulation; abhibhuyate

-- becomes affected.

 

(Narada Muni to Dhruva M:)

"Every man should act like this: when he meets a person more

qualified than himself, he should be very pleased; when he meets someone

less qualified than himself, he should be compassionate toward him; and

when he meets someone equal to himself, he should make friendship with

him. In this way, one is never affected by the threefold miseries of

this material world."

Purport: Generally when we find someone more qualified than ourselves,

we become envious of him; when we find someone less qualified, we deride

him; and when we find someone equal we become very proud of our

activities. These are the causes of all material tribulations. The great

sage Narada therefore advised that a devotee should act perfectly.

Instead of being envious of a more qualified man, one should be jolly to

receive him. Instead of being oppressive to a less qualified man , one

should be compassionate toward him just to raise him to the proper

standard. And when one meets an equal, instead of being proud of one's

own activities before him, one should treat him as a friend. One should

also have compassion for the people in general, who are suffering due to

forgetfulness of Krsna. These important functions will make one happy

within this material world.