Bhagavad Gita’s Take on Jealousy: It’s Not You, It’s Them
Riya Kumari | Mar 25, 2025, 13:20 IST
( Image credit : Times Life Bureau )
So, you’re fabulous. You walk into a room, and suddenly, the air changes. People glance, whisper, and—oh look—there’s that one person giving you the side-eye, as if your very existence is a personal attack. And you’re left thinking, Why are they so jealous of me? Well, surprise! The Bhagavad Gita—yes, the ancient wisdom-packed book that people usually reference in serious spiritual discussions—actually has something to say about this. And trust me, Krishna’s take on jealousy is so spot-on, it’s like he wrote it specifically for you and your haters.
Jealousy is strange. You’ve done nothing except exist in your own lane, and yet, someone somewhere has made it their personal mission to resent you for it. It’s frustrating, sure. Maybe even a little painful, especially when it comes from people you once thought were on your side. But if you’ve ever found yourself wondering, Why are they so jealous of me? What did I do?—you’re not alone. Thousands of years ago, Arjuna asked Krishna a different but related question: Why do people act in ways that harm themselves and others, even when they know better? Krishna’s answer, like everything in the Bhagavad Gita, is layered—but at its core, he explains that jealousy, anger, and resentment don’t come from the outside world. They come from within. And once you understand that, everything starts making sense.
1. Jealousy isn’t about you. It’s about them
It’s easy to take jealousy personally, but Krishna makes it clear that envy is born from attachment—attachment to status, self-image, and the exhausting need to feel superior. People aren’t jealous because you did something to them. They’re jealous because your success, happiness, or even just your peace reminds them of something they don’t have.
This is why jealousy is almost never about material things. Sure, someone might resent you for your job, your relationships, or your achievements—but deep down, what really bothers them is the sense that you possess something they can’t easily acquire. Maybe it’s confidence. Maybe it’s contentment. Maybe it’s the audacity to be genuinely happy when they’ve spent their whole life believing happiness must be earned through suffering. Whatever the reason, their jealousy is a reflection of their inner world—not a verdict on your worth.
2. People envy what they don’t understand
Krishna tells Arjuna that the wise remain unaffected by praise or criticism because they know both are fleeting. But most people aren’t at that level of self-awareness. Most people measure their worth based on how they compare to others, and when they meet someone who doesn’t play that game, it unsettles them.
Ever noticed how the happiest people rarely waste time resenting others? That’s because genuine fulfillment kills jealousy at its root. But those who haven’t found inner peace? They assume your joy must be a trick, an illusion—something undeserved. You may not see yourself as a threat, but to someone who’s built their entire identity around competition, your refusal to compete is threatening.
3. The strongest proof of growth is how you respond to envy
Krishna warns that anger, envy, and ego are chains that bind the soul to suffering. Not because they’re inherently “evil,” but because they blind us from truth. So when someone resents you, you have two choices:
1. Absorb their energy—respond with frustration, let their opinions weigh on you, and shrink yourself to make them more comfortable.
2. Transcend it—recognize their struggle for what it is, refuse to take it personally, and continue living as you were.
The second path is harder. It requires patience, humility, and a kind of self-assurance that doesn’t need to be announced. But it is the only path that leads to peace.
4. Let them be jealous. You have better things to do
Krishna’s final lesson is simple: Focus on your duty, not on others’ opinions. Jealousy thrives on reaction—if you feed it, it grows. But if you ignore it, it withers.
So let them misunderstand you. Let them misinterpret your kindness, your ambition, your happiness. Let them tell themselves whatever stories they need to tell. Because while they’re busy resenting you, you’ll be busy living. And in the end, that’s what truly makes them envious.
1. Jealousy isn’t about you. It’s about them
Angry
( Image credit : Pexels )
It’s easy to take jealousy personally, but Krishna makes it clear that envy is born from attachment—attachment to status, self-image, and the exhausting need to feel superior. People aren’t jealous because you did something to them. They’re jealous because your success, happiness, or even just your peace reminds them of something they don’t have.
This is why jealousy is almost never about material things. Sure, someone might resent you for your job, your relationships, or your achievements—but deep down, what really bothers them is the sense that you possess something they can’t easily acquire. Maybe it’s confidence. Maybe it’s contentment. Maybe it’s the audacity to be genuinely happy when they’ve spent their whole life believing happiness must be earned through suffering. Whatever the reason, their jealousy is a reflection of their inner world—not a verdict on your worth.
2. People envy what they don’t understand
Competition
( Image credit : Pexels )
Krishna tells Arjuna that the wise remain unaffected by praise or criticism because they know both are fleeting. But most people aren’t at that level of self-awareness. Most people measure their worth based on how they compare to others, and when they meet someone who doesn’t play that game, it unsettles them.
Ever noticed how the happiest people rarely waste time resenting others? That’s because genuine fulfillment kills jealousy at its root. But those who haven’t found inner peace? They assume your joy must be a trick, an illusion—something undeserved. You may not see yourself as a threat, but to someone who’s built their entire identity around competition, your refusal to compete is threatening.
3. The strongest proof of growth is how you respond to envy
Peace
( Image credit : Pexels )
Krishna warns that anger, envy, and ego are chains that bind the soul to suffering. Not because they’re inherently “evil,” but because they blind us from truth. So when someone resents you, you have two choices:
1. Absorb their energy—respond with frustration, let their opinions weigh on you, and shrink yourself to make them more comfortable.
2. Transcend it—recognize their struggle for what it is, refuse to take it personally, and continue living as you were.
The second path is harder. It requires patience, humility, and a kind of self-assurance that doesn’t need to be announced. But it is the only path that leads to peace.
4. Let them be jealous. You have better things to do
Path
( Image credit : Pexels )
Krishna’s final lesson is simple: Focus on your duty, not on others’ opinions. Jealousy thrives on reaction—if you feed it, it grows. But if you ignore it, it withers.
So let them misunderstand you. Let them misinterpret your kindness, your ambition, your happiness. Let them tell themselves whatever stories they need to tell. Because while they’re busy resenting you, you’ll be busy living. And in the end, that’s what truly makes them envious.