ईर्ष्या (iirshyaa)

noun A single-sense noun meaning 'jealousy' or 'envy' -- a somewhat formal/literary-leaning word, more commonly heard in speech as जलन (jalan).
Sense 1 : jealousy, envy
noun, feminine
Synonyms: जलन (jalan), डाह (daah, rare), रश्क (rashk, literary)
Frequency: medium
Cultural Note: This word shows up often in moral or religious contexts -- school essays, spiritual discourses, and proverbs about the dangers of envy -- more than in casual chatter, where जलन (jalan) or जलना (jalnaa, 'to burn/be jealous') dominate. Note the vivid Hindi metaphor: jealousy is imagined as a kind of burning, so a jealous person is often described as किसी से जलना (kisii se jalnaa, 'to burn with envy toward someone').
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often default to ईर्ष्या (iirshyaa) in casual speech where a native speaker would more naturally say जलन (jalan) -- ईर्ष्या (iirshyaa) tends to sound a touch bookish or formal in everyday conversation. 2) The common verb pairing is ईर्ष्या होना (iirshyaa honaa, 'to feel jealousy') or ईर्ष्या करना (iirshyaa karnaa, 'to be jealous of'), with the person envied marked by से (se) -- not को (ko) as an English speaker might expect from 'jealous of him'.
Sample Sentences:
ईर्ष्या मनुष्य का सबसे बड़ा शत्रु है। Jealousy is man's greatest enemy.
(iirshyaa manushy kaa sabse badaa shatru hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
गुरुजी ने कहा कि ईर्ष्या से मन अशांत हो जाता है। The teacher said that the mind becomes restless because of jealousy.
(gurujii ne kahaa ki iirshyaa se man ashaant ho jaataa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
उसके मन में अपने भाई की सफलता देखकर ईर्ष्या उत्पन्न हुई। Jealousy arose in his heart upon seeing his brother's success.
(uske man men apne bhaaii kii saphaltaa dekhkar iirshyaa utpann huii।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
यदि हम ईर्ष्या का त्याग कर दें, तो जीवन कहीं अधिक सुखी हो सकता है। If we were to give up jealousy, life could be far happier.
(yadi ham iirshyaa kaa tyaag kar den, to jiivan kahiin adhik sukhii ho saktaa hai।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Subjunctive -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अगर उसमें ईर्ष्या न होती, तो वह अपने मित्र की उपलब्धियों पर खुलकर खुश होता। If he did not have jealousy in him, he would be openly happy about his friend's achievements.
(agar usmen iirshyaa n hotii, to vah apne mitr kii uplabdhiyon par khulkar khush hotaa।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Counterfactual -- Aspect: Habitual -- Voice: Active
प्राचीन कथाओं में ईर्ष्या को अनेक विनाशों का कारण बताया गया है। In ancient tales, jealousy has been described as the cause of many ruins.
(praachiin kathaaon men iirshyaa ko anek vinaashon kaa kaaran bataayaa gayaa hai।)
Register: Literary -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Perfective -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Passive
स्वामी जी ने प्रवचन में समझाया कि ईर्ष्या आत्मा को धीरे-धीरे नष्ट करती है। The swami explained in his discourse that jealousy slowly destroys the soul.
(svaamii jii ne pravchan men samjhaayaa ki iirshyaa aatmaa ko dhiire-dhiire nasht kartii hai।)
Register: Devotional -- Mood: Indicative -- Aspect: Habitual -- Tense: Present -- Voice: Active
अपने मन से ईर्ष्या को दूर करो, तभी तुम्हें शांति मिलेगी। Remove jealousy from your heart -- only then will you find peace.
(apne man se iirshyaa ko door karo, tabhii tumhen shaanti milegii।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Imperative -- Voice: Active
निबंध में छात्रों को ईर्ष्या और स्पर्धा के बीच के अंतर पर लिखना था। In the essay, students had to write about the difference between jealousy and competition.
(nibandh men chhaatron ko iirshyaa aur spardhaa ke biich ke antar par likhnaa thaa।)
Register: Formal -- Mood: Indicative -- Tense: Past -- Voice: Active
Morphology
Noun
(sg.f.direct): ईर्ष्या (iirshyaa)
(sg.f.oblique): ईर्ष्या (iirshyaa)
(pl.f.direct): ईर्ष्याएँ (iirshyaaen)
(pl.f.oblique): ईर्ष्याओं (iirshyaaon)