Real Wealth
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
The general masses who are driven by the dictates of the mind for material enjoyment, desire to accumulate more and more wealth, which is the medium for obtaining their sense gratification. However, by pure transcendental intellect, one can objectively assess the value of material wealth and see that there is no wealth that can be compared with the value of love for Radha and Krsna. Here are some quotations in support of the above conception from the sastra:
- kim alabhyam bhagavati
- prasanne sri-niketane
- tathapi tat-para rajan
- na hi vanchanti kincana
"Although everything is available for devotees of the Personality of Godhead, they do not desire anything for their own sense enjoyment." (Bhag. 10.39.2)
- mam anaradhya duhkhartah
- kutumbasakta-manasah
- sat-sanga-rahito martyo
- vrddha-seva-paricyutah
"Conditioned souls are always unhappy in their attachment for relatives as they do not worship Me and are thus bereft of the association of pure devotees and service unto Me."
- sva-jivanadhikam prarthyam
- sri-visnu-jana-sangatah
- vicchedena ksanam catra
- na sukhamsam labhamahe
"The association of the devotees of Visnu is worth more than my life, because being detached from such association for a moment, I do not feel even the slightest trace of happiness." (Brhad-bhagavatamrta 1.5.44)
- muktanam api siddhanam
- narayana-parayanah
- sudurlabhah prasantatma
- kotisv api mahamune
"Out of millions of great sages who are liberated souls, it is very difficult to find a sober devotee of Lord Narayana." (Bhag. 6.14.5)
- anugrahaya bhutanam
- manusam deham asthitah
- bhajate tadrsih krida
- yah srutva tat-paro bhavet
"The Personality of Godhead, in order to bestow mercy upon His devotees, appears on this earth and manifests His pastimes so that the devotees may be attracted to Him and His pastimes." (Bhag. 10.33.36)
- ata atyantikam ksemam
- prcchamo bhavato 'naghah
- samsare 'smin ksanardho 'pi
- sat-sangah sevadhir nrnam
"O most auspicious one, I am asking You for the highest benediction. I wish to have the association of Your pure devotees because the association of Your devotees for even a moment is the most valuable gain in this world." (Bhag. 11.2.28)
- tasmat sarvatmana rajan
- harih sarvatra sarvada
- srotavyah kirtitavyas ca
- smartavyo bhagavan nrnam
"O King, the Personality of Godhead Hari is to be heard, glorified, and remembered by all human beings at all times, in all places, and in all circumstances." (Bhag. 2.2.36)
- tasmad ekena manasa
- bhagavan satvatam patih
- srotavyah kirtitavyas ca
- dhyeyah pujyas ca nityada
"The Personality of Godhead, who is the sustainer of the pure devotees, is to be heard and glorified, worshiped and meditated upon with rapt attention at all times." (Bhag. 1.2.14)
- asam aho carana-renu-jusam aham syam
- vrndavane kim api gulma-latausadhinam
- ya dustyajam svajanam arya-patham ca hitva
- bhejur mukunda-padavim srutibhir vimrgyam
"My desire is to become a blade of grass or a creeper that grows in the forest of Vraja. In that way, it will be possible for me to receive the dust of the feet of those great personalities who have worshiped the lotus feet of the great liberator, Mukunda. The dust of the feet of these great personalities is sought after even by the srutis. Leaving aside the affection of their own kith and kin, which is ordinarily impossible to give up, the gopis of Vraja have sacrificed everything for the satisfaction of Sri Krsna." (Bhag. 10.47.61)
- vikriditam vraja-vadhubhir idam ca visnoh
- sraddanvito 'nusrnuyad atha varnayed yah
- bhaktim param bhagavati pratilabhya kamam
- hrd-rogam asv apahinoty acirena dhirah
"A person who with a reverential attitude hears the transcendental pastimes of Sri Krsna with the damsels of Vraja from the mouth of a pure devotee and then describes those pastimes accordingly, achieves the supramundane loving service of Godhead within no time and thereby drives away mundane lusty desires for sense gratification from his heart." (Bhag. 10.33.39)
- etavan eva loke 'smin
- pumsam dharmah parah smrtah
- bhakti-yogo bhagavati
- tan-nama-grahanadibhih
"The highest duty of every human being in this world is to be engaged in the loving service of the Personality of Godhead and to chant His Holy Name." (Bhag. 6.3.22)
Dry, speculative knowledge is compared to the bitter fruits of the Nim tree. This fruit is unworthy of human consumption but is quite suitable for those persons who, like the crows, are situated in a rough, argumentative way of life. Their dry philosophical speculations sound like the crowing of crows.
On the other hand, the newly-bloomed buds of the mango fruit, which are sweet to taste and completely palatable, are compared to the transcendental loving service of Godhead. As such, this fruit is tasted by the pure devotees of Sri Krsna, who are compared to the parrots who are always delivering sweet sounds. Dry philosophical speculation is the only gain of the unfortunate jnani empiric philosopher, and the juicy nectarean taste of the loving service of Godhead is the drink of the fortunate devotees.
Thus Lord Caitanya and Ramananda Raya again passed the whole night in the transcendental joy of talking about Sri Krsna and His pastimes. Sometimes they wept and sometimes they danced while absorbed in ecstatic trance, and in this way the night came to an end. In the morning, both Ramananda and Lord Caitanya parted to attend to their respective duties, and in the evening they again met together as on the previous night.