760629 - Lecture SB 07.06.15 - New Vrindaban, USA

Lectures by Date, 1976

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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760629SB-NEW VRINDAVAN - June 29, 1976 - 12.40 Minutes

Pradyumna: Translation: "If a person too attached to the duties of family maintenance is unable to control his senses, the core of his heart is immersed in how to accumulate money. Although he knows that one who takes the wealth of others will be punished by the law of the government, and by the laws of Yamarāja after death, he continues cheating others to acquire money."

Prabhupāda:

vitteṣu nityābhiniviṣṭa-cetā

vidvāṁś ca doṣaṁ para-vitta-hartuḥ

pretyeha vāthāpy ajitendriyas tad

aśānto-kāmo harate kuṭumbī

(SB 7.6.15)

So, vitteṣu nityābhiniviṣṭa-cetā, if we become too much attached for getting money, that is the material world. There is no satiation. Idaṁ prāpta, that Bhagavad-gītā word: "I have got so much money. Now my bank balance is so much, and I shall get further money, and my bank balance will be like this." This is the demonic mentality. We shall require money, yāvad artha-prayojanam. Whatever is absolutely necessary, that much money I must get. That is order. That is an order. We cannot take more than what is necessary. This is actually spiritual communism. If everyone thinks that "Everything belongs to God, and I am son of God, so I have got right to enjoy the property of my Father, but as much as I require, not more than that," this is spiritual communism, bhāgavata communism.

That is stated there in the Seventh Canto by instruction by Nārada Muni: gṛhastha, householder, or anyone. By nature, you'll see, if you throw one bag of food grains anywhere, so many birds will come. But as soon as their belly is filled up they will go away. They will not take more than that for tomorrow. Sañcaya. That is nature. They know, "Tomorrow we shall get again somewhere grains. There is no need of stocking." This is nature, you'll find amongst animal kingdom. Similarly, we should also learn that Kṛṣṇa has given us this belly, so He has provided also the eatables. That is real philosophy. It is not recommended that you get more than what you require. No. Yāvad artha-prayojanam, especially for Kṛṣṇa conscious persons. Everyone has got right to claim what is absolutely required. In the Bhāgavata, it is stated if anyone takes more than that, then he's a thief and he's punishable. Īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam (ISO 1): everything is God's property. Either on this land or in the sky or in the water, everything is God's property. And Kṛṣṇa claims also, bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram, suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām (BG 5.29). In the Vedic version you'll find, īśāvāsyam idaṁ sarvam. This philosophy can solve all the problems of the world. Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. Tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā (ISO 1). Whatever is given to you, you enjoy what is allotted to you. Mā gṛdhaḥ kasya svid dhanam. Do not touch others' property. But we violate this law; therefore we suffer.

So it is stated here, pretya iha, if we violate this nature's law, then we shall suffer here and after death. Unfortunately, the modern civilization is keeping people in so darkness that they have no idea that there is a life after death. Just like animal, "Let us enjoy—beg, borrow, steal and enjoy." No. That is not good. Prahlāda Mahārāja said, "No, it is not good." Prahlāda Mahārāja . . . everyone will say, those who are in knowledge. Yato ātmano ayam, kleśada (SB 5.5.4). You can do whatever you like, but you'll get a body which may be more troublesome than the present body. In the present body we have got so many troubles—adhyātmika, adhidaivika—and if we do not work properly, then we shall get another body, more troublesome. More troublesome.

So aśānta-kāmo harate kuṭumbī. This family attachment is so strong that a person who is not satiated, he simply gathers money. On one side, they do not believe in the next life, and if you ask him that "Why you are gathering so much money?" he'll say that "My grandson will enjoy it." They say like that. But if you don't believe in the transmigration of the soul, then who is coming to be your grandson and son you are accumulating money? So there is no logic; there is no argument. But people do so. Anyāyenartha-sañcayan (BG 16.12). Anyāyena, it is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā: that is demonic principle. So a gṛhastha, of course, required to accumulate some money because he's living with family, but so far brahmacārī, vānaprastha and sannyāsī is concerned, they should not keep any money. Caitanya Mahāprabhu was so strict that His personal servant, one day he was taking after eating a little, what is called, myrobalan, harītakī. So one day he was giving myrobalan and Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired, "Where you got this myrobalan?" So he said, "I kept it from yesterday." "Oh, you are stocking?" (laughter) He immediately criticized him. "You are stocking? This is not good." So this principle . . . of course, even if we do not stock, don't think that we'll starve. Kṛṣṇa has provided. But we should be depending on Kṛṣṇa. There is no anxiety. Actually, there is no anxiety. We have experienced this. I was alone for many years, but not a single day I was starving. No. There was food.

So it is a fact, even for the animals, even for the beasts. So Śukadeva Gosvāmī has recommended that, that "Do not be anxious." That verse, now I forget, it is in the Second Canto . . . I forget that verse, but Śukadeva Gosvāmī said that "Don't stock. Don't beg. Kṛṣṇa will provide everything, everyone." So except gṛhastha, the brahmacārī, vānaprastha and sannyāsī, they should simply depend on Kṛṣṇa. Prahlāda Mahārāja has already explained it in many ways, that there is no need of endeavoring for so-called economic development. Our energy should be only utilized how to advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. To advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness means to increase our love for Kṛṣṇa. That is perfection of life.

Thank you very much.

Devotees: Jaya Prabhupāda. (end)