Srila Prabhupada explains that, according to our scriptures, brahmacaris (celibate students), varnaprasthas (retirees), and sannyasis (renounced men) “are allowed to collect alms and are considered as the children of the society, which is composed of householders. In other words, our Vedic civilisation is an effective community project. Only the Grhastha (householders) are supposed to earn money, especially the ksatriyas and the Vaishyas, and the money is distributed community-wide” (Letter, February 11, 1970).
In other words, by ruling the citizens or by their business or profession, householders are to earn money honestly and use it to maintain their family and to give in charity to spread Krishna consciousness. In a letter to several householders, Srila Prabhupada wrote, “Krishna will give you intelligence how to engage in honest, brilliant, glorious work on His behalf. There is no need to engage in anything dishonest. Krishna has given enough money, now earn by honest means” (Letter, January 24, 1977).
Grhastha should not slave to accumulate money and unnecessarily increase their material comforts. And if extra money comes, they should use it for Krishna consciousness. To this end, Grhastha may keep their money confidentially, so that in time they can spend it for good purposes. There is no fault in this, or in keeping a deposit in the bank for an emergency. Srila Prabhupada once explained how men in Indian villages would live in the city, earn money, and send it back to their family in the village. Their intelligent wives would save that money and eventually invest in land. When they had enough land, the husbands would return to the village and be self-sufficient by producing their necessities from the land. “That’s a good idea,” Srila Prabhupada said. “Remain in the village with family” (Conversation, January 4, 1977). And he also explained, “The principle is, the husband honestly tries to earn livelihood, and at home the wife should be so intelligent that whatever money the husband has earned, she’ll manage. She’ll not demand, ‘Bring money, bring money, bring money . . .’ Then the home will be happy” (Conversation, June 14, 1976). The main point is that everyone must learn to spend money only for good causes.
Money and Krishna’s service
Householder devotees are obliged to earn money because without money, it is not possible to exist in the material world. In Chaitanya caritamrta (Madhya-lil 16.238), Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu tells Raghunatha, “You should not make yourself a show bottle devotee and become a false renunciant. For the time being, enjoy the material world in a befitting way and do not become attached to it.” In other words, householders do not give up earning money, but while earning, they think of Krishna constantly and consider themselves humble servants of society.
Householders who know that the Lord owns and controls all money are not diverted by excessively thinking about how to accumulate it. And they use what they have for Him. Srila Prabhupada writes, “If one engages for the service of the Lord, whatever money one has honestly earned, that is spiritual service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the spiritual master, and the Vaishnavas” (Chaitanya caritamrta, (Antya-lil 6.275, Purport). Devotees live according to their means (Bhagavad-gita 1.32–35, Purport). Frugality is perfectly acceptable to devotees because they know that their spiritual advancement, and not a large income or showy opulence, pleases their spiritual master.
“Why should one be anxious about the necessities of life? The principle should be that one should not want more than what is absolutely necessary… The devotee should always be alert to consume only those things that he absolutely requires and not create unnecessary needs” (Chaitanya caritmrta, Madhya-lil 24.262, Purport). At the same time, devotees balance their obligations, so that they and their relatives are secure: “Srila Rupa Gosvami taught us by his own example by using 50 per cent of his accumulated wealth for Krishna, 25 per cent for his own self, and 25 per cent for the members of his family.” (Srimad ans: “Since a devotee wants to satisfy the desires of the Lord, he can, Lord willing, accept all kinds of opulence for the service of the Lord, and if the Lord is not willing, he should not accept a farthing.” Bhagavatam 8.19.37, Purport).
But whether one has – a lot of money or just a little, inevitably one will be separated from it, through spending or death. As Srila Prabhupada said: You have to change your body. So you have earned so much millions and billions of money. That’s all right. But you have to go empty-handed. The money will remain here. You cannot take that money within the tomb. That is not possible. Then it is zero. You are going empty-handed. You came empty-handed and going empty-handed. You came with zero and you are going with zero. So whatever you have earned, that is zero. But if you have attempted to serve Krishna with all these zeros, then you have taken some value (Conversation, July 31, 1975).
Money wasted
“Whatever money we are getting, it is from Krishna,” Srila Prabhupada wrote, “so nothing should be misspent” (Letter, October 24, 1974). Earning an income is not difficult because Krishna provides for His sincere devotees. But not misspending the money is difficult and takes intelligence. Krishna provides, and improper spending can be a problem even among exalted devotees. For example, once Chaitanya Mahaprabhu “respectfully told Shivananda Sena, ‘Take care of Vasudeva Datta very nicely. Vasudeva Datta is very liberal. Every day, whatever income he receives, he spends. He does not keep any balance. Being a householder, Vasudeva Datta needs to save some money. Because he is not doing so, it is very difficult for him to maintain his family. Please take care of Vasudeva Datta’s family affairs. Become his manager and make the proper adjustments’” (Chaitanya caritamrta, Madhya-lila 15.93-96). Like Vasudeva Datta, those who lack wisdom in spending should put themselves under the care of a wise, trustworthy devotee.
Favour of the goddess of fortune
“Everyone is seeking the favour of the goddess of fortune,” Srila Prabhupada writes, “but people do not know that Lord Sri Krishna is the beloved husband of all goddesses of fortune” (Srimad-Bhgavatam 2.4.20, Purport). When we try to engage the goddess of fortune in Krishna’s service, we gradually realise Him in every sphere of life. By this culture of Krishna consciousness, our happiness will no longer depend on how much money we have. We will be content, even without money. One who has culture has faith in Krishna, and therefore has everything. Srila Prabhupada writes, “A pure devotee who has firm faith in the words of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is to be considered a most learned scholar, the topmost aristocrat, and the richest man in the whole world” (Chaitanya caritamrta, Madhya-lila 2.5.76, Purport). Finally, in Srila Prabhupada’s words again: “Guru Maharaja said that ‘You do the right work, money will come. Money will fall down on your feet’.” Work sincerely. Everything will come, whatever you want.