Money, Krishna and us

How we value, acquire, use and relate to money reflects our inner state of being.

Srila Prabhupada writes, “Money does not stay in one place. It passes from one hand to another. Ultimately no one can enjoy money, and it remains the property of the Supreme Personality of Godhead” (Srimad-Bhgavatam 5.14.24, Purport). Money is God’s energy. He created it, He owns it, and He controls it. Krishna determines how much money each of us receives. It may appear accidental that one person is born into wealth and another into poverty, or that one person goes from rags to riches and another doesn’t, but Krishna’s law of karma destines these things.

Srila Prabhupada writes, “It is not possible that simply by endeavours to accumulate more money a person will be able to do so, otherwise almost everyone would be on the same level of wealth. In reality, everyone is earning and acquiring according to his predestined karma” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.27.8, Purport).

Modern civilisation runs on the mistaken concept that if we work harder we will get more money, and since money enables us to buy things that please us, with more money, we will be happier. Happiness, however, is different from the sensual pleasures money buys. That is why almost all of us are restless and dissatisfied, despite earning and spending vast amounts of money and despite using and owning any number of things. Money does not necessarily produce happiness. Failing to notice this stark truth, many of us pursue happiness by pursuing money.

Most people are not satisfied with just enough money to maintain their families, but want more and more of it. Srimad-Bhagavatam (4.22.33) tells us: “For human society, constantly thinking of how to earn money and apply it for sense gratification brings about the destruction of everyone’s interests.” In our mixed-up age, wealth alone is the sign of success and the harbinger of prestige and influence, regardless of one’s behaviour and qualities.

Money and our dark side

when we think that happiness would come if we could just afford to make certain material arrangements and adjustments, greed overtakes us. Krishna says that greed is one of the three gates to hell; the other two being lust and anger. We think, “So much wealth do I have today, and I will gain more according to my schemes. So much is mine now, and it will increase in the future, more and more” (Bhagavad-gita 16.13). The lure of money even induces us to forsake our friends and relatives. Srila Prabhupada writes, “If one person cheats another by a farthing or less, they become enemies” (Srimad-Bhägavatam 5.14.26). Slaves of the pushes of our senses and the quest for money, we burn in an unquenchable fire of our own desires; thus the quality of our life diminishes, and we suffer. Srila Prabhupada writes: Unlawfully accumulated money is now being snatched from miserly citizens by various methods of state taxation for the future civil and international war fund, which is spending money in a wasteful and destructive manner. The citizens are no longer satisfied with just enough money to maintain a family nicely and cultivate spiritual knowledge, both of which are essential in human life; now everyone wants money unlimitedly to satisfy insatiable desires.

In proportion to the people’s unlawful desires, their accumulated money is taken away by the agents of illusory energy in the shape of medical practitioners, lawyers, tax collectors, societies, constitutions, so-called holy men, famines, earthquakes, and many similar calamities… Indeed, that is the law of nature; if money is not devoted to the service of the Lord, it must be spent as spoiled energy in the form of legal problems or diseases. Foolish people do not have the eyes to see such facts; therefore the laws of the Supreme Lord befool them (Elevation to Krishna Consciousness, Chapter 2). But mundane greed is not intrinsic to us, nor do we naturally exist for the sake of our business and bank balance or to identify with our material accomplishments.
Our obsession with money and acquisition is a misplaced religious quest, religious energy used perversely.

The bright side
Deep inside, we want to complete our term in this world of birth and death, of society and responsibility, of making and doing. We also want to fulfil the incalculably higher and greater possibility offered us as human beings. Each of us senses that we are meant to receive an invaluable gift and to respond with full commitment and service. Lives centred on getting money miss this opportunity and are therefore miserable. But we can use money properly, for the service of its creator, making it a true asset rather than a disguised deficit.

Srila Prabhupada writes, “Everything created by the material energy can be dove-tailed with the Absolute by an attitude of service, which is the essential part of living energy. The pure devotee of the Lord knows the art of converting everything into its spiritual existence by this service attitude…” (Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.1.20, Purport). The crux of the matter is this: Will I serve the Lord with whatever money He has allotted to me, or will I use it to try to please myself? My consciousness, and not on the amount of money I have, determines my decision.

Money and our work
Vedic society classifies people into four broad groups: Brahmanas (teachers), ksatriyas (rulers), Vaishyas (farmers and merchants) and shudras (labourers and artisans). Each group relates to money differently. In traditional society, the Brahmanas accept contributions from their students, but since their material desires are minimal, they keep only as much as they need and give the rest in charity. Brahmanas never hoard money for a luxurious life, as ksatriyas or Vaishyas might, but always live austerely, knowing that money easily diverts the mind to materialism. Since ksatriyas rule, they need prestige and money. But their duty—and that of all possessors of wealth—is to give liberally in charity. Vaishyas earn money through agriculture, cow protection, and some trade. By growing food grains and other necessities, Vaishyas support themselves and their families without depending on others. Traditionally, shudras are not paid but receive food, shelter and clothing from the other three classes in exchange for their services. They are well provided for and happy. The term shudra also refers to anyone without spiritual training and knowledge. By that definition, almost everyone today is a shudra, and we see what happens when such people get money: they spend lavishly on sinful activities or accumulate it for no purpose. And they will do almost anything to get more.