Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.6.15 Pradyumna: (leads chanting, etc.) “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 Yamaraja after death, he continues cheating others to acquire money.” Prabhupada: vittesu nityabhinivista-ceta vidvams ca dosam para-vitta-hartuh pretyeha vathapy ajitendriyas tad asanto-kamo harate kutumbi So, vittesu nityabhinivista-ceta, if we become too much attached for getting money, that is the material world. There is no satiation. Idam prapta, that Bhagavad-gita 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, yavad 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, bhagavata communism. That is stated there in the Seventh Canto by instruction by Narada Muni: grhastha, 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. Sancaya. 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 Krsna 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. Yavad artha-prayojanam. Especially for Krsna conscious persons. Everyone has got right to claim what is absolutely required. In the Bhagavata, it is stated if anyone takes more than that, then he’s a thief and he’s punishable. Isavasyam idam sarvam, everything is God’s property. Either on this land or in the sky or in the water, everything is God’s property. And Krsna claims also, bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram, suhrdam sarva-bhutanam [Bg. 5.29] In the Vedic version, you’ll find, isavasyam idam sarvam. This philosophy can solve all the problems of the world. Everything belongs to Krsna. Tena tyaktena bhunjitha. Whatever is given to you, you enjoy, what is allotted to you. Ma grdhah kasya svid dhanam. Do not touch other’s property. But we violate this law, therefore we suffer. So it is stated here, pretya iha, if we (indistinct) 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. Prahlada Maharaja said, “No it is not good.” Prahlada Maharaja… Everyone will say, those who are in knowledge. Yato atmano ayam, klesada. 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, adhyatmika, adhidaivika, and if we do not work properly, then we shall get another body, more troublesome. More troublesome. So asanta-kamo harate kutumbi. 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. Anyayenartha-sancayan. Anyayena, it is stated in the Bhagavad-gita that is demonic principle. So a grhastha, of course, required to accumulate some money because he’s living with family, but so far brahmacari, vanaprastha and sannyasi is concerned, they should not keep any money. Caitanya Mahaprabhu was so strict that his personal servant, one day he was taking after eating a little, what is called, myrobalum (indistinct), haritaki. So one day he was giving myrobalum (indistinct) and Caitanya Mahaprabhu inquired, “Where you got this myrobalum (indistinct)?” So he said, “I kept it from yesterday.” “Oh, you are stocking?” 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. Krsna has provided. But we should be depending on Krsna. 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 Sukadeva Gosvami has recommended that, that “Do not be anxious.” That verse, now I forget, it is in the Second Canto… I forget that verse, but Sukadeva Gosvami said that “Don’t stock, don’t beg. Krsna will provide everything, everyone.” So except grhastha, the brahmacari, vanaprastha and sannyasi, they should simply depend on Krsna. Prahlada Maharaja 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 Krsna consciousness. To advance in Krsna consciousness means to increase our love for Krsna. That is perfection of life. Thank you very much. (end)
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
New Vrindaban, June 29, 1976