Laksmiji must always remain with Narayana

Posted on Feb 27, 2005 in More

As far as our Krsna consciousness movement is concerned, we are getting money naturally, by the grace of God, by selling our literature. This literature is not sold for our sense gratification; to spread the Krsna consciousness movement we need so many things, and Krsna is therefore supplying us the requisite money to advance this mission. The mission of Krsna is to spread Krsna consciousness all over the world, and for this purpose we naturally must have sufficient money. Therefore, according to the advice of Srila Rupa Gosvami Prabhupada, we should not give up attachment to money that can spread the Krsna consciousness movement. Srila Rupa Gosvami says in his Bhakti-rasamta-sindhu (1.2.256):

"When persons eager to achieve liberation renounce things which are related to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, though they are material, this is called incomplete renunciation." Money that can help in spreading the Krsna consciousness movement is not a part of the material world, and we should not give it up, thinking that it is material. Srila Rupa Gosvami advises:

"When one is not attached to anything, but at the same time accepts everything in relation to Krsna, one is rightly situated above possessiveness." (Bhakti-rasamta-sindhu 1.2.255)

Money is undoubtedly coming in great quantities, but we should not be attached to this money for sense gratification; every cent should be spent for spreading the Krsna consciousness movement, not for sense gratification. There is danger for a preacher when he receives great quantities of money, for as soon as he spends even a single cent of the collection for his personal sense gratification, he becomes a fallen victim. The preachers of the Krsna consciousness movement should be extremely careful not to misuse the immense quantities of money needed to spread this movement. Let us not make this money the cause of our distress; it should be used for Krsna, and that will cause our eternal happiness. Money is Lakmi, or the goddess of fortune, the companion of Narayana. Lakmiji must always remain with Narayana, and then there need be no fear of degradation.

SB 7.13.32