Our Real Wealth

31 March 2016

Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur explains the nature of spiritual wealth and worldly debt.

The following is a translation from Śrīla Saraswatī Ṭhākur’s commentary on Śrī Chaitanya-charitāmṛta, Ādi-līlā, 13.124:

pāiyā mānuṣa janma ye nā śune gaura-guṇa
hena janma tāra vyartha haila
pāiyā amṛtadhunī piye viṣa‑garta-pāni
janmiyā se kene nāhi maila |123|

[“The birth of those who received a human birth but did not listen to Gaura’s glories was worthless. Why did those who reached a river of nectar but drank water from a poisoned well instead take birth at all and not simply die?”]

śrī-chaitanya-nityānanda āchārya advaitachandra
svarūpa-rūpa-raghunātha-dāsa
i̐hā-sabāra śrī-charaṇa śire vandi nija-dhana
janma-līlā gāila kṛṣṇadāsa |124|

[“Having bowed his head to his wealth, the holy feet of Śrī Chaitanya, Nityānanda, Advaita Āchārya, Svarūp Dāmodar, Śrī Rūpa, and Raghunāth Dās, Kṛṣṇa Dās has thus sung the Pastime of the Lord’s birth.”]

The lotus feet of Śrīman Mahāprabhu, Nityananda, Advaita, Svarūp Dāmodar, Śrī Rūpa, and Raghunāth Dās are the wealth of Śrīla Kṛṣṇadās Kavirāj Goswāmī and the pure devotees who follow him, that is, the Lord’s intimate devotees. The wealth of materialists has only illusory value. In reality, it should be referred to as debt. Souls who are averse to Kṛṣṇa do not understand spiritual wealth and consider material desire in the form of debts produced by enjoyment of matter to be wealth. The Lord’s devotees consider to be debts all the things materialistic persons consider wealth and remain busy trying to obtain; the devotees do not consider such things wealth. On the contrary, the Lord takes away the material wealth of those whom He makes wealthy by giving the wealth of His grace.

yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.88.8)

[Kṛṣṇa says: “I gradually take away the wealth of those whom I favour.”]

Ṭhākur Narottam says:

dhana mora nityānanda

[“Nityānanda is my wealth.”]

rādhā-kṛṣṇa-śrī-charaṇa sei mora prāṇa-dhana

[“The holy feet of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are my life and wealth.”]

jaya patita-pāvana deha more ei dhana
tuyā vinā anya nāhi bhāya

[“Glory to the saviour of the fallen! Please give me this wealth: that I have no fortune other than You.”]

śrī-rūpa-mañjarī-pada sei mora sampada
sei mora bhajana-pūjana

[“The feet of Śrī Rūpa Mañjarī are my wealth, my service, and my worship.”]

prema-ratana-dhana helāya hārāinu
adhane yatana kari dhana teyāginu

[“Out of negligence, I lost the wealth of the jewel of divine love. I endeavoured for false wealth and rejected real wealth.”]

Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Srila Saraswati Thakur

Navigation