Śrīla Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj discusses the proper utilisation of wealth.
I heard from Śrīla Swāmī Mahārāj, Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedānta Swāmī Mahārāj Prabhupād, that when devotees joined his Mission he gave four rules and regulations to them: no intoxication, no illicit sex, no gambling, and no meat-eating. In Śrīmad Bhāgavatam there are five restrictions given, but Swāmī Mahārāj gave only these four. He did not give restriction for the fifth one, which is money. He kept that for himself. It is very nice thing; he took charge for that himself. He told the devotees, “You collect money, give that to me, and I shall use it for Mahāprabhu. Then no harm will come to you.”
Once a great devotee of Śrīla Guru Mahārāj, Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣak Śrīdhar Dev-Goswāmī Mahārāj, gave a donation to Śrīla Guru Mahārāj. Śrīla Guru Mahārāj was happy and that devotee was also very happy. Śrīla Guru Mahārāj took his donation and asked him many things about the news of other devotees. Then that devotee asked Guru Mahārāj, “Mahārāj, what will you do with this donation? What sevā will you do with this?” Guru Mahārāj immediately changed his mood; he took his position and said, “That is not your business.” Guru Mahārāj had been very happy talking with that devotee and searching, “What is that devotee doing, and what is that devotee doing?” They were talking in this very happy mood. That devotee was very enthusiastic and had done so much for Guru Mahārāj. He happily asked Guru Mahārāj, “Mahārāj, what sevā will you do with this money?”, and Guru Mahārāj immediately changed and said, “That is not your duty. That is my duty. Your duty is finished.”
It is necessary to know what Kṛṣṇa consciousness is. The disciple must fully surrender to the Guru, and through the Guru he will get everything. What conception the Guru gives will be enough for him. Kṛṣṇa may sometimes be angry with the devotee, but the devotees are not afraid of that, because in the middle point is Guru, and Guru can manage everything. Kṛṣṇa may be unhappy with him, but if he is favoured by his Guru, then there will be no problem for him. He will manage. But if Guru is angry, then Kṛṣṇa cannot give shelter. In Bengal there is a very nice phrase,
kṛṣṇa ruṣṭa hale guru rākhibāre pāre
guru ruṣṭa hale kṛṣṇa rākhibāre nāre
When Kṛṣṇa is angry then Guru can give shelter and can modify that. But when Guru is angry, then Kṛṣṇa will not give shelter and will not modify anything. This is a Bengali phrase.
Where is all my auspiciousness coming from? That is the position of Guru. All my auspiciousness is coming through Guru.
Reference
Spoken on 10 October 1989.