“At times, too much money and too many material possessions can wean you away from God and your ‘Guru’. Don’t let the glitz and glamour that comes along with excessive wealth distract you and entrap you.”

Swamiji says …

“Man, undoubtedly, is God’s most fascinating creation; creative, competitive and combative. The world has witnessed , time and time again , amazing rags-to-riches stories of how men with burning ambition, complemented by their intelligence, business acumen and innovative ideas, were successful in turning around their fate and destiny , and established huge business empires.
Every person wants to improve his financial condition, standard of living and seeks a better tomorrow; and in order to change his lifestyle, he pursues his dream with determination, focuses to swing the tide in his favor, by doing all that is needed to ensure that he achieves his goal. At times , he educates and empowers himself with knowledge pertaining to his field of interest, with the sole aim of becoming successful and wealthy. One can’t really blame him as ‘to be successful and wealthy’ is the new ‘mantra’ echoed by one and all these days.”

“A man of humble origins, endeavors to realize his goal of making it big in the world. He is often distressed by the manner in which life treats him and aspires to change his state of living – monetary, professional and personal. During these trying and tiring moments, he beseeches God, implores to his ‘Gurudev’ to pay heed to his appeal for compassion and consideration, and spends countless hours remembering God, chanting His name and worshipping Him devoutly, unfailingly, every day with the hope that his voice will be heard by Him. He crosses the threshold of His ‘Gurudev’s’ Darbar, regularly, in his times of despair and want; stands in a long queue to prostrate in front of his ‘guru’ and to seek His blessings. His devotion and love for both God and ‘Guru’ is unquestionable, during this difficult phase of his life, and he is more than willing to do anything to appease ‘them’, as he understands that they alone are his problem solvers.”

“But it is in the latter, successful phase of his life that he will have to withstand the test of time. He will have to see for himself whether, after attaining his dream of being a wealthy person, and having made a name for himself in industry and society, some distance and stiffness has developed in his proximity to God and Guru?
Has the fruition of his fanciful fantasies, the habit of living in the lap of luxury, around which his life has begun to revolve now, taken away from him the time to think of God and to thank him? Are his priorities misplaced now ? Do only swelling bank accounts, excessive wealth creation, and acquiring more assets only, interest him and give him happiness now? Have prayers been replaced by worrying thoughts of the never-ending payments that are to be made by him? Is the fruitful time that was spent in worshipping God and ‘Guru’ earlier, most probably, being spent now, in settling disputes between his warring family members. Has chanting of the ‘guru mantra’ been replaced by chaotic and confusing thoughts of brokering a deal with a rival company to buy mental peace? In many cases, when people live such a fast -paced, hectic life-style, it is but natural, that they find it difficult to take out time to think of God, everyday. Since time is money now, they procrastinate visiting their ‘Gurudev’…the same ‘guru’ who had meant the world to them earlier, and without whose advice they wouldn’t take any decision in the past, is now relegated to the background. Once they have benefited from the blessings that He had showered on them, they conveniently forget Him. Their indifferent attitude causes a major reduction in the quality time and number of hours, that had been genuinely devoted by them, earlier , in communicating with God and ‘Guru’.”

“Lord Krishna had been so greatly moved by Sudama’s plight and poverty, that without being asked for anything by him, the Lord had given him everything. All the comforts of life that one could have wished for, were given to Sudama by Lord Krishna. The lure of these materialistic gifts ensnared Sudama to such an extent, that he was completely blinded by their sparkle and shine. He forgot everyone. He forgot the Lord Himself, Lord Krishna…his best friend…that very person, that very spiritual power that had made him wealthy. When a person as worthy and humble as Sudama could not resist the vile, magnetic effect of excessive wealth, then can normal human beings like us stand up to, and thwart the temptation of acquiring wealth, without compromising on the most valuable asset that we have? ‘His Grace on us … His love for us’. Never let anything come in the way of your divine connection and sacred relationship with God and your ‘Guru’. Don’t make ‘money’ alone…bundles and bags of it, the single purpose of your life; but earn enough, so that you can provide your family with a dignified life, and meditate with a calm mind … a mind at peace.”