OUR REAL WEALTH

The nature of spiritual wealth and worldly debt.

By Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur

The following is a translation from Srila Saraswati Thakur’s commentary on Sri Chaitanya-charitamrta, Adi-lila, 13.124:

paiya manusa janma ye na sune gaura-guna
hena janma tara vyartha haila
paiya amrtadhuni piye visa-garta-pani
janmiya se kene nahi 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?”]

sri-chaitanya-nityananda acharya advaitachandra
svarupa-rupa-raghunatha-dasa
iha-sabara sri-charana sire vandi nija-dhana
janma-lila gaila krishnadasa |124|

[“Having bowed his head to his wealth, the holy feet of Sri Chaitanya, Nityananda, Advaita Acharya, Svarup Damodar, Sri Rupa, and Raghunath Das, Krishnadas has thus sung the Pastime of the Lord’s birth.”]

The lotus feet of Sriman Mahaprabhu, Nityananda, Advaita, Svarup Damodar, Sri Rupa, and Raghunath Das are the wealth of Srila Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami 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 Krishna 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.

yasyaham anugrhnami harisye tad-dhanam sanaih
(Srimad Bhagavatam: 10.88.8)

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

Thakur Narottam says:

dhana mora nityananda

[“Nityananda is my wealth.”]

radha-krsna-sri-charana sei mora prana-dhana

[“The holy feet of Radha and Krishna are my life and wealth.”]

jaya patita-pavana deha more ei dhana
tuya vina anya nahi bhaya

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

sri-rupa-manjari-pada sei mora sampada
sei mora bhajana-pujana

[“The feet of Sri Rupa Manjari are my wealth, my service, and my worship.”]

prema-ratana-dhana helaya harainu
adhane yatana kari dhana teyaginu