Prabhupada, Los Angeles, April 19, 1973: […] So Krishna says that: “Anyone who is trying to approach Me, to become Krishna conscious, at the same time, he wants to become materially happy, he’s not very intelligent.”
That means he’s wasting his time. Our main business is how to become Krishna conscious. This is the main business of human life. But if we waste our time for material improvement, and forget chanting, then that is loss, great loss. So such mentality, Krishna says: ami vijna ei murkhe visaya kene diba. “So this rascal is asking some material prosperity from Me by discharging devotional service.
Why shall I give him material prosperity? Rather, whatever he has got, I shall take it away.” Yes. (laughter) It is not laughing. When it is taken away, we become very morose. But that is the test. That is stated by Krishna Himself to Yudhisthira Maharaja: yasyaham anugrhnami harisye tad dhanam sanaih.
Yudhisthira Maharaja indirectly inquired from Krishna that: “We are completely dependent on you, and still we are suffering materially so much, that our kingdom is taken away, our wife is insulted, we were attempted to be burned in a house.” So Krishna said: “Yes that is My first business.”
Yasyaham anugrhnami harisye tad dhanam sanaih. “If I specially favor anybody, then I take away all his sources of income.” Very dangerous. Yes. I have got my practical experience in this connection. Yes. That is Krishna’s special favor.
I do not wish to narrate, but it is a fact. It is a fact. My Guru Maharaja ordered me when I was twenty-five years old that: “You go and preach.” But I thought: “First of all, I shall become a rich man, and I shall use that money for preaching work.”
So that’s a long history. I got good opportunity for becoming very rich man in business. And some astrologer told me that: “You should have become like Birla.” So there was some chances, very good chances. I was manager in a big chemical factory. I started my own factory, the business was very successful.
But everything was dismantled. I was forced to come to this position to carry out my order of my Guru Maharaja. Akincana-vittaya. When everything was finished, then I took Krishna, that: “You are the only…” Therefore Krishna is akincana-vitta. When one becomes finished of all his material opulences
And now I am realizing that I have not lost. I’ve gained. I’ve gained. That’s a fact. So to lose material opulences for Krishna’s sake is not loss. It is the greatest gain.
Therefore it is said: akincana-vitta. When one becomes akincana, nothing to possess, everything finished, then Krishna becomes the only riches for such person. Because he’s devotee. Just like Narottama dasa Thakura says:
ha ha prabhu nanda-suta, vrsabhanu-suta-juta karuna karaha ei-bara
narottama-dasa koy, na theliha ranga pay toma bine ke ache amara
This position, that: “Krishna, except Yourself, I have nothing to claim. I have nothing, no possession. So don’t neglect me because You are my only possession.” This position is very nice. When we do not depend on anything material, simply depend on Krishna.
That is first-class position of Krishna consciousness. Therefore Krishna is addressed: akincana-vittaya. “When one becomes impoverished materially, You are the only wealth.” Akincana-vittaya. Namah akincana-vitta…. nivrtta-guna-vrttaye. “The result is that when one takes You as the only possession, immediately he becomes free from the activities of this material nature.”
That means immediately he’s posted on the transcendental position of the Absolute. Akincana-vittaya nivrtta-guna-vrttaye, atmaramaya. “At that time, he becomes happy with You, as You are Krishna, You are happy with Yourself..”
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