Is it wrong for the devotees trying to earn more for a better life?
A male devotee who requested anonymity asked like this:
“Hare Krishna Prabhuji. First of all I would like to appreciate the service you are doing for the general people who cannot even give a penny in return to your selfless sacrifice.
I truly believe that Krishna consciousness is the greatest jewel one could have but unfortunately after believing also I am not able to adopt it completely . May be its because I am still into bodily consciousness. I will jump to my material problem for which I seek your advice. I have a humble request of keeping my name secret.
My main problem :
My father has a bad habit of putting money into Stock market. Without the consent of me, my mother and my younger brother, he sold our home and made us live on rented flat.
He continued to make loses and property rates got shot up since 2010.
I was earning good working in an IT company. Went abroad many times and earned good money but till today I have not saved lot of money as my father pressurized me to pay home rent, car EMI. Apart from this I have been bearing lots of other expenses.
Today I don’t have much savings, we are living on rent, My father is left with very less amount of money and this is not sufficient to give us home at the place we had been living.
I am trying to look for a Girl for marriage but people don’t take things forward. The only drawback is that we don’t have any property. If I would have been father of a girl , I also would have taken this decision.
I am simple in my living, still working in same company from past 4.5 years. I am satisfied with my salary but I see my future very bleak. I don’t know what my father will be able to give me. But I know god will make good arrangement for me.
Today in my current job I can practice Krishna Consciousness. But I am not able to stabilize my mind and want to change job for better money. This will impact my spiritual practice.
Either I can focus my mind on earning money or serving lord. I have tried doing both in parallel , sorry I get pressurized In my attempt.
I believe what all I have is becoz of Krishna, I would like to serve him , do something for him but currently i am not able to forget that I need a house for myself. I know he will give me everything but I am sorry I am not strong enough to sit at one place and wait things to happen on their own.
Please advise what should I do? Is it wrong if I chase money? Is it wrong for the devotees trying to earn more for better living?
Roti , Kapda , Makaan were considered the most basic things man needs. I have seen a very good past, It will be depressing to lower my current standard of living and also I wont be able to digest the fact that my own Father acted as an agent for all this.
Thanks for your time and energy. Please don’t put up my name. Thanks. Hare Krishna”
REPLY:
I appreciate your realizations and the right evaluation of life. The devotees trying to earn more is not offensive, because you should regulate your spending only for essential needs and for the benefit of others.
Unless you do not correct your way of spending, you can not even protect yourself. Earning will come as per your karma. But, you can control your spending.
First, I like to tell that BORROWING FROM OTHERS AND INVESTING IN SHARES IS A FOOLISH THING. No investment advisor would advise others to borrow and invest in Shares. First of all, stop this nonsense.
(PROHIBITED INVESTMENTS FOR DEVOTEES & THE REASONS! READ HERE!)
Your father is on the wrong track. So, it is your responsibility to correct him. If your father has his own money, he can invest in anything. It is his liberty. But, draining out all the earning of his son is a foolish thing.
Though you go to a new job and earn more, he will get more money from you and lose it. This is the time to take strong decision for your and family’s safe future.
So, declare GENTLY but STRONGLY to your father that YOU WILL NOT GIVE MONEY FOR SHARE INVESTMENT. If he is unable to continue his share trading, let him wind it up and do some other traditional business.
Stop giving money to father for investment. Let his mistakes be with himself. Do not allow it to affect your life. Share trading activities also cost his health as he has to be vigilant always in front of computer and his heart beat will fluctuate that affects his health. So, let him do conventional business.
(How to serve Krishna through our job or business of earning money? READ HERE!)
The house has been sold out. So, no use in talking about it. If possible, you can cancel the documents of the house by claiming in the court that it has been sold without your signature. Explore the possibilities. If not possible, leave it.
But, living in a rented house is not inferior. For the house owners, they have only one house. But, the tenants can get as many houses as possible whenever they want to change their living place.
After stopping giving money for your father’s share trading, purchase a new house with EMI through bank loan. Start paying for house. You may get tax deduction also for that house EMI. So, it is good to divert your earning to house EMI. And, go for a medium sized middle class house, not for bungalow.
Now, your father can not ask you for money as you will be paying for house. You can spend money for helping brothers, sisters, mother, etc., for their marriage, treatment, etc., but, not for share trading.
Actually, you should save atleast 25% of your earning every month. Because, any time recession may come, or job losses may occur in IT or any industry. So, you should be prepared to face any difficult situation in life.
(Are our earnings decided by the karma network of God? READ HERE!)
As far as following Krishna Consciousness is concerned, it does not require planning of any project. Just practice it while working. If your present company is comfortable for practicing Krishna Consciousness, do not change it.
But, reduce the expenses and save. Some companies pays very well but they suck all our energy and send us out exhausted every day. What will u do with that big money with the deteriorated health?
So, do not change a company that gives you some leisure. Only if that company is facing closure threats or having sacking policies frequently, you should change it.
The devotees trying to earn more is not bad as it is the blessing by the Lord as per past karma. Without the consent of Krishna, you can not earn more. If you earn more, that means, Krishna is giving you. So, earn whatever is allowed by your karma network and Krishna.
The devotees trying to earn more is not wrong, but earning at the cost of health and with the attachment to the results is not advisable. And, if you do not spend a part of your earning for the Lord’s service and for the suffering people, that money itself may add to karma. So, Earn more if Krishna gives you and spend a part of it back to the service of Krishna and for suffering people.
(Is it possible to please Krishna while doing our job of earning money? READ HERE!)
Wake up early, take bath, chant as many rounds as possible, follow four regulative principles of No meat eating, No intoxication, No gambling and No illicit sex. Read the bonafide scriptures whenever you have break. Have devotee association on week ends or even more.
That’s all. What is the problem in following these activities? Do this need any project to make? It can be followed naturally in your daily life. In due course of time, your devotion will intensify and you will feel Krishna in all your surroundings.
So, It is not wrong for the devotees trying to earn more, but, he should not get disturbed with what they get. Though they get less earnings for more efforts, you should take it as the wish of Krishna. Though you earn more, your money will be purified if you help the people and for service to the Lord using your earnings.
Finally, marry a girl immediately after discussing all your expectations with her frankly even before marriage. If you do that properly, She will take care of your father.
Girls will be wise in dealing with money. She will not give even a penny for your father’s loss making trade business. That is why, elders advise to entrust money planning to the wife as she will think of the future of your family. This is also a good idea.
Hope you are clear now about the devotees trying to earn more.
(Is working and earning more to spend for serving Krishna a fruitive activity? READ HERE!)