# Money and Wealth *On material possessions, true ownership, and spiritual economics* --- ### Everything Belongs to Kṛṣṇa > Nothing belongs to me; everything Kṛṣṇa's. Even my body, that is also Kṛṣṇa's. My mind, that is also Kṛṣṇa's. My thoughts, my speech, whatever I create, everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. This is Kṛṣṇa philosophy, actually, that is the fact. — [[spoken/1970/700704le.sf|Ratha-yātrā Lecture, San Francisco, 1970]] --- ### The Land Was There > Actually it is not your land; it is God's land. The land was there before you came here, and still there. And maybe after some hundred years or so you may vacate, and somebody may come. This is going on. Actually the land is there. It belongs to God, and we are claiming, "This is my land," "This is my land," and therefore there is struggle, there is war, there are animosity and so on. — [[spoken/1972/720510le.hon|Lecture, Honolulu, 1972]] --- ### Grace of Kṛṣṇa > If a rich man takes care that "I have got this money by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. I must use it for Kṛṣṇa," then he will never be unhappy. Because after all, whatever we get, it is by the grace of Kṛṣṇa. Everything belongs to Kṛṣṇa. So by His favor we get opulence, riches, but when we are opulent we forget Kṛṣṇa. — [[spoken/1971/711116sb.del|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.14.3, Delhi, 1971]] --- ### Luxury Leads to Poverty > Because *māyā* is very strong. *Māyā* will detect, "Oh, you have got so much money, why don't you enjoy wine and woman?" as it is going on in European and American countries, anyone who gets money, he utilizes it for wine and woman; he has no other engagement. He does not know how to utilize money. Therefore, now the British Empire, we have seen it practically how opulent British Empire was, and now how they are coming down. Luxury leads to poverty. — [[spoken/1971/711116sb.del|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.14.3, Delhi, 1971]] --- ### What Are You Renouncing? > The *jñānīs,* so-called *jñānīs,* out of ignorance trying to renounce Kṛṣṇa's property. The *jñānīs,* they are very much proud that they are advanced in knowledge and renouncing, but if somebody asks, "Sir, what you are renouncing?" "This world." "All right. When this world became your property that you are renouncing? You came here empty-handed, you live here for some times and go away. So in the beginning you are not proprietor, and when you go away you are not proprietor. Then what is the meaning of your renouncement?" — [[spoken/1970/700704le.sf|Ratha-yātrā Lecture, San Francisco, 1970]] --- ### No Material Motive > Actually our ministers and others go there, "Give me rice," "Give me wheat," "Give me money," "Give me weapon." So this "give me, give me" propaganda is going on. This is the first time, this International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness, instead of begging from them, we are giving something. And they are very much obliged to us. — [[spoken/1971/710201l3.all|Lecture, Allahabad, 1971]] --- ### No Stocking for Tomorrow > You will find in the animal kingdom, they are actually following. If you throw a bag of rice or wheat on the street, so many birds will come, and they will eat. But as soon as their belly is fulfilled, two grains or five grains, they go away. They won't take the grains for stocking for tomorrow or speculating for business. They will never do. But we human being, because we are civilized, as soon as we see there is enough grain, "Oh, let us take home, stock it. Tomorrow we shall sell and speculate, make some profit." This is going on. — [[spoken/1972/720510le.hon|Lecture, Honolulu, 1972]] --- ### Vedic Communism > According to Vedic communism, in your house if there is a lizard, if there is an insect, if there is a rat, if there is snake, you have to see that everyone has got his food. That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Everything belongs to God, and everyone is God's children. Why one should suffer? — [[spoken/1972/720510le.hon|Lecture, Honolulu, 1972]] --- ### Without Material Check > It is said that that is first-class religious principle which teaches devotion to the Supreme Lord without any motive and without being hampered by any material condition. God consciousness is not such a thing that if a man is materially poor he cannot advance. Everyone can advance. Nothing material can check God consciousness. — [[spoken/1971/710626pc.par|Press Conference, Paris, 1971]] --- ### Even the Poorest > "My devotees..." Now, this *patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyam* has been specifically mentioned by the Lord because it is universal. If a man says that "All right, Lord wants to eat from me. But I am poor man. What I can give Lord for eating?" No, no, no. Even if you are a poor man, the poorest man, oh, these four things you can collect: one leaf, little water, one fruit and one flower. — [[spoken/1966/660408bg.ny|Bhagavad-gītā 9.26, New York, 1966]] --- *10 quotes from Śrīla Prabhupāda on money and wealth* [[wiki/quotes|Back to Quotes]]