“ Money has never made man happy, nor will it, there is nothing in its nature to produce happiness. The more of it one has the more one wants” says Benjamin Franklin. In other words it is a desire and desires can never be satiated! The fulfilment of one desire leads to another insatiable desire or want! Srikama is the person who loves and wants money! The Sri Sukta extols Goddess Lakshmi as the giver of all prosperity “ aswadayacha go dayi dhanadayi Maha dhane…. Putra pautra dhanamdhanyam..prajanam bhavasi mata ayushmantam karoti mam" He wants horses, cows, wealth of exceptional nature, fulfilment of all his wants, sons, grandchildren, money, all agricultural produce and finally full longevity! These are the desires of man from time Immemorial! But still man is to get the fulfilment of all his desires! Barack Obama says that money is not the only answer but it makes the difference.
Sympathizing with man lost in in the maze of this illusory world and materialism, Sankara speaks of the seductive and dangerous nature of money! “artha manartham bhavaya nityam” declares the renowned philosopher! Consider Money as capable of creating critical situations. Artha means money or wealth. Anartha means critical situations from which you cannot come out unscathed! Love and obsession for money makes one a miser who worships money without enjoying it! He becomes a ‘dog in the manger’ neither enjoying it nor allowing others to enjoy! Money is not the most important thing in the world. Love is, says a writer. Money is after all the legal tender to satisfy your little wants or desires. It has no other use.“
Lakshmis thoya taranga bhanga chapala” says another poet! Wealth or riches is as unstable as the bubble on the water of the wave! She is a female deity and accordingly her mind is as vacillating as that of a woman! She moves from one hand to the other in circulation and has great value! Blood and money have no value if not in circulation! “Nasthi sukhah tatha lesas satyam" asserts Sankara! Where is happiness with such unstable and problematic money? It makes neither the owner nor the receiver happy! It creates envy, hatred, and enmity between the kith and kin and friends.“Neither a borrower nor a lender be for loan oft loses both itself and friend” says Shakespeare the the bard of Stratford upon!
Money can buy something to create happiness. But it can never buy happiness! The happiness created by money is not real happiness! It is a sense of pleasure which is ephemeral and momentary! Man mistakes it for Real Happiness which is spiritual and the Realization of the Self! “ Putradapi Dhana bhajambhitihi”- comments Sankara! Money is so bad that it creates a rift between the owner and his wife and children! There are instances when the son demands his share of father’s property. When that wish is not accommodated or rejected, that leads to severe clash of egos! It may even end in the murder of the father! Even the wife, if she is mad after money will not hesitate to employ devious ways and means of getting the money! There is thus danger lurking wherever a lot of money is involved! Men and women are robbed and even banks are looted as it happened in Kashmir recently! During demonetization many ATMs were attacked and money stolen! People had to suffer for long for want sufficient legal tender!
What is the way to gain control over money? One must have a tight grip over his money lest its lack will forever control him! It is not the money that matters. It is how you use it that determines its true value! Money used for righteous causes gains in its value.Dharma is the immediate heir to money! If misused it can be taken away by the king (Income Tax) or it may be destroyed in fire or stolen by thieves! Money can feed the body but not the Soul! “ He who loses money loses much! He who loses a friend loses more! He who loses Faith loses all” It is not easy to earn money. Physical and mental strain is terrible for earning money. It is a problem to safeguard the money that you have accumulated! When you spend it away you are unhappy! When you lose money you are broken and cannot be consoled! Despite these drawbacks and other difficulties Man loves money and is prepared to do anything to earn and accumulate it! Strange is the way of the world! Sankara advises humanity to understand the intricacies and dangers of earning money and be cautious!
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