First of all gṛhastha is advised not to bother himself to earn more than he requires. That is Vedic civilization. Just like the brāhmaṇa—brāhmaṇa means he collects money so much as he requires. That's all. Yavad artha, not more than that. brāhmaṇa . . . it is prohibited for a brāhmaṇa to make any bank balance. It is prohibited. He should daily collect some money, because if he makes bank balance it will be attraction.
So bank balance is not meant for the . . . of course, some deposit for gṛhastha is required. That is instructed by Rūpa Goswāmī. He was very rich man; he was minister. When he retired, fifty percent of his money he spent for Kṛṣṇa, and twenty-five percent he kept reserved for personal emergency, and twenty-five percent he gave to his relatives, because relatives require some money—they also expect from father some money, "All right you take also some money." But not that whole thing goes to the relatives and nothing to Kṛṣṇa. No. Tyāgena.
- dātavyam iti yad dānaṁ
- tad dānaṁ sāttvikaṁ ucyate
- (BG 17.20)
There are three kinds of charity. One charity is where money should . . . must be given: dātavyam. Here must be given. So that is sattvic. Just like to push on this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement money should be given, and that is first-class expenditure. And to get some return, that is rajasic. I give some money and I get some return—their business—that is rajasic.
And tamasic means, "I'm giving money. I do not know what will be the effect, what will be the result. I do not know." Just like a man comes to me—I have seen in America, Bowery Street, as soon as your car stops some this bums, they come, (laughter) and they wash your motorcar with a towel, and the man gives him one dollar, "All right." But he does not know that this man, as soon as he gets this one dollar, he will purchase one bottle and drink and lie down on the street. I have seen it. That is called tamasic dān. You do not . . . because you are helping him to become more drunkard. This is tamasic.