So Kṛṣṇa is so kind that if anyone wants material prosperity, and, at the same time, wants to become a devotee... That is stated in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta that: "Somebody wants Me. At the same time, he wants material prosperity. He's a fool. He's a fool." Therefore people are very much afraid, coming to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. "Oh, my material prosperity will be finished." Because they want, don't, do not want that. They want to stick to... Generally, they go to church, go to temple for material prosperity. "God give us our daily bread." This is material prosperity. Or "Give me this, give me that." But they're also considered as pious because they have approached God.
The atheist class, they do not approach. They say: "Why shall I approach God? I shall create my wealth, by advancement of science, I shall be happy." They are duṣkṛtinaḥ, most sinful, one who says like that, that: "For my prosperity, I shall depend on my own strength, my own knowledge." They are duṣkṛtinaḥ. But one who thinks that "My prosperity depends on the mercy of God," they're pious. They're pious. Because, after all, without sanction of God, nothing can be achieved. That's a fact. Tāvad tanur idaṁ tanūpekṣitānām(?). That is also statement of That we have discovered so many counter-acting methods for diminishing our distressed condition, but if it is not sanctioned by God, these counteracting proposition will fail.
The example is... Just like you have discovered nice medicine, very qualified physician. That's all right. But when a man is sick, ask the physician: "Can you guarantee the life of this patient?" He'll never say: "No, I can do so. I cannot do that. I try my best. That's all." That means the sanction is in the hand of God. "I am simply instrument. If God does not like that you should live, then all my medicines, all my scientific knowledge, medical knowledge, will fail." The ultimate sanction is Kṛṣṇa's. They, the foolish persons, they do not know. They are, they are, therefore they are called mūḍha, rascals. That whatever you are doing, that is very good, but, ultimately, if it is not sanctioned by God, by Kṛṣṇa, this will be all failure. They do not know that. Therefore they are mūḍhas. And a devotee knows that: "Whatever intelligence, I have got, I may try to become happy, if Kṛṣṇa does not sanction, I'll never be happy." This is the distinction between devotee and nondevotee.
So Kṛṣṇa says that: "Anyone who is trying to approach Me, to become Kṛṣṇa 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 Kṛṣṇa 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, Kṛṣṇa says: āmi vijña ei mūrkhe viṣaya 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 Kṛṣṇa Himself to Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja: yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad dhanaṁ śanaiḥ (SB 10.88.8).
Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja indirectly inquired from Kṛṣṇa 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 Kṛṣṇa said: "Yes that is My first business." Yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad dhanaṁ śanaiḥ. "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 Kṛṣṇa's special favor. I do not wish to narrate, but it is a fact. It is a fact. My Guru Mahārāja 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 Mahārāja. Akiñcana-vittāya. When everything was finished, then I took Kṛṣṇa, that: "You are the only..." Therefore Kṛṣṇa is akiñcana-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 Kṛṣṇa's sake is not loss. It is the greatest gain. Therefore it is said: akiñcana-vitta. When one becomes akiñcana, nothing to possess, everything finished, then Kṛṣṇa becomes the only riches for such person. Because he's devotee. Just like Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says:
- hā hā prabhu nanda-suta, vṛṣabhānu-sutā-juta
- karuṇā karaha ei-bāra
- narottama-dāsa koy, nā ṭheliha rāṅgā pāy
- tomā bine ke āche āmāra
Because Kṛṣṇa has no difference between body and self. He's simply self, spirit soul. So we have got now this body and self. I am self, but I possess this body. Then when actually we become dependent on Kṛṣṇa, as Kṛṣṇa is self-satisfied, similarly we can be also self-satisfied with Kṛṣṇa. Kaivalya, kaivalya-pataye namaḥ. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they, monists, they want to become one with the Supreme. As Supreme is self-satisfied, they also want to be self-satisfied by becoming one with the Supreme. Our philosophy is also the same, kaivalya. But we depend on Kṛṣṇa. We do not become one with, one with Kṛṣṇa. That is oneness. If we simply agree to abide by the order of Kṛṣṇa, there is no disagreement, that is oneness.