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Where there is richness there is no more spirituality

A spiritual discourse on the paradox of suffering and devotion, framed by a story from the Mahābhārata.

"I throw the big rock on that happiness which keeps me away, or lets the name of God disappear from the heart."

"And I adore, I surrender to those problems which remind me every second of Thy name, my Lord."

The speaker narrates a dialogue between Kṛṣṇa and Kuntī after the Mahābhārata war. When Kṛṣṇa offers to fulfill a wish, Kuntī requests that devotees be given troubles and non-believers a comfortable life. She explains that prosperity often leads to forgetting God, while suffering constantly reminds the heart to call upon the Divine name, making it the true blessing.

Recording location: Croatia, Umag, Weekend seminar

Because, you know, where there is richness, there is no more spirituality. The richer you are, the less spirituality you have. Once, after the Mahābhārata, Śrī Kṛṣṇa decided to go to Dvārakā. Kṛṣṇa said that in this part of the world, He had fulfilled His duty, and now He was going to Dvārakā—where the palace arose from the ocean. Before departing, Kṛṣṇa said to Kuntī, the mother of Arjuna, "Kuntī, I am going to Dvārakā. If you have any wish before I go, I would like to bless you so that your wish comes true." Kuntī was sitting in her room, her mālā in hand, chanting the mantra given by Vedavyāsa. She said, "Kṛṣṇa, my Lord, though we have a relation of nephew and some distant family ties, if you wish to give me something to fulfill my desire, then give troubles to your devotees. Those who are your bhakta, your devotees—devotees of God, it does not matter which God—all who believe in God should have troubles. And those who do not believe should have a good life." Kṛṣṇa said, "Kuntī, why? I think you are a little nervous. You have changed your words; you do not know what to say first and second." She replied, "No, Kṛṣṇa, I know very well what I am saying: troubles for the devotees, and a good life, money, and comfort for the non-bhaktas." Though Kṛṣṇa knows everything and why she was saying this, He stood there and said, "No, sorry, Kuntī, can you explain it to me?" She said, "Yes. Why do I ask this?" She expressed it in a verse: "Sukhaparāśīla pade namahiradeye se visara." "Kṛṣṇa, I throw the big rock on that comfortable life which lets Your name disappear from the heart. When you are very happy—with a good boyfriend, a rich boyfriend—many times, girls do not marry the man; the men marry the money. 'Oh, that man has a Porsche.' So, did you marry the Porsche or the purse? You have money, a house, a good husband or wife. You forget God. You are religious only occasionally and socially. You go to church because of social life, because someone died, was born, or was married. I throw the big rock on that happiness which keeps me away, or lets the name of God disappear from the heart. And I adore, I surrender to those problems which remind me every second of Thy name, my Lord. When you have problems: 'Kṛṣṇa, my Kṛṣṇa, my Prabhujī, my God, my Prabhujī, my God, my Prabhujī, my Prabhujī ... ' That is the trouble. And when you have money and all this, then Mahāprabhujī is somewhere holding the altar. That's it. So, happiness is where there is God's name, but when money comes, spirituality disappears." --- Recording location: Croatia, Umag, Weekend seminar

This text is transcribed and grammar corrected by AI. If in doubt, what was actually said in the recording, use the transcript to double click the desired cue. This will position the recording in most cases just before the sentence is uttered.

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