________________
Aptavani-2
It is fine as long as enough money comes to pay income tax. Questioner: What should 'we' do since it does not last?
107
Dadashri: That is the nature of money; it will not last. But you should change its direction of flow. Change its flow from all other directions to the path of religion. Whatever you spend towards a worthy cause is worthwhile. Once God (Narayan) comes into your home so will Lakshmiji, how can she otherwise? Where there is presence of God, there will be no quarrel, but there will be quarrels where Lakshmiji alone is present. People make a lot of money but they spend it on useless things. Money is only to be spent on a worthy cause at the hands of a person with merit karma. It requires merit karma to spend money towards a worthy cause.
After 1942, there is no worth left in the money. Today money is not being spent in the right places. It would be very good if it were. Here now, liberation is all that is left for us.
A vanik's intellect teaches him money tricks. Vaniks will donate one eighth of what they earn towards religion, because they think they will be rewarded for doing so. But even God has learnt about their tricks to make money and so He says, you can go on making money, but you will not attain liberation.
Nowadays people are throwing their money in the 'gutters! Money that binds merit karma is money spent helping spiritually elevated saints and sages.
When a Kshatriya goes to the temple to do darshan, he will put whatever money he has in his pocket in the donation box, but a vanik with his intellect (buddhi), will decide ahead of time how much he will donate! If he has a rupee note in his pocket, he will cash it and put ten paisas in the box!
The nature of money
Questioner: How much money should we make?
108
Aptavani-2
Dadashri: There is no hard and fast rule. When people take a bath in the morning, do they worry ahead of time, 'What will I do if I get only one pitcher of water today?' In the same token, you should not be worrying about money that way. The amount of water you are going to get for your bath has already been decided. If you were to get a bucket and half of water, no one can increase or decrease this amount. Therefore, make the effort through your mind, speech and body to earn money, but do not harbor a desire for it. Money is like a bank balance; you can draw money out of your account only if you have a balance, right? To the one who harbors a desire for money, Lakshmiji tells him, "You were meant to get some money in June, but now you will get it next July." It is also a grave mistake to say 'I don't want any money'. You should neither shun Lakshmiji nor harbor a desire for her. All you need to do is pay obeisance to her and maintain respect and humility towards her. That humility is necessary because she resides with the God.
Lakshmiji will come to you without fail when the time is right but your desire for it will create an obstruction. Lakshmiji says, "You should carry on with your worldly life, I will send you money from time to time. I will forward your every draft on time but at the same time do not harbor desire for me. Whatever you are destined to receive, I will send to you with interest. Those who harbor a desire, I will send them money late. Those who do not harbor a desire will get their money on time." Lakshmiji also says, "If you want liberation then take only the money that is rightfully yours. Do not take anyone else's money forcefully or through devious means." Nevertheless one cannot gain experience unless money comes and goes randomly and without this experience of profit and loss, one cannot go to moksha.
Outflow of money
Questioner: Why do we run short of money?
Dadashri Shortage of money occurs because of
