THE REAL WEALTH
amandeep
HUMAN desires are unlimited. Human means are, however, limited.
Accordingly, man has to satisfy his unlimited desires with limited
means. He strives from birth to death to fulfil his ever cropping up
desires. He earns money for his livelihood. But his greedy nature
knows no pause, no end. His craving for more and more is never
satisfied. After meeting his basic necessities, he turns to comforts
and then to luxuries of life. The mania of possessing more, hoarding
more, never ceases. The rat-race of accumulation of wealth knows no
end. He plunges headlong in this vicious cycle. He may or may not have
time to make use of what he has already earned and accumlated, but his
greedy nature renders him helpless to go on for more and more.
Completely engrossed in amassing worldly wealth, he has little time to
heed to his soul's craving to realise God or spiritual wealth. Thus,
deprived of this real wealth, he loses here whatever he has earned
here. The worldly wealth does not 'accompany' him to the world beyond.
Excess of wealth is gained through foul means and by committing sins.
The prophets have cautioned man against the dual role of Maya
(material wealth), which devours its own offsprings. Saints have
highlighted the significance of the spiritual wealth in man's life:
without the spiritual wealth, man fails to achieve the prime purpose
of human life.
He who realises God and is ever God-conscious is not worried about his
material needs, because these are automatically met with, God-
realisation makes him contented and conscious of the higher values of
life. Devoid of the spiritual wealth, man is poor, nay destitute, even
amidst plenty. Noble deeds, upright conduct, unblemished character,
the richness of inner goodness, are our eternal possessions. Saintly
traits make our life joyful and prosperous here and hereafter. The
mania of hoarding worldly posssessions spoils the charm of life, nay
cripples it. The greed for acquiring more and more follows us like a
nightmare and makes our life miserable.
The one, who has imbibed higher values of life, gives little
importance to the material wealth and possessions. For him it is just
a means and not an end in itself. He is convinced that material wealth
beyond a certain limit becomes a hindrance rather than an aid, a curse
rather than a blessing. If one is well off, as a gratitude to God for
His blessings and bounties, let him donate as much as wealth as he can
afford to human welfare. Of course, God-knowledge is the prerequisite
for entering into the Kingdom of God. Inspite of the worldly
possessions, fear of death haunts us constantly. But those blessed
with the Wealth of God-knowledge are free from such fears and
anxieties. God-knowledge or God-realisation is the panacea for all
human ills. Those lucky souls, who are gifted with this wealth, live
in peace. Let us not forget that spiritual wealth is the real wealth
and we can depend on it here as well as hereafter.