How to handle material wealth?

Hare Krishna!Please accept my humble obeisances.I was wondering how we are supposed to manage material items and wealth if we are born into a wealthy family?I understand that these items are not a source of lasting happiness and they produce suffering, etc., but what if they were given to you? How are we supposed to deal with these?

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  • See when comes to wealth & material things , all are Krsna's property , not yours & mine . So the best way to use your wealth or money is give to krsna . He is God & husband of laxmi devi . One should do things like build temples for krsna , build home for his devotees , do cow seva , daily temple seva etc , i mean everything that relate to krsna . He is already full , donnt need anything from you . but it's depend on us what we manage or do our things that give us . Only running after our desire with money & material items it's totally useless , only create sadness & reactions , not real hapiness & love . Thnx , Hare Madhav.

  • What is real wealth?

    Modern wealth is estimated by how much money you have accumulated.

    It is exchanged by paper or some abstract figure in our bank balance.

    We use an accepted means which indicates a sign of determined value.

    This is a modern illusory agreement.

    Then what is real value?

    In Vedic times values were totally different...

    They had no such things as money.

    Sria Prabhupada says about wealth and material possesions---

    You can't eat nuts and bolts.

    Real value was in how many cows you have and the power of controlling a silo of grains and foodstuffs.

    If somehow had cows to give that was the real gift.

    One cow you take good care of her and she give smore than just dollars and cents.She gives milk

    and especially ghee which is the ingredient of sacrifices jugya-- homa.

    This is real value. So this was not exactly what you are asking but it is related.

    What do you do with money or as devotees call it laxshmi or fortune?

    You use it to establish self sufficiency... you buy land cows  and grains to start.

    Krishna     gives you back more than money can really buy.

    One seed of grain gives at least 50 in return.. now that is profit and value.

    With your wealth you create a self sustainable farm community where devotees can work and till the fields.

    This is a real investment of value.

    Help establish varnashram dharma community near some temple

    and provide for the devotees and serve the dieties.

    This is a way of actuallly extracting value out of having some money.

    Does that sound good?

    Here is a song about the New Vrindavan community

    Simple living high thinking.

  • E-Counselor

    Hare Krsna Prabhuji,

    PAMHO.

    You already realise that material wealth cannot give any happiness. As you rightly mentioned, what to do with the money that one gets without endeavour. We can accept that money and use it in Krsna's service. It could be helping to build a temple for Krsna, converting one's house into a temple for Krsna, utilising one's house to serve the devotees of Krsna, feeding the devotees ....whatever works for you. 

    Anything and everything can be used in the service of Krsna. We should not be attached to the item nor reject the item. The trick is to use our intelligence to utilise everything int he service of the lord.

    Haribol,

    Your servant,

    Radha Rasamayi DD

  • You can not buy the Lords attention  with the money, but if you succeed to satisfy pure brahmanas and pure vaishnavas with it, you may get the blessings which will bring you to Lord.

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