Hare Krishna!
Please accept my humble obeisance. All glories to Srila Prabhupada,
I am unable to understand the meaning of this verse Srimad Bhagavatam10.88.08 which states,
"The Personality of Godhead said: If I especially favor someone, I gradually deprive him of his wealth. Then the relatives and friends of such a poverty-stricken man abandon him. In this way he suffers one distress after another."
Is that whoever becomes a Lord's devotee, will lose money that he earned by so much efforts till date in his life?
Please Prabhuji/ Mataji, someone highlight on this.. I read the purport of Srila Prabhupada, but still unable to get the actual meaning.
I am eagerly waiting, and please forgive me if I am offensive with the way I ask it.
Just Servant
Replies
It means we are not yet so pure to attain personal favor of Krishna,
And, what there is need of anything else if we have favor of Krishna?
Below is a collection of very same verse quoted at different places ....
śrī-bhagavān uvāca
yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi
hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ
tato ‘dhanaṁ tyajanty asya
svajanā duḥkha-duḥkhitam
śrī-bhagavān uvāca—the Personality of Godhead said; yasya—whom; aham—I; anugṛhṇāmi—favor; hariṣye—I will take away; tat—his; dhanam—wealth; śanaiḥ—gradually; tataḥ—then; adhanam—poor; tyajanti—abandon; asya—his; sva-janāḥ—relatives and friends; duḥkha-duḥkhitam—who suffers one distress after another.
The Personality of Godhead said: If I especially favor someone, I gradually deprive him of his wealth. Then the relatives and friends of such a poverty-stricken man abandon him. In this way he suffers one distress after another.
So in this way, gradually, I became attached to these Gauḍīya Matha activities, and by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, my business also was not going very well. (laughter) (laughs) Yes. Kṛṣṇa says yasyāham anughṛṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ. If somebody wants to be actually devotee of Kṛṣṇa, at the same time, keeps his material attachment, then Kṛṣṇa’s business is He takes away everything material, so that cent percent he becomes, I mean to say, dependent on Kṛṣṇa. So that actually happened to my life.
All the references to this verse are listed (referenced) as follows:
• 1 Srimad-Bhagavatam
○ 1.1 SB Canto 4
○ 1.2 SB Canto 5
○ 1.3 SB Canto 7
○ 1.4 SB Canto 8
○ 1.5 SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)
• 2 Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
○ 2.1 CC Adi-lila
• 3 Lectures
○ 3.1 Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
○ 3.2 Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
○ 3.3 Festival Lectures
○ 3.4 General Lectures
• 4 Conversations and Morning Walks
○ 4.1 1973 Conversations and Morning Walks
○ 4.2 1974 Conversations and Morning Walks
○ 4.3 1975 Conversations and Morning Walks
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 4
SB 4.22.36, Purport:
It is said by the Lord: yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ. The Lord told Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja that His special favor is shown to His devotee when He takes away all the devotee’s material opulences. Generally, therefore, it is experienced that Vaiṣṇavas are not very opulent in the material sense. When a Vaiṣṇava, pure devotee, tries to be materially opulent and at the same time desires to serve the Supreme Lord, his devotional service is checked. The Lord, in order to show him a special favor, destroys his so-called economic development and material opulences. Thus the devotee, being frustrated in his repeated attempts at economic development, ultimately takes solid shelter under the lotus feet of the Lord. This kind of action may also be accepted as īśa-vidhvaṁ-sitāśiṣām, whereby the Lord destroys one’s material opulences but enriches one in spiritual understanding. In the course of our preaching work, we sometimes see that materialistic persons come to us and offer their obeisances to take blessings, which means they want more and more material opulences. If such material opulences are checked, such persons are no longer interested in offering obeisances to the devotees. Such materialistic persons are always concerned about their economic development. They offer obeisances to saintly persons or the Supreme Lord and give something in charity for preaching work with a view that they will be rewarded with further economic development.
SB 4.30.19, Purport:
All of these were great kings and were especially favored by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. If a devotee is not mature, the Supreme Lord will take away all his opulence. This principle is stated by the Supreme Personality of Godhead-yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ: “My first mercy shown to My devotee is to take away all his material opulence.” Material opulence detrimental to devotional service is taken away by the Supreme Lord, whereas a person who is mature in devotional service is given all material facilities.
SB Canto 5
SB 5.14.10, Purport:
Under these circumstances, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is situated in everyone’s heart, compassionately takes away all the material possessions of such a devotee. As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.88.8): yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ. Lord Kṛṣṇa says that He takes everything away from the devotee whom He especially favors when that devotee is overly attached to material possessions.
SB Canto 7
SB 7.10.5, Purport:
If one worships the Supreme Personality of Godhead, however, the Lord will never offer him such condemned benedictions. On the contrary, it is said in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.88.8), yasyāham anugṛhnāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ. If one is too materialistic but at the same time wants to be a servant of the Supreme Lord, the Lord, because of His supreme compassion for the devotee, takes away all his material opulences and obliges him to be a pure devotee of the Lord.
SB Canto 8
SB 8.19.32, Purport:
As stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.88.8), yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ. The Lord said to Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, “The first installment of My mercy toward a devotee is that I take away all his possessions, especially his material opulence, his money.” This is the special favor of the Lord toward a sincere devotee.
SB 8.21.28, Purport:
This is the special mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead toward His devotees. The Lord says, yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ(SB 10.88.8). As the first installment of His special favor, the Lord takes away all the possessions of His devotee. A devotee, however, is never disturbed by such a loss. He continues his service, and the Lord amply rewards him, beyond the expectations of any common man.
SB 8.22.11, Purport:
As described by Bali Mahārāja, Lord Viṣṇu was actually not the enemy of the family but the best friend of the family. The principle of this friendship has already been stated. Yasyāham anugṛhnāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ: (SB 10.88.8) the Lord bestows special favor upon His devotee by taking away all his material opulences. Bali Mahārāja appreciated this behavior by the Lord.
SB 8.22.16, Purport:
As it is said, yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ (SB 10.88.8). It is by the mercy of the Lord that one gets all material opulence, but if such material opulence causes one to become puffed up and forget the process of self-realization, the Lord certainly takes all the opulence away.
SB 8.22.16, Purport:
But material opulence is sometimes dangerous because it diverts one’s attention to false prestige by giving one the impression that he is the owner and master of everything he surveys, although actually this is not the fact. To protect the devotee from such a misunderstanding, the Lord, showing special mercy, sometimes takes away his material possessions. Yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ.
SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)
SB 10.88.8, Translation:
The Personality of Godhead said: If I especially favor someone, I gradually deprive him of his wealth. Then the relatives and friends of such a poverty-stricken man abandon him. In this way he suffers one distress after another.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Adi-lila
CC Adi 13.124, Purport:
If Lord Kṛṣṇa is very pleased with a devotee, He takes away his material property, as He states in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.88.8): yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ. “To show special favor to a devotee, I take away all his material property.” Similarly, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says:
dhana mora nityānanda, rādhā-kṛṣṇa-śrīcaraṇa sei mora prāṇadhana
Lectures
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
Lecture on SB 1.2.6 — Calcutta, February 26, 1974:
So sometimes Kṛṣṇa shows the mercy to turn His devotee into poverty-stricken position. Yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ (SB 10.88.8). That… Therefore somebody is afraid of coming to Kṛṣṇa. But Kṛṣṇa is also very kind. When you become actually a devotee, yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham (BG 9.22), there will be no scarcity. Whatever you want, it will come. It will come. So this is the position.
Lecture on SB 1.8.26 — Mayapura, October 6, 1974:
Our wife is insulted. Why?” So the reply was that yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ (SB 10.88.8). Means… Kṛṣṇa said that “When I make one especially favored, then I take away all his riches to make him niṣkiñcana.” Niṣkiñcana means one becomes almost poverty-stricken. Nobody cares for him.
Lecture on SB 1.8.27 — Los Angeles, April 19, 1973:
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).
Lecture on SB 1.8.27 — Los Angeles, April 19, 1973:
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.
Lecture on SB 1.13.11 — Geneva, June 2, 1974:
So there is a version by Kṛṣṇa that one who is anxious to take Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but he is entrapped by this binding-nice wife, nice children, nice home, nice bank balance—so Kṛṣṇa, in order to give them, give such devotee, facility, He takes away. Hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ. Yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ (SB 10.88.8). Just like he did with the Pāṇḍavas. The Pāṇḍavas were devotees, but at the same time, they were king. There was attachment. So therefore Kṛṣṇa took away their everything—their kingdom, their wife, their position, their honor—test him, and still, they did not give up Kṛṣṇa. Therefore they came out victorious. So Kṛṣṇa sometimes tests His…, that how much one devotee is. He forcibly makes him renounced in order. That is Kṛṣṇa’s special favor.
Lecture on SB 1.16.23 — Hawaii, January 19, 1974:
Incarnation means avatāra who comes down from higher position. Therefore, here it is said, kṛtāvatārasya hareḥ. Hareḥ, “of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” Hari, hari means “who takes away all your miserable conditions.” Hari, haran, harati. Harati means take away. He comes here just to give you benediction, to save you from all kinds of miseries. Therefore His name is Hari.Yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi, er, yasya aham anugṛhṇāmi, anugṛhṇāmi… I forget now. Kṛṣṇa says that “When I shows to somebody special favor, I take away all his possessions.” That is special favor.
Lecture on SB 1.16.23 — Hawaii, January 19, 1974:
This question was asked by Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja, no, Parīkṣit Mahārāja to Śukadeva Gosvāmī. Yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi, hariṣye dhanam. Because here in this material world, the more we possess material wealth, it is our bondage. Ahaṁ mameti (SB 5.5.8).
Lecture on SB 1.16.23 — Hawaii, January 19, 1974:
That is Kṛṣṇa’s grace, that you have no anything to do. You have to do it. (Laughter) That’s a grace of Kṛṣṇa. Yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ (SB 10.88.8). Kṛṣṇa has taken away everything. You have no other alternative than to remain here. (laughter) That is Kṛṣṇa’s special grace. And those who are thinking that “We can do something else besides Kṛṣṇa,” they are foolish. They are lost. Yes. But Kṛṣṇa is so kind upon you that He has placed in a certain circumstances that you cannot go out. That is very good fortune. Yes.
Lecture on SB 5.5.2 — Hyderabad, April 13, 1975:
By worshiping the beggar one becomes rich, and by worshiping the rich one becomes beggar. What is this contradiction? So this is answered by Kṛṣṇa,yasyāham anugrhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ (SB 10.88.8), “My first benediction to my devotee is that I take away all his riches. That’s all. Then when he becomes helpless, he becomes firmly convinced and he has no other shelter.” Then automatically he takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa, what Kṛṣṇa demands, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām (BG 18.66).
Lecture on SB 7.5.30 — London, September 9, 1971:
There is a verse in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: yasyāham anughṛnāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ. Sometimes Kṛṣṇa, to show some special favor to His devotee, He takes away his all material opulences. Dhanaṁ śanaiḥ. Just like the Pāṇḍavas. The Pāṇḍavas, they were bereft of their kingdom, although Kṛṣṇa was present there, Kṛṣṇa as their friend was present there.
Lecture on SB 7.6.1 — San Francisco, March 6, 1967:
Kṛṣṇa answered that yasyāham anugṛhnāmi hariṣye tad-dhanam śanaiḥ: (SB 10.88.8) “My dear brother, Yudhiṣṭhira, My first evidence of mercy to My devotee is to plunder all his wealth, whatever he has got. You see? Whatever he has got, I take it away. Then he tries again to accumulate some money. Again I take it away. In this way, he tries; I take away.
Lecture on SB 7.9.10-11 — Montreal, July 14, 1968:
So the question may be that “Because everything has to be offered to Kṛṣṇa, so does it mean that Kṛṣṇa is hankering after my riches? Because I have amassed so much money by hard labor, and Kṛṣṇa is very clever that He’s trying to take it away?” Yes. (laughs) Yes, that is the fact. Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhāgavata thatyasyāham anugṛhnāmi hariṣye tad dhanaṁ śanaiḥ (SB 10.88.8). The Pāṇḍavas, they were friends of Kṛṣṇa, and they were put into so many difficulties. Their kingdom was stolen, their wife was insulted, they were forced to live in the forest, giving up the kingdom—so many difficulties. Their house was set in fire, the other party, his cousin brothers.
Lecture on SB 7.9.10-11 — Montreal, July 14, 1968:
This question was asked not for their personal benefit, just to teach us that sometimes in Kṛṣṇa consciousness you may be put in difficulty, but don’t, I mean to say, be hesitated. Fixed up. You should know Kṛṣṇa’s mercy. Why? Kṛṣṇa says,yasyāham anugṛhnāmi hariṣye tad dhanaṁ śanaiḥ (SB 10.88.8). He answered to Yudhiṣṭhira, “My dear Yudhiṣṭhira, the first test of a devotee is that I, if I show him special favor, then I take away all his wealth.” Why? Why this sort of special favor? Because this material attachment is so great that one cannot go to Kṛṣṇa.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 20.118-119 — New York, November 23, 1966:
So the answer was given by Śukadeva Gosvāmī that “This very question was also put to Kṛṣṇa by your grandfather. So instead of answering myself, I’ll put that very question and answer between your grandfather and Kṛṣṇa.” So what is that? “Now, a similar question was put by your grandfather Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira to Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa answered like this.” What is that? Yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ: (SB 10.88.8) “If I do somebody some special favor, then My first duty is I become him crushed in all material possessions.” You see? Why? “Because to make him more surrendered to Me.” When he becomes helpless, he has no other way. “Kṛṣṇa, please take me.” When he has something, he thinks, “Oh, these things will protect me, my material possessions.” Therefore he does not surrender.
Festival Lectures
Lecture-Day after Sri Gaura-Purnima — Hawaii, March 5, 1969:
Then he will have no other alternative than to surrender unto Me.” That is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, er, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Yasyāham anughṛnāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ sanaiḥ. Kṛṣṇa says that “If I do somebody special favor, then I make him poverty-stricken. I take away all his means of sense enjoyment.” You see? That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Because here in this material world everyone is trying to be happy by earning more money, by business, by service, by this way or that way.
His Divine Grace Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami Prabhupada’s Disappearance Day, Lecture — Los Angeles, December 13, 1973:
So in this way, gradually, I became attached to these Gauḍīya Matha activities, and by the grace of Kṛṣṇa, my business also was not going very well. (laughter) (laughs) Yes. Kṛṣṇa says yasyāham anughṛṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ. If somebody wants to be actually devotee of Kṛṣṇa, at the same time, keeps his material attachment, then Kṛṣṇa’s business is He takes away everything material, so that cent percent he becomes, I mean to say, dependent on Kṛṣṇa. So that actually happened to my life.
General Lectures
Lecture — New York, April 17, 1969:
Hara means taking away. Harate. So just like thief also takes away, but he takes away the valuable things, material consideration, sometimes Kṛṣṇa also takes away your material valuables just to show you special favor. Yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ (SB 10.88.8). Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja inquired from Kṛṣṇa that “We are supposed to be very pious. My brothers are great warriors, my wife is exactly the goddess of fortune, and above all, You are our personal friend.
Lecture — New York, April 17, 1969:
So how is this that we have lost everything? (chuckling) We have lost our kingdom, we have lost our wife, we have lost our honor—everything.” So in reply to this, Kṛṣṇa said, yasyāham anugṛhṇāmi hariṣye tad-dhanaṁ śanaiḥ: “My first favor is that I take away all riches of My devotee.” Therefore people are not very much enthusiastic to come to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But He does it.
Most of the Text pasted from: vanisource
Ha ! Ha ! Prabhuji, I can well understand your situation !!! : )
This has been said only for favorite devotee of Lord Krishna. If Lord Krishna develops liking upon some Vaishnava, He would soon make him a 'than-than gopal' : ) Due to this reason, all his relatives would soon leave him, thus leaving him only Krishna's refuge. In this way, he would develop more love towards Krishna.
This explains the difference between Krishna and other demigods like Lord Shiva.
When some demigods give their devotee some boon, they don't think twice about his Moksha but Krishna certainly thinks twice... : )