(Vrindavan Chandra—the Moon of Vrindavan)
"So Kṛṣṇa says that 'Anyone who is trying to approach Me to become Kṛṣṇa conscious, at the same time he wants to become materially happy, he's not very intelligent.' That means he's wasting his time. Our main business is how to become Kṛṣṇa conscious. This is the main business of human life. But if we waste our time for material improvement and forget chanting, then that is loss, great loss. So such mentality, Kṛṣṇa says, āmi vijña tare kene viṣaya diba (CC Madhya 22.39). '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). 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. Yes. I have got my practical experience in this connection. Yes. That is Kṛṣṇa's special favor. I do not wish to narrate, but it is a fact. (laughs) It is a fact.
My Guru Mahārāja ordered me when I was twenty-five years old that 'You go and preach.' But I thought, 'First of all, I shall become a rich man, and I shall use that money for preaching work.' So that's a long history. I got good opportunity for becoming very rich man in business. And some astrologer told me that 'You should have become like Birla.' So there was some chances, very good chances. I was manager in a big chemical factory. I started my own factory, the business was very successful. But everything was dismantled. I was forced to come to this position to carry out my order of my Guru Mahārāja.
Devotees: Jaya. Haribol.
Prabhupāda: Akiñcana-vittāya. When everything was finished, then I took Kṛṣṇa, that 'You are the only...' Therefore Kṛṣṇa is akiñcana-vitta. When one becomes finished of all his material opulences... And now I am realizing that I have not lost; I've gained. I've gained. That's a fact. So to lose material opulences for Kṛṣṇa's sake is not loss. It is the greatest gain. Therefore it is said, akiñcana-vitta. When one becomes akiñcana, nothing to possess, everything finished, then Kṛṣṇa becomes the only riches for such person. Because he's devotee. Just like Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says,
hā hā prabhu nanda-suta, vṛṣabhānu-sutā-juta
karuṇā karaha ei-bāra
narottama-dāsa koy, nā ṭheliha rāṅgā pāy
tomā bine ke āche āmāra
(Hari Hari Biphale 4)
(My dear Lord Kṛṣṇa, O son of Nanda Mahārāja, You are now standing before me with Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, the daughter of King Vṛṣabhānu. I am now surrendering unto You. Please accept me. Please do not kick me away. I have no shelter other than You.)
This position, that 'Kṛṣṇa, except Yourself, I have nothing to claim. I have nothing, no possession. So don't neglect me, because You are my only possession.' This position is very nice. When we do not depend on anything material, simply depend on Kṛṣṇa, that is first-class position of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Therefore Kṛṣṇa is addressed: akiñcana-vittāya. 'When one becomes impoverished materially, You are the only wealth.'
Akiñcana-vittāya. Namaḥ akiñcana-vitta..., nivṛtta-guṇa-vṛttaye. 'The result is that when one takes You as the only possession, immediately he becomes free from the activities of this material nature.' That means immediately he's posted on the transcendental position of the Absolute. Akiñcana-vittāya nivṛtta-guṇa-vṛttaye, ātmārāmāya (SB 1.8.27). 'At that time, he becomes happy with You, as You are, Kṛṣṇa, You are happy with Yourself.'"
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Los Angeles, April 19, 1973)
.
