Can The Wealthy Attain Salvation

By krishnasmercy on June 3, 2024 • ( 0 )

“Killing the strong Vali, who was supported in strength by an army, and making His friend the king of monkeys, Tulsi says that the merciful Shri Rama is the protector of the poor, taking away their sorrows.” (Dohavali, 158)

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बालि बली बलसालि दलि सखा कीन्ह कपिराज
तुलसी राम कृपालु को बिरद गरीब निवाज

bāli balī balasāli dali sakhā kīnha kapirāja
tulasī rāma kṛpālu ko birada garība nivāja

“You hear this issue debated from time to time. People have their specific verses they reference. These are from the revered works of choice. I am usually not swayed by single verse references. There is always context to consider. You have to think about what comes before and what comes after. The time, the circumstance, the characters, the juxtaposition, etc.

“The issue of which I speak is the fate of the wealthy. The ones who have it all. They should not have a care in the world, but we know how the reality manifests. The idea is that they are not lacking anything. The wealthy are those who can maintain themselves without issue. Some of their pressing problems are over which kind of marble to use in constructing their recreation room, in one estate out of the many that they own, and on which island to throw their next lavish party.

“Can such a person reach heaven? Will they achieve perfection in life? There is the often quoted comparison to the needle and threading its eye with an elephant. From a teaching perspective, I can see why this angle of vision is appealing. The poor outnumber the rich, by a lot. There are far fewer venture capitalists then there are people working at the places which require funding.

“But what is the actual truth of the matter? What is the opinion of the Vedas? Is there any distinction to be drawn? I know that consciousness is everything. There is that yam yam vapi verse from Bhagavad-gita. We learn that one of the destinations for the unsuccessful yogi is birth in a home that is blessed by Shri, who is fortune.

“At the same time, in the earthly travels of the original one, from whom everything has come, there is so much assistance given to the distressed, to the poor, to the ones who have nothing. The brahmana class, in its ideal implementation, begs for a living. We know that they are so dear to Vishnu.”

In Shrimad Bhagavatam, in the section informally referred to as Uddhava-gita, Shri Krishna makes a reference to wealth. This is in the specific case of a miser. Their wealth ends up tormenting them. It causes a hellish situation in the present life, and it dooms them to a hellish existence in the next life.

प्रायेणार्थाः कदर्याणां
न सुखाय कदाचन
इह चात्मोपतापाय
मृतस्य नरकाय च

prāyeṇārthāḥ kadaryāṇāṁ
na sukhāya kadācana
iha cātmopatāpāya
mṛtasya narakāya ca

“Generally, the wealth of misers never allows them any happiness. In this life it causes their self-torment, and when they die it sends them to hell.” (Lord Krishna, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 11.23.15)

From the teachings of Goswami Tulsidas, we find repeated reference to the concept of “gariba nivaja.” This refers to someone who protects the poor. Not necessarily in the financial sense. The beneficiary is the one who has lost everything. Someone who is without hope. When they have hit rock bottom. Personal efforts have been exhausted. They need an outsider to enter the situation and lift them up.

लहइ न फूटी कौंड़िहू को चाहै केहि काज
सो तुलसी महँगो कियो राम गरीब निवाज

lahai na phūṭī kauṃḍa़ihū ko cāhai kehi kāja
so tulasī maha~go kiyo rāma garība nivāja

“The one who never even received broken currency, who was so poor and nobody wanted – Tulsi says that Shri Rama, the protector of the poor, has made him worth so much.” (Dohavali, 108)

Tulsidas applies the gariba nivaja characterization to himself, in how he previously had nothing but then suddenly everything changed for him. This was due to the grace of the Supreme Lord, Shri Rama. This must mean that Rama is the protector of the poor.

Another reference is to the Vanara leader named Sugriva. At the time of meeting Rama, in person, Sugriva had nothing. He was living in exile. He had been kicked out of his kingdom, due to the threat of force. His own brother was the instigator. Family turning on its own. The knife reversed in position, ready to strike from within. A self-inflicted wound.

Rama helped Sugriva. Moreover, the other side had considerable backing. Sugriva’s brother was strong. Vali had additional strength through the support of the Kishkindha kingdom. In essence, Vali was rich and Sugriva was poor. Vali was in the superior position, while Sugriva was distressed.

Rama turned the distressed and destitute into a king. Rama elevated Sugriva. The one who had no backing suddenly had more support than anyone could ever imagine. There was sufficient justification for the shift. It is not that Sugriva had ill intentions or was looking to cause harm to Vali for no reason.

Rather, in the distressed condition Sugriva was a devotee of Rama. For someone who approaches the Supreme Lord in such a manner, there is nothing to fear. It is as if their troubles have been removed, like dropping heavy bags that had been carried for many miles.

अनन्याश् चिन्तयन्तो मां
ये जनाः पर्युपासते
तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां
योग-क्षेमं वहाम्य् अहम्

ananyāś cintayanto māṁ
ye janāḥ paryupāsate
teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ
yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham

“But those who worship Me with devotion, meditating on My transcendental form – to them I carry what they lack and preserve what they have.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.22)

The Supreme Lord carries what a person lacks and preserves what they have. The key distinction is devotion. Allegiance to the highest dharma, which is love and affection for Shri Rama. In this regard, a person can have everything but still be without hope. Another person may not have a penny to their name, but everything will work out in due course. The determining factor is the allegiance, in having the greatest benefactor in your corner.