The Rich and the Poor

Melbourne CBD

The word 'RICH' generally means wealth and someone with a lot of money. But, what really determines a person rich? In the words of His Holiness Radhanath Swami " If you want to know how rich you are, count the number of things that you have, that money cannot buy". Once in a TV interview, a Rich man, a millionaire was asked something like - you have lots of money, what else do you need? The Millionaire made a gesture with his fingers (Indicating a pinch) and said - I need this much of happiness. You might wonder that he is a rich man; he can get everything with money. Yeah, looks like that. Everything except Happiness. So, is he a rich or a poor man. Both, he is materially rich but poor in happiness. It is said that the most miserable person in the world is the one who is rich and full of desires. Because, no amount of money or riches can make him happy.

In Mahabharata, we see the famous questions and answers between Yaksha and Yudhishthira.

One of the questions the Yaksha ask's is,

"What is that which, if renounced, makes one agreeable?

 What is that which, if renounced, leads to no regret?

 What is that which, if renounced, makes one wealthy?

 And what is that which if renounced, makes one happy?”

And, Yudhishthira answered,—

“Pride, if renounced, makes one agreeable;

 wrath,if renounced leads to no regret:

 desire, if renounced, makes one wealthy:

 and avarice, if renounced, makes one happy.”

So my interpretation of this word RICH is that, we all should always try to become rich in terms of friendships, Moral Values, Happiness and not by earning money. I am not advocating everyone to stop working or earning money. Rabbits don't line up tigers mouth. A minimum endeavour has to be there but, not at the cost of family life, values, ethics and happiness.