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Bhikshu Gita - Srimad Bhãgavatam 11th Canto 23rd Chapter

“People, in the act of gaining wealth and protecting the gained wealth, incur fear, worry (due to loss of wealth), destruction and delusion. Also, due to the desire to acquire wealth, vices like desire to abduct another’s wealth, cruelty, mendacity, conceit, lust and anger are incurred. After attaining wealth the man becomes proud, hostile, skeptic and covetous. More over, due to the riches obtained, one gets addicted to bad habits like women, drinking and gambling. The wise people (Mahãns) say that money causes downfall of man since he acquires all these vices. Hence, one who desires to attain all virtues should disregard wealth that causes disgrace. Possession of wealth also turns one’s relatives and friends into enemies.

Therefore, having taken birth as a human being, which is desired even by Devas and knowing that liberation is the right (and only) thing to be attained, one who wishes his own welfare will never desire for riches which is the cause of misery. Due to the futile desire that I had for money, I lost my youth and physical strength. But those who possess the power of discrimination utilize their youth and physical strength to obtain purity of mind (‘siddha shuddhi’) and attain liberation. Having lost the youth what can be done by me now? To cross the ocean of samsara and attain the shore of liberation, God has given me the ship of dispassion (vairãgya). I am certain that this Lord Hari, who manifests as all the gods, has immense love for me.

From this day I shall do rigorous penance using this body of mine with a blissful mind and purify myself. Let all the gods bless me for this.” Having decided thus, he shed his ego (ahankãra) and sense of possession (mamakãra) and became an ascetic spending his time in the joyful thought of the Lord.

To be continued……….

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