5. Beyond the Surface of Wealth
Insight: Perspective is similar to a camera. The world appears to us according to the lens through which we see it.
Beloved Guruji HDH Swamishri was going for padharamni in Ahmedabad. On the way, a devotee who had come along for Guruji’s labh said, “Guruji, this person is truly a very wealthy person. Contrastingly, he still lives in a rented house. What should be meant out of it?”
Guruji went to that devotee’s home. He performed Thakorji’s arti and then spoke with the devotee about satsang. Towards the end, Guruji asked, “Is this house yours?”
“No Guruji,” the devotee replied. “It is a rented house. But it has all the facilities. Nothing is lacking. I pay ₹60,000 rent every month. If I were to buy this same house through a loan, I would have to pay an installment of ₹5,00,000 every month. When would those installments end? What is wrong with living in a rented house instead?”
After completing the padharamni, while returning in the car, Guruji taught the devotee who had come with Him, “If we look at him with a negative vision, he may seem greedy to us. But if we look with the right perspective, what do we see? This devotee has wise money management practices. Even though he has a great deal, he does not show off. He does not waste money. He thinks about the future and saves accordingly. We should keep the perspective of learning from him.”
Guruji’s correction touched that devotee’s heart. The incident revealed that any evaluation made from a surface-level view can be mistaken.
Resolve: I will not look at someone externally and take faults.
A shallow glance judges; a wise lens learns
5. Beyond the Surface of Wealth
Insight: Perspective is similar to a camera. The world appears to us according to the lens through which we see it.
Beloved Guruji HDH Swamishri was going for padharamni in Ahmedabad. On the way, a devotee who had come along for Guruji’s labh said, “Guruji, this person is truly a very wealthy person. Contrastingly, he still lives in a rented house. What should be meant out of it?”
Guruji went to that devotee’s home. He performed Thakorji’s arti and then spoke with the devotee about satsang. Towards the end, Guruji asked, “Is this house yours?”
“No Guruji,” the devotee replied. “It is a rented house. But it has all the facilities. Nothing is lacking. I pay ₹60,000 rent every month. If I were to buy this same house through a loan, I would have to pay an installment of ₹5,00,000 every month. When would those installments end? What is wrong with living in a rented house instead?”
After completing the padharamni, while returning in the car, Guruji taught the devotee who had come with Him, “If we look at him with a negative vision, he may seem greedy to us. But if we look with the right perspective, what do we see? This devotee has wise money management practices. Even though he has a great deal, he does not show off. He does not waste money. He thinks about the future and saves accordingly. We should keep the perspective of learning from him.”
Guruji’s correction touched that devotee’s heart. The incident revealed that any evaluation made from a surface-level view can be mistaken.
Resolve: I will not look at someone externally and take faults.
A shallow glance judges; a wise lens learns
