Methods of Earning Wealth

Meaning: Our ancient Grantha Rigved has stated in the line of the Mantra 1/1/3 that - we should earn wealth only according to the rules made by the God. The wealth earned by dishonesty should be away from us. Let us not keep the money earned by improper means. Earn money according to religious rules and use them in religious work.

Message: The Vedas have preached to man to be free from greed. But the question is, ultimately what greed is? Greed is that mentality whereby man is not satisfied even after earning the maximum wealth. There are many forms of greed. To be busy in earning money even by destroying one's own health is also a type of greed. The money earned by deceit, stealing, by trespassing or by not paying taxes or through corruption is also a type of greed. All these schemes of making money are teeming with dishonesty and they stain our soul also. The wealth earned by sinful acts under the temptation of greed is condemnation in every way.

Money has received so much importance that only money counts in this world. Money had become necessary for every work in this world. Whether the task is big or small, religion or politics, spiritual endeavor or religious vow or recitations to be performed, for all these money becomes necessary. Therefore the Vedas have called it an essential task or duty to accumulate money also and have also lauded the human tendency for earning more and more money through the maximum possible diligence. With that the man receives the blessings of supremacy and increase in wealth also. For the increase in wealth and its good fortune, knowledge and skill are required. Through knowledge, one receives guidance and inspiration and through skill, there is increase in wealth. Competence based on experience for some special task is known as skill. This skill itself cleaners the road for obtaining prosperity. The place of God is first in man's life, then character and then comes the place for money.

But man is never satisfied with money. This thirst of his is also known as greed. This is a big distortions or perversity of nature. Greed covers man's moral intelligence with darkness in the form of ignorance. When this happens man sarts committing inhuman acts and does not feel any sense of shame when doing such acts. Acting shamelessly he neglects his own moral, religious duties and thus hurts his own interests. In this way, such a man destroys all three that is his own wealth, religion and happiness. The money earned immorally through greed and undesirable acts like bribes, makes the mind very restless and upset. Such a home or family gets destroyed by involving in bad acts and man's moral downfall also occurs.

Therefore the Vedas have directed that man should try to earn more and more money only within the framework of religious conduct by tremendous hard work. Only such money is pure. Man gets happiness, peace and satisfaction with that. Man does not spend such hard earned money for wrong work or without reason and enjoys the bliss by spending such money for the welfare of the society. By seeing others' welfare through his money, he becomes mentally very cheerful. Such pure money develops moral qualities in people and inspires all for doing righteous deeds.

Only the money earned honestly gives beneficent results.