Spiritual sadhana in Vaishnavism is carried out at various levels. When one is attracted towards satvikka seva or seva in the mode of goodness, one is attracted towards Vaishnavas and the various forms of Vishnu and Krishna. One thus enters into the mode of initial service towards the Lord and Vaishnavas. The mode of such service in the very beginning is usually money. On who serves the Lord with money is indeed fortunate. More important is to serve the Vaishnavas with available resources at one’s disposal and the pertinent use of money. However the results of such services also depend on the intention of the patron or aspiring sadhaka who wants to enter the pure path of Bhakti.
A person may bear various concealed intentions in one’s heart as one renders service unto Vaishnavas or the Lord in the form of maintenance of temples or organizations who encourage service to the Lord. Persons who are interested in self-glorification and praise even in subtle ways also gain some benefit by serving the Lord or Vaishnavas through money. Bearing such intentions at the time of service is considered to be in the mode of passion. Actions performed in this mode even if it means serving the Lord and Vaishnavas does not go a long way and the heart of the person remains concealed from the true benefits of service. A person of this mentality is saved from the results of future karmic reactions, yet the fruit of such service is on the material platform and cannot take the person beyond the material plane. Service through money has the capacity to redeem a jeeva from the eternal cycle of birth and death and has the capacity to position the jeeva in the transcendental realm if one’s intentions are purified while rendering service to Krishna and the Vaishnavas.One who desires to attain the eternal service of the Lord in the eternal realm without bearing a tinge of material coloration; if He donates money to Vaishnavas and the Lord; stands to benefit with eternal fruits. One who does not expect glory, fame or recognition or any special consideration other than inwardly wanting to be accepted by the Lord as a “fallen” servant; such a person will gain considerably through donation of money. One has to realize that; it is not money that will hold our existence in this world or the next. If one is sufficiently surrendered to the Lord; such a person will not make much out of money. Money is the cause of extreme bondage to this material world and it is this money that appears to make the earth spin. One who is serious in Bhakti; sheds away this attachment and intelligently plans to invest money in eternal service of the Lord and Vaishnavas and thus he gains eternal results. One would have invested a temporary aspect of material life in the attainment of something that is everlasting and ever joyous. This is a brilliant way to apply one’s resources. In a deeper sense you may attain the Lord’s mercy even through something as fleeting as money. A person who donates un-expectantly gains the special mercy of the Lord. It is only the spiritual greed to gain closeness with the Lord; that such a jeeva utilizes money. This is the most positive expectation that one can employ in divine service with money as the medium. The immediate positive results by such service; will destroy one’s specific interest in money and its mundane utility. It will also hone the aspirant’s vision of seeing the true utility of money. It will also taper the jeeva’s mundane tastes and introduce simplicity in one’s life-style. One will be able to assess the amplitude of material taste which money causes if one is not cautious in engaging money in the service of the Lord in the mode of goodness. This simplicity when adorned by a person who donates a sizable portion of his earnings to the Lord and His service will be automatically engaged by the Lord in services that will cleanse the person of all mundane qualities in the mode of passion and ignorance. Such a person will be finally situated in the mode of goodness and with sustained sadhana and mantra Diksha in the Vaishnava parampara; he will be able to transcend the modes of material nature at the time of quitting the body. Thus donating money is an integral aspect of Vaishnava sadhana.
Charan Pahari 