By Col Sudhir Rana (Retd)
Wealth (अर्थ) creation is considered a worthy goal for a man, a purushartha (पुरुषार्थ) according to Sanatan sanskriti. Wealth is also an offering which you use wisely as a custodian, for the welfare of self, dharma and people. You are supposed to make that offering without burning your hands or incurring the displeasure of the Gods. Here in the sacrifice, God is the host (yajamana), the offering (havi and hutam) as well as the recipient of offering. You have to perform the sacrifice without claiming ownership or doership. The wealthy but enlightened citizens use wealth in service of dharma, nation and for the welfare of society. Our history is full of such philanthropic and patriotic wealthy citizens who embodied such spirit. The great men like Bhamashah, Raja Todarmal and, in recent times, Ratan Tata, Azim Premji, to name a few. They contributed greatly in fields of nation building, religious activities, education, scientific research, health and employment generation.
“The earth that holds treasure in secret places, wealth, jewels, and gold shall She give to me; She that bestows wealth liberally, the kindly Goddess, wealth shall bestow upon me.” — A Vedic Prayer
Yet, in present day Bharat, wealth is derided and wealthy people are hated and envied at the same time. The people are envious of wealthy folks but, oddly, want to become rich themselves. We get benefit of the industries of the rich, which gives us consumables as well as employment but we also bring down the same factories by agitation and violence. This results in flight of capital and entrepreneurship from such places. All of us remember the example of West Bengal. On the other hand, Kerala was otherwise a literate and sensible society but by adopting communist philosophy, it could not attract or retain hard working folks. In contrast, cities like Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru progressed and became highly industrialised places. These cities generated employment and provided good quality of life because they created healthy and competitive environments for the entrepreneur to grow and prosper.
If you were born in the fifth or sixth decade of the last century, probably you grew in a cinema and literature which glorified poverty and wealthy individuals were painted as folks with low morals, exploiters and traitors. Then India had newly emerged free from an exploitative British rule. Its GDP and growth were abysmal, life expectancy was very low and getting two meals a day was a luxury. Nearly half the population could barely cover themselves. Famines and epidemics of measles, cholera, typhoid, malaria, etc., took lots of lives. Our leaders could not match the expectations of the people, so they directed the angst of public against wealthy people. Pt Nehru was hypnotised by the socialist developmental model of USSR. He directed public anger towards rich people and the CIA. Those were the times, when Communists and Naxals were adored by the masses and so called intellectuals. These worthies were financed and brainwashed by ideas of Karl Marx, Lenin and Mao. The film makers like Raj Kapoor, Satyajit Ray and Guru Dutt glamorised poverty in their films. The typical hero was a poor but smart cookie who shamed and named the rich class. The rich were depicted as crafty bania shopkeepers, evil moneylenders, corrupt industrialists and cruel zamindars. The hero rebelled against them, outsmarted them and married their rich daughters. It was the dream of have-nots to become wealthy. It was OK to be rich even if you have taken short cuts and earned by unfair and wrong ways. A typical hero himself might be a pickpocket, smuggler, conman with a heart of gold. He was a Robin Hood who looted the rich and gave to the poor. So rich folks were sinners and being wealthy became sinful in the public mind.
I will put forward my perspective and try to understand this strange behaviour of the Indian masses, who want to become rich themselves but hate the people who are already wealthy.
The end of the previous century saw the end of this utopian dream. India’s slow economic growth could not generate enough wealth to feed the masses and was drowning in corruption and loans. As a last resort, much delayed economic reforms were put into place and India finally became free of chains which were keeping it tied down.
According to Hinduism, wealth is not evil. It is as a matter of fact an aspect or manifestation of the divine. In fact, the entire creation is manifestation of God’s universal abundance. It upholds and nourishes all beings. Whatever we experience or enjoy through our senses is His wealth only, including the food we eat. So how is it that we consider wealth creation a bad endeavour?
According to Dharmic belief, a person becomes rich or poor according to his/her actions and according to fate as determined by previous actions. Hence, individual actions and personal responsibility are of paramount importance in matters of wealth.
Then India slowly woke up and started running. The development of infrastructure and digital revolution helped in the creation of a new generation of smart young men. They were equipped with technology and education and were ready to break barriers.
As the wealth grew, aspiration rose and hardworking young people started becoming global. They were ready to dream big and work for it. A newly rich class came into existence who worked hard and played hard. They were new growth engines.
“It is possible for a camel to pass through eye of a needle but it is impossible for a rich man to go to heaven.” – Bible
Is it not the right time now to correct the cliche ridden narrative of wealth means sin.
Hindu scriptures clearly suggest that whatever profession you may choose you have to earn wealth by ethical means according to the principles of Dharma. One of the passages in the epic Mahabharata, declares an important truth about wealth. It says that wealth earned through righteous means does not diminish or become lost, whereas wealth earned through dishonest means or with evil intentions leads to suffering and destruction.
Should we not change our mindset and consider honestly earned money to be a worthy goal? What we should despise is earning by fraudulent and corrupt activities. It is OK to dislike thugs, smugglers, drug dealers, dishonest professionals and bureaucrats who become rich by corrupt practices. But it is not OK to despise those who created wealth through sheer hard work and vision. They should also be our heroes and should get appreciation. They also have an important role to play in making our Bharat Mahan. We should be proud of great industrial leaders also. We should also make movies on lives of Ratan Tatas, Premjis and George Kuriens, too, and recognise their contribution in nation building. Let them also be the role models for the new generation.
Om Shreem Hreem Kleem Tribhuvan Mahalakshmyai Asmakam Daridrya Nashay Prachur Dhanam Dehi Dehi Kleem Hreem Shreem Om.
Meaning: “Om. Salutations to the Goddess of the three worlds. Please destroy my poverty, and bless me abundantly with wealth.”
