“Why has God made somebody so opulent and somebody so poor?”

June 21, 2004

Sometimes the atheists ask, “Why has God made somebody so opulent and somebody so poor?” This is the general question. There are two things, superior and inferior, everywhere, but in the eyes of God, Krsna, there is no such thing. There is no such discrimination that “Here is a devotee, so he’s superior, and here is a nondevotee, he’s inferior.” That is not God’s discrimination. That is your discrimination. Understand this verse very carefully. Krsna says “You become fully dependent upon Me, and I shall give you full protection.” This is superiority. And if I don’t do that, then I remain inferior.

There is a verse in the Bhagavad-gita,[bg. 4.11] “It is up to you to... If you surrender cent percent, then I am also fully cent percent for you.” But if you have got discrimination—“Certain percentage for my wife, certain percentage for my children, certain percentage for my country, certain percent...,” so on, so on, so on, so on, ultimately, “Zero for God”—then God is also zero. It is up to you. But if you take God—“You are my everything”—then He is also for you, everything. There are many persons who come to Vrndavana, and whatever they have earned throughout the whole life they give to the wife and children and make contract that “I am going to Vrndavana. You send me at least two hundred rupees for my expenditure.” “And what about two lakhs and crores?” “The two lakhs and crores that I have earned is for you, my dear children, my dear wife, and you give me two hundred for God.” So Krsna is very intelligent: “All right, I am also for you two hundred rupees worth. (laughter) This is the real meaning. It is called responsive cooperation. “If you have surrendered to Me cent percent, then I respond cent percent. If you have surrendered twenty-five percent, then I respond twenty-five percent.” This is the position. That means Krsna is sentient; He is not impersonal. In the Deity room, if you think that “This Deity is made of brass. Whatever nonsense I can do, He does not see.” No, He can see everything. Krsna can see within our mind how much we are surrendered and how much we are after material enjoyment.

Just see practically. Our Krsna consciousness movement was started with forty rupees. Now that forty rupees added with Krsna has become forty crores. When I started for your country, I came to Mayapur. I offered my obeisances to my spiritual master, then I went. At that time I had no money even to purchase the ticket. And after that, I have come with forty crores. This is the secret. A pure devotee wants, “Krsna, whatever little I have got, You take it, everything.” And Krsna says, “Yes, because you have given your everything, even up to your life, I’ll also give you My everything to you.” This is Krsna.

We go here and there for fulfilling our desire, but if we are fully surrendered to Krsna, all our desires will be fulfilled sitting at home. You cannot order Krsna, “Give me this.” That is not possible. Krsna's not your servant. He’s not order-supplier. His order you should supply. Don’t bother Krsna. That is the beginning of spiritual life. You prepare to carry out every order of Krsna. Then it is spiritual life. Krsna knows everything you require. Don’t become envious of somebody who is getting Krsna's favor. Krsna is favoring him because he has served. You serve; you’ll get His favor. We should always ask: “Krsna, I don’t want any facility of this material world. I am not worthy to serve You; still, I am begging. Give me this facility so that I can get the chance to serve You.” That is life’s success.

(Class by Srila Prabhupada Mar. 5,1976)