Our life is a constant search for security to ensure creature comforts. Then it is in the direction of accumulation of wealth to ensure protection of needs for enjoyment in the present and in the future. Sri Adi Sankaracharyaji in Moha Mudgara or a hammer-thrashing of our ignorant thinking says drop this hunting after wealth and focus the mind on the already present inner wealth.
He addresses the foolish mind which does not know the real presence of the self and imagines the body measuring about six feet in length and a few kilogrammes of weight to be the self.
Give up the thirst to accumulate wealth, says the Acharya. He is not advising any sort of laziness here. The suggestion is to work and earn wealth without getting attached to the thought of earning wealth.
When the mind focuses on actual work, there is real potential and achievement. However, when it focusses only on accumulation, the attention is on a thought of wanting to collect.
Every thought has an imaginary limit which is, in fact, limitless and can never be satiated.
After giving up the craving to accumulate wealth, now what is left to be done? The mind without a proper aim and work will become a devil’s workshop. The next suggestion takes care of that. Apply that energy of the mind in enquiry about the truth without distractions in other craving for pleasures.
If there is no desire to collect wealth, then should I not enjoy in this world at all? Well, do it, but with the money that is earned by hard work. Sankaracharyaji gives this suggestion in Bhaja Govindam with a view that the mind can be trained in a culture of quietude and meditation. Whatever you get as a result of hard work, with that wealth, entertain your memory-filled mind.
Chith is consciousness and when there are thoughts in consciousness it becomes chitham or memory bank. Whenever we crave some entertainment, we are actually seeking to fulfil our memories of visiting some place we have heard about, eating or drinking something we have experienced or spending time with a person we already know.
Why we really do not need to focus on accumulating wealth? Or, why is the insistence again and again on seeking Govinda, the treasure of consciousness that is within ourselves? Wealth can be earned easily in this world and is also spent easily. This wealth of consciousness which is hidden in our vision and understanding has to be sought after. It will not reveal itself on its own. That is the purpose of this human birth too. Once we have hit upon that store of consciousness within, we have struck gold. Whatever we need in life is available to us. There is nothing more we can ever need. The desire to want this and that also is removed when this gold of consciousness is struck in our own heart space. Instead of working out the hard way and losing all that we earned, the master is teaching the easier way of contentment and the right path to seek the real wealth.
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