Moodha jaheehi dhanaagamatrshnaam
kuru sadbuddhim manasi vitrshnaam
yallabhase nijakarmopaattam
vittam tena vinodaya cittam
Here, Sri Shankara Bagavatpada condemns the arrogance of the wealthy. Even with an expectation for wealth, one gets drenched in various thirsts. It is very difficult to sever the chains of the demon of wealth. Hence, do not aspire for acquiring wealth. On seeing wealth, your eye of discretion and knowledge becomes blind and your mind becomes foolish and confused. So, be very careful.
Develop a sense of balance. Let your mind always concentrate on the divine. When the mind is filled with Bhakti and Jnana towards God, how can any other greed, lust or yearning come close to it? Let your mind shed all types of greed and aspirations. All these are like a mirage. It is impossible to satisfy them. Bhakti shapes up by itself like butter when you churn your mind with Satbuddhi. With this pure Bhakti - worship Govinda.
The ordain of Shri Shankara 'worship Govinda' is not only for the learned and wealthy. It is also equally directed towards the common man, who is struggling for his day to day meals. Shri Shankara is not denying the importance of money, but is only condemning the greed for it. The wealth acquired through Dharmic activities is preferable. The wealth of Bhagavad Jnana is the most appropriate one. The earning process should follow the dictums of Varna and Ashrama. Lord Krishna declares in Geetha that it is better to die in one's own Dharma than following the yonder Dharma even though it may look green.
The money earned by self efforts and through Dharmic activities is really the right wealth. Learn to be contented with such wealth. Try to satiate your mind and indriyas with that wealth alone.
Saint Kabirdas used to say, “I spin the yarn in the name of Rama. In his name, I weave the cloth. In the name of Rama, I fix the profit value to meet the necessities of life. In the name of Rama, I sell the cloth”. Sri Purandaradasa is another great soul to be remembered here. Born rich, he gave away all his wealth and took up the life of a “Dasa”. As Saint Thiruvalluvar advises - it is a deadly disease to hanker after the wealth of others. The quality of a great soul is never to aspire for any wealth. Suppressing your desires, conquering all the aspirations, by itself, is the real wealth.
The article has been taken from the book A Torchlight in the Path of Salvation, Bhaja Govindam- Pray to Govinda by K V Varadaraja Iyengar