Question

Essay on money comes and goes morality comes and grows

Answer 1

One of the most virulent yet paradoxical criticisms that is hurled at Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, especially ‘post-Mahasamadhi’, is that He is God for the rich, the influential and the mighty.

I say virulent because, after Bhagawan’s hospitalisation almost every newspaper, tabloid and magazine in India screamed headlines about the ‘size’ of His trusts, the ‘value’ of assets of the Sri Sathya Sai Organisations worldwide and the money in His name. I also say paradoxical because if at all there is anything that Swami has been ‘allergic’ to, it has to be money.

His life has always stood for one of His favourite maxims:

Money comes and goes; Morality comes and grows.

In fact, during His 50th birthday in 1975, while addressing the mammoth gathering during the conclusion of the 2nd World Conference on the 21st of November, Swami thundered,

“Spending large sums of money for celebrations is a sin; I can never be a party to that. People have been spreading rumours that money is being collected for Sathya Sai’s 50th birthday. What is the relation between money and the 50th birthday? This beautiful temple that you see, the temporary shelters where lakhs have resided, the canteens - everything have been built by volunteers and students who have done shramdaan (offering of labour) with gunagaan (singing God’s glory) and not with money. Not a single paisa has been used from the Sathya Sai Trust. What Sai always seeks is the wealth of character and virtues and not money! Why do you need money to do good work? All you need is health and virtues.”

I am sure that any one of us who have heard Swami speaking about money will know that He always speaks along these lines only. But not every one of us has got the chance to ‘see’ this detachment that Baba has towards money specifically and towards everything generally. And the few who got this chance to see His detachment, have it emblazoned in their hearts and minds.

“I am not interested in money”

Dr. Samuel Sandweiss, a practicing psychiatrist, was one such fortunate person. This happened during an interview that he had with Swami alongside Mrs. Elsie Cowan (the wife of Mr. Walter Cowan whom Swami resurrected from death in Madras). Here is his experience as he records it in the November 1975 issue of the Sanathana Sarathi -

Elsie gave Baba letters from American devotees and showed him enlarged photographs of the Christ on the cross which he had manifested for Hislop. Talking business, she asked Baba if she could sell the picture and if so, how much she should charge. He smiled.

"No, no, I am not interested in the money; don't talk about money with me. Do your duty—it is your business. Money comes and goes, morality comes and grows."

Again, such sayings take on a deeper meaning in Baba's presence. It is apparent that he really means it when he says that he is not interested in money and does not want to talk about it, that it is a source of a great deal of conflict from which He intends to stay entirely free. At the same time, He understands and accepts its significance in the lives of His devotees.