We were discussing dharma, artha, kāma, mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, CC Adi 1.90). So we have already discussed that religiosity does not mean to gain material gain. Generally, people take to religiosity for material gain. We have already discussed, just people go to the church: "God, give us our daily bread." Or even in temple they go to ask something, material gain. But actually religiosity's not meant for that purpose. Religiosity meant for dharmasya āpavargyasya. To enter into life of religiosity means to get out of the threefold miserable condition of life, apavarga.
So then dharma, artha, money also we want. Arthasya dharmaikāntasya na kāmo lābhāya hi smṛtaḥ (SB 1.2.9). We want money—that's all right—but not for satisfaction of our lusty desires. Money has got its use. Just like in our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we get money also. But we are spending for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Our need is very great. People will be surprised what we are expending per month.
We have got more than one hundred branches all over the world, and each branch, there is expenditure . . . in Los Angeles, we spend twenty thousand dollars per month. In New York, we spend ten thousand per . . . dollars per month, or more than that. Similarly, on the average, we spend not less than ten thousand dollars per each branch. But we have got calculation. We, we are spending seventy thousand dollar, dollar per month. So Indian exchange means seven lakhs of rupees.
So we need money. And we are getting money also. In Europe, in America, the process of getting money is not like here, that I go to any gentleman, "Give us some donation." That is not possible. You cannot enter even one's house without introduction. Then you are trespasser. If you enter anyone's house without permission, he can kill you.
This is the law. And every door, there is signboard: "Beware of the dogs." (chuckles) So it is not possible to go and beg, "Sir, give us something." But fortunately, we have published books, about twenty books, four hundred pages each. And we are going on publishing. By Kṛṣṇa's grace we are selling books, daily, twenty five thousand rupees. Therefore we are able to spend seven lakhs of rupees per month.
So Kṛṣṇa gives. My Guru Mahārāja always used to speak that "Why should you go and flatter? You should speak plain truth, without any flattering. Money will come." That was his conviction. And . . . so it is experienced. We have got very, very heavy expenditure. But all this money collected, they are not meant for indriya-prīti, not for sense gratification. That is the significance. If we want money for sense gratification, then according to our destiny we shall get. Not more than that. Nobody can get more. Therefore Bhāgavata says:
- tasyaiva hetoḥ prayateta kovido
- na labhyate yad bhramatām upary adhaḥ
- tal labhyate duḥkhavad anyataḥ sukhaṁ
- kālena sarvatra gabhīra-raṁhasā
- (SB 1.5.18)
So far our sense gratification is concerned, we cannot get money more than what we are destined to get. Otherwise why there are so many people born with silver spoon in their mouth and somebody's born poor? And he's not getting even two times food, working very hard, day and night. So there is a destiny. Destiny we cannot improve. That is already settled up. But you can improve your Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That chance is there.