Actually there is no scarcity, but it is so-called economic law, man-made law, that creates scarcity. From God's side, there is no scarcity. Sufficient supply—more than what you need. But how this man can be checked from this evil propensity, to gather money and stock unnecessarily?
In India, in 1942, they created artificial famine by this process. Big men, they collected rice. The rice was selling at six rupees per mound. All of a sudden, within a week, it came to fifty rupees per mound. I have seen it. No rice was available in the market. People were hungry. They were purchasing. But the beauty is one American gentleman was at that time present. He remarked that, "People are starving in this way. In our country, there would have been revolution." Yes. But the people of India are so trained that in spite of creating this artificial famine, they did not commit any theft, stealing others' property. They died peacefully.
Of course, this is a single instance. But the thing is that the problems are created not by God, it is created by us. Just like in the . . . One, my German Godbrother, he said that during the First World War . . . perhaps some of you know. The politician created war and there was war. So people went to church. People means all women, because men were all in the active field. So they prayed, "My brother may come back," "My husband may come back," "My son may come back." But nobody came back, and they all became atheist, "Oh, there is no God." But the thing is that God does not say that, "You create war, create problem, and for solution of the problem you come to Me." No. You have created your problems; you have to take the result.
But still, one who takes to the shelter of Kṛṣṇa, or God, his problems are solved. That's a fact. Here it is stated, kecit kevalayā bhaktyā. Somebody. Who? Vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ. Those who are advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Vasudeva means Kṛṣṇa. Nārāyaṇa parāyaṇa, vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ, these words are there in the Vedic language. In another place you'll find:
- vāsudeve bhagavati
- bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ
- janayati āśu vairāgyaṁ
- jñānaṁ ca yad ahaitukam
- (SB 1.2.7)
If you apply your devotional service to Vāsudeva, vāsudeve bhagavati . . . Vāsudeva is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, bhagavati. Vāsudeve bhagavati bhakti-yogaḥ prayojitaḥ (SB 1.2.7). If you apply, if you engage yourself in devotional service to Vāsudeva, then the result will be janayaty āśu. Āśu means very soon, without delay; janayaty, generated. Janayaty āśu vairāgyam. Vairāgyam means knowledge by which one becomes detached from this material allurement. That is called vairāgya.
Simply by employing yourself in devotional service you get the highest knowledge. That is vairāgya. Without vairāgyam . . . jñānaṁ ca. Jñāna and vairāgya. Jñāna means knowledge, and vairāgya means detachment. This is required in this human form of life. As soon as you get the right knowledge that, "I am spirit soul. I am not anything of this material world. Somehow or other I have been in contact with this material world, and because I have desired to enjoy this material world in different capacities, therefore I am transmigrating from one type of body to another type, and I do not know since when this system began, but is still going on," this is called knowledge. To understand one's constitutional position and how he's suffering in this material world, that is called knowledge. Now that perfection of knowledge comes when one becomes vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ.
Therefore in Bhagavad-gītā it is said, bahūnāṁ janmanām ante jñānavān māṁ prapadyate (BG 7.19). After many, many births, sufferings, or cultivation of knowledge, when one comes to the right point, at that time he becomes vāsudeva parāyaṇāḥ. Vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ. One who understands "Vasudeva is everything; He is the cause of everything," sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam (Bs. 5.1), sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ, that kind of mahātmā . . . you were asking yesterday about some mahātmā's instruction. But we are talking of this mahātmā who is vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ. He is perfect mahātmā.
So the mahātmā, as it is said . . . it is kevalayā bhaktyā, kecit kevalayā bhaktyā vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ. Similarly, vāsudeva parāyaṇāḥ means vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ (BG 7.19). One who has known perfectly well that Kṛṣṇa, Vasudeva, is the source of everything, sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ, such kind of mahātmā is very rare. You can find out so-called mahātmās with great beard, mustaches and . . . but that is different mahātmā. That is not mahātmā. They are sometimes durātmā, because they want to encroach upon the rightful position of Kṛṣṇa. They want to become one with Kṛṣṇa.
Suppose if there is servant in your office, and if he tries to occupy your seat, would you like him, if you understand that your "This servant is trying to occupy my seat"? Similarly, any living entity who is trying to become God, he's not very much liked by God. He cannot become God, but this very endeavor to become God, to become a competitor of God, is not very much liked.
That person is stated in the Bhagavad-gītā as dviṣataḥ, envious. Tān aham dviṣataḥ krūrān kṣipāmy ajasram andhā yoniṣu (BG 16.19). Such persons, envious persons, are put into the hellish condition of life. They are envious of God's position. They want to occupy high position in this material world, and when they are frustrated, they think, "Now I shall occupy the position of God." But that will be also frustrated.
Nobody can become God. God is God, and living entity's living entity. He's supreme, He's infinite, we are infinitesimal. Our position is to serve God. That is our perfect position. That will make us happy. Not otherwise. Not by imitating how to become God. That is impossible. How you can become God? Yasyaika-niśvasita-kālam athāvalambya jīvanti loma-vilajā jagad-aṇḍa-nāthāḥ (Bs. 5.48). There are innumerable universes, and within the breathing period of Mahā-Viṣṇu so many universes are coming out by exhaling. And when He inhales, so many universes are dissolved within His body. So how we can become God? God is not so cheap.
Therefore sa mahātmā su-durlabhaḥ, one who is actually advanced in knowledge, mahātmā, who has accepted Vāsudeva, Kṛṣṇa, as the Supreme . . . here it is also said that kecit kevalayā bhaktyā vāsudeva-parāyaṇāḥ, aghaṁ dhunvanti. They exterminate all kinds of resultant reaction of sinful activity. Aghaṁ dhunvanti. How it is? Now Kṛṣṇa, Vasudeva, personally says also that, "You surrender unto Me." Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja (BG 18.66). "You give up everything, all other occupation. You simply surrender unto Me." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo.