PADA: “ISKCON Money is for all Devotees, not the Elite”

SRILA PRABHUPDADA: One may claim proprietorship to as much wealth as required to maintain body and soul together, but one who desires proprietorship over more than that must be considered a thief, and he deserves to be punished by the laws of nature. Of course, we need to be maintained in eating, sleeping, mating and defending: ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithuna, but since the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, has provided these necessities of life for the birds and bees, why not for mankind? There is no need for economic development; everything is provided. Therefore one should understand that everything belongs to Krishna, and with this idea, one may take prasada.

However, if one interferes with the allotments of others, he is a thief. We should not accept more than what we actually need. Therefore, if by chance we get an abundance of money, we should always consider that it belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In Krishna consciousness we are getting sufficient money, but we should never think that the money belongs to us; it belongs to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and should be equally distributed to the workers, the devotees. No devotee should claim that any money or property belongs to him. If one thinks that any portion of property of this huge universe belongs to anyone, he is to be considered a thief and is punishable by the laws of nature. Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 8, “Withdrawal of the Cosmic Creations – The Manus, Administrators of the Universe”