Reminiscences

Money tainted by Some one else's Wish for it corrupts one's Attitude

One doctor had a hobby of solving crossword puzzles to earn money given in prizes. He once mentioned this to ShriMaharaj. ShriMaharaj expressed disapproval of earn­ing money in this manner. When asked why, ShriMaharaj said, "Let us assume that the prize money for a cross­word puzzle is one hundred rupees, and the fee to be paid by each participant is one rupee. Each one who has paid the fee has his greed clinging to those one hundred ru­pees. All that greed is transmitted to you with the re­maining ninety - nine rupees. How is it possible that the money so tainted by greed will fail to affect your atti­tude? This is why someone who earns money except by dint of his own labour lacks contentment."