Hinduism Does Not Glorify Poverty
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    • Hinduism does not glorify poverty
    Charity [Dana or giving ] and treating guests as God [ Athithi devo Bhava] are part and parcel of Hindu culture in India .
    But Hinduism does not glorify poverty.

    Hinduism advocates austerity, simplicity and detachment, but that has nothing to do with living in poverty.


    One of the four aims of life known as "Purusharthas" is to earn and enjoy wealth [artha]. Hindu scriptures very clearly state human existence is not possible without wealth.
    Four “Purushatras” are Dharma, Artha, Kaama and Moksha.
    1------ If Hinduism glorifies poverty, King Janaka who was a very rich king will be never treated as a great Rishi in Hindu scriptures.


    2------ If Hinduism glorifies poverty, people will not pray to Lakshmi for wealth.
    3------ If Hinduism glorifies poverty, Hindu kingdoms would not have been dazzling in wealth.

    Just study what King Janaka [legendry father of princess Sita] taught 12 year old sage Suka [son of Veda Vyasa].


    " You can possess things as long as you are not possessed by them."

    Lord Krishna dazzled in wealth so too his disciple warrior Arjuna.
    No where in the Bhagavad Gita Krishna asks anyone to run away from duties. On the contrary, Krishna emphasizes on "action, constant unattached, unmotivated actions.'

    Hinduism emphasizes the need to observe dharma [duty] while amassing the wealth. Only thing required every one of us is to balance material pursuits and spiritual pursuits in life.
    Poverty became very important in India due to Buddhism and Jainism not by Hinduism.
    Since majority people in India are Hindus there is a tendency to identify "poverty" with the Hinduism.
    We don’t identify the poverty in the Philippines , for example, with its Catholic religion. Nor do we identify the success of Japan with its Buddhist-Shinto religion.
    So, to identify poverty in     India to Hinduism is very wrong.

    People should always remember the last words of the Sanjaya to the King Dhartharashtra in the Bhagavad Gita, which I wish to describe as
    “ Where there is the supreme intellect and where there are persons constantly ready to act, there alone victory, power, and morality. That is my opinion.”
    Hindus never ever look at wealth as evil nor they look down upon amassing wealth as evil. As long as the motive is good, the action is good.
    People should amass wealth and use that money for constructive positive purposes.
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