The Pride of Possessing Wealth

There are many categories of pride in this world, but some are worse than others. As the Niti Sastra says:

vidya-mado dhan-madah
tathivabhi-jano madah
mada etair aliptanam ta
eva hi satam damah

“The pride of having a good education is not as bad as the pride of possessing wealth, which is worse than the pride of having a good family and relatives. Therefore, those who want to become saintly to receive liberation, should be free from all these prides of possessions.”

Therefore, the pride of possessing wealth is very harmful if not guided properly by a proper Spiritual Master. Even in the western world, Jesus said, “It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter heaven.” Any material pride is harmful to one’s spiritual advancement, because such feelings arise from passion.

[Srimad Bhagavatam, 10.10.8, Purport by Sri Krsna Balaram Swamiji, KBS0101]