Question: Why do you not materialise more wealth if you have such power from God?

Sri Chinmoy: Material power has been captured by undivine forces. Since the beginning of civilisation money has been captured by the undivine forces. It has not been utilised for a divine purpose. It is used for name, fame, power and ego-aggrandisement.

When an ordinary person makes money, what he does with his money is just to feed his ego. When a spiritual person has money, he tries to spread the message of truth through his writings or through his spiritual activities.

Why do I not materialise wealth? Because I am dealing with imperfect instruments. When God works through a Guru, God gives the Guru realisation first and makes him perfect in his own field. The Guru's work is to give inner light, inner bliss and inner power to his disciples, and the disciples' work is to help the Guru spread God's Light. One of the ways he can do this is through money-power. The Guru has peace and light, which he gives, and the disciple has material wealth, which he gives to the Guru. So it is give and take.

When God has two sons, He does not give only to one. He will not tell one to give and give everything, and let the other one only accept from first to last. If such were the case, God would not be fulfilling His work. God is impartial. He has given two sons the things that complement each other. Both the Guru and the disciple are God's children, and to each of them God has given something. So the Guru gives what he has to the disciple and the disciple gives what he has to the Guru. Then he feels that he has played his part, too.

Money is a power. God gives ordinary people that power, and He gives the Guru spiritual power. If a Guru gives what he has, then those who receive it should become one with him by playing their part and giving what they have. One cannot violate God's Law. The game of creation is interdependence. The greatest joy is to be able to give to another a part of our hard-earned achievement. The Guru is like the inner being of the disciple, and the disciple is like the outer body of the Guru. With his capacity the Guru fulfils our inner needs. We, in turn, must do our part by fulfilling the outer needs of the Guru.

If somebody works for eight hours, and earns some money that he can give, then the giving adds value to his work. If he can extend that money power by sharing it, then there is some value to his earning power. Similarly, the Guru, who has realised God, has worked for hundreds or thousands of lives for his realisation. Out of a hundred persons, almost everyone can give money, but only one in millions can give God-realisation. The Guru gives to the disciple that which he has acquired through so many incarnations of hard work. If the disciple cannot give something in the form of material wealth or dedicated service, where is the divine play of give and take? In this world, God wants His children to play the game of give and take. If a Guru must play the same part as a seeker and get a job to earn money, then how and when will the Guru do his spiritual work?