SB 1.8 - The materially exhausted can easily approach Kṛṣṇa

Kṛṣṇa can be easily approached only by those who are materially exhausted. He is available to those who have nothing except Him. Those with respectable parentage, great opulence, high education and bodily beauty cannot approach the Lord with sincere feeling. All materialists are mad after possessing opulences and this is known as the advancement of material civilization. The result is one becomes puffed up and cannot address the Lord feelingly, “O Govinda, O Kṛṣṇa.” The Lord’s holy name is so potent that even once chanting them, one can get rid of huge piles of sin. But there is a quality for such utterances also. A helpless man can feelingly utter the holy name, whereas a man who utters the name in great material satisfaction cannot be so sincere. Thus the principles of material advancement outlined above are disqualifications for progress on the path of spiritual advancement. Sometimes it is seen that spiritually advanced persons become materially impoverished. This is a good sign as much as the falling of temperature from a diseased body. When the fever of material illusion reduces, one can progress rapidly toward Kṛṣṇa. Yet it must be said that matter used fully in Kṛṣṇa’s service does not cause a devotee to stumble. Poverty does not help one make spiritual advancement, but selfish attempts to prosper materially will certainly hinder one’s progress. Some examples of akiñcana are: Gaura-kiśora Bābājī who possessed nothing and his disciple Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī, who possessed so many temples. Similarly Rūpa Gosvāmī was an akiñcana as well as Rāmānanda Rāya, who was a very opulent gṛhastha.