How to Manage Tendency to Become Greedy

We were seeing how simple acts like puja, pilgrimage can help in attaining chitta shudhi which can eventually lead to jnanodaya.

After kama and krodha, another force that takes over the mind and leaves behind impurity is lobha – greed.

Why do people have greed, why do they want to amass?

The basic reason is fear and another one to show off.

What is this fear? It is a fear that I will run out of resources, I will become poor, I will starve, I will come on the road, I will have to change my style of living, I will starve.

So amass more and more, keep more and more stored away so that I don’t have to face this situation.

This is the fear behind greed.

There was time, a time when people were closer to divinity when Dharmashastra forbid saving for the future.

The maximum, the uppermost limit allowed was for a householder with a huge family and many dependents. He can save up to a maximum of what is needed for a year. That is the uppermost limit. It is a sin to save beyond that. And on the lower side, there are yatis, who are not even supposed to look forward to the next meal, if it comes it comes, otherwise hardly matters.

In an indirect way, this would nip greed as it buds within you.

These were rules kept in place understanding the nature of man, and to help him evolve.

Evolve into a stronger person, than the fearful weakling that he greedy is.

Only the strong can tread the spiritual path, it is not for the weaklings.

And these are methods through which you develop strength.

When you have confidence in the plan of the divinity you don’t fear anymore,

You don’t have to keep aside anymore, you don’t have to amass anymore.

Sanatana dharma teaches you to give, give to gods, give to people, give to plants, give to birds, give to animals, give to nature – and the rituals like puja, dana, pilgrimage – it is through these rituals that you learn to give.

It is through these that you learn to give, not always to give.

Even when you take, the Veda tells you to take to give.

शतहस्त समाहर सहस्रहस्त संकिर

Take with hundred hands, but give with thousand hands.

So there is no amassing.

Isn’t dharma, these small rituals teach us to give? Which other branch of knowledge teaches us to give – does management science teach us to give, does engineering or architecture teach us to give, does medicine teach us to give, does linguistics teach us to give.

It is dharma that teaches us to give and to get rid of the inborn tendency to amass and to cleanse yourself.

And this giving happens during puja, at temples, connected dharmic festivals, events, ceremonies, during a pilgrimage.

And slowly the tendency to amass reduces, greed goes.

And chitta purifies.

The second reason for greed is to show off, look at what I have got, how much I have got.

A six-foot man keeps a three-inch idol in front of him, treats it with respect, bows to it, prostrates before it.

After some time, you realize that size doesn’t matter, how big or small you are doesn’t matter. The most respected among us are the sanyasis, who are the poorest among wealth, does a wealthy man get the respect that a sanyasi gets.

A sanyasi who doesn’t have anything other than the one set of clothes that he is wearing is the most respected of all.

When you come into this circle, you learn that how much you have does not matter anymore.

Your greed reduces, your tendency to amass reduces, and mind starts getting purified.

• Greed, or lobha, pollutes the mind just like desire (kama) and anger (krodha) do. It disrupts inner clarity and blocks the rise of wisdom.

• The root of greed is fear — fear of poverty, insecurity, or losing social standing. This fear fuels the urge to hoard unnecessarily.

• Another cause of greed is the need to show off — to be seen as powerful, successful, or superior by material measures.

• Traditional dharma discouraged hoarding. Even householders were only allowed to save enough for a year; ascetics (yatis) were told not to plan even their next meal.

• These strict limits weren’t about poverty — they were psychological training to free the mind from greed and dependence.

• Spiritual strength comes from trust in Ishwara’s plan. A person who trusts the divine order doesn't feel the need to hoard.

• The rituals of puja, dana (charity), and pilgrimage train people to give — not just occasionally, but as a way of life.

• Giving purifies the mind, while amassing clouds it. Every act of giving during rituals chips away at the ego’s attachment to possessions.

• Vedic wisdom teaches: ‘Take with a hundred hands, give with a thousand.’ Giving must exceed taking — that’s how balance is maintained.

• No other field — not management, medicine, engineering, or science — teaches the virtue of giving like dharma does.

• As you engage in giving, the desire to hoard fades. Greed loses its grip, and the chitta (mind-stuff) becomes cleaner.

• A humble idol can humble a proud man. When a tall man bows to a tiny image of Bhagavan, he learns that size and wealth mean nothing.

• The most respected people in society are not the wealthy, but the renunciants who own nothing. This contrast reshapes our values.

• Realizing this, a seeker naturally loses interest in showing off. Greed dissolves, and spiritual clarity begins to shine.

What makes greed a problem in spiritual life?
Greed clutters the chitta and keeps the mind restless. It fuels attachment and insecurity, making it impossible to access deeper peace or wisdom. When the inner space is filled with desire to possess, there’s no room left for self-realization.

Why does the mind even develop greed in the first place?
Most people operate from fear — of being left behind, of losing status, of running out. This fear shows up as greed, the compulsive need to hoard and cling.

Isn’t saving up for the future just being responsible?
Reasonable provision is wise, but obsessive stockpiling comes from insecurity, not intelligence. When it crosses into fear-based behavior, it becomes spiritually corrosive.

Why does fear turn into greed?
Fear whispers that you won’t have enough — so you keep accumulating. The more you store, the safer you think you’ll feel. But this only feeds the loop, and the greed never ends.

How do I know if my fear is valid or just an excuse for greed?
If your savings give peace and serve needs, it’s fine. But if they come from panic or pride, it’s greed wearing a mask. Honest reflection reveals the difference.

Why would dharma forbid saving for the future? Isn’t that extreme?
It wasn’t literal for everyone. It was a training system — to teach trust, self-discipline, and reduce dependence on the material. It aimed to build inner security, not bank balances.

How do rituals like puja and dana help fight greed?
They train the mind to give, share, and release. Every offering in a puja weakens the ego’s grip. Over time, these acts reshape attitudes toward wealth and ownership.

What if I don’t feel like giving? Won’t it be fake?
Start anyway. The act changes the mind. Giving as a discipline transforms reluctance into joy — like exercise strengthens even lazy muscles.

Aren’t pujas and donations just religious customs? How can they affect my psychology?
They’re psychological tools wrapped in spiritual symbolism. What looks like ritual is actually deep mental reprogramming — breaking greed, building surrender.

Why is giving considered more important than taking?
Giving cleanses the mind. Taking creates dependence. When you give more than you take, you loosen the ego and open the heart.

How can I give more if I don’t have much?
Giving isn’t about quantity. A small act done with sincerity carries more weight than a large donation done for show.

Isn’t it dangerous to teach people to give without teaching them to earn or manage wealth?
The point isn’t financial recklessness, but to break the bondage of moha (delusion). Give wisely, live responsibly, but don’t worship wealth.

Why do people flaunt wealth even when they don’t need to?
They seek validation. When self-worth is low, people use external symbols to feel big. Greed for status hides an inner void.

How does bowing to a tiny idol reduce ego?
It reminds you — power isn’t in size or money. Even the richest man bows before Bhagavan. This act cuts down arrogance.

Cann’t a rich person also be spiritual?
Yes, if the wealth doesn’t own them. But flaunting it for pride is a spiritual liability. Simplicity is often a more fertile soil for inner growth.

Why are sanyasis respected despite having nothing?
Because they live proof that peace doesn’t come from possessions. Their renunciation becomes a mirror — showing society what truly matters.

Should I give up everything to be spiritual?
Not unless that’s your path. Even as a householder, reducing attachment is the key. It's not about giving up, it's about loosening the grip.

Doesn’t society run on ambition and accumulation? Won’t it collapse without them?
That’s the myth. Dharma proposes a middle path — work hard, earn well, but let go of greed. Societies can flourish on cooperation, not just competition.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi