[Posted January 30, 2008]

Where is that most valuable thing?

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami

Is that certificate as good as the physical bar?

World Net Daily Jan 29, 2008 - JEROME R. CORSI

Half of gold in central banks gone? Watchdog: 'We want to expose and stop the manipulation'

U.S. central banks may have less than half the gold they claim to possess in their vaults, charges a watchdog group in an ad scheduled for publication in the Wall Street Journal this week.

As WND reported, the Gold Anti-Trust Action Committee, or GATA, claims the Federal Reserve and the U.S. Treasury are surreptitiously manipulating the country's gold reserves by participating in undisclosed leases, according to an advance copy WND obtained of the ad running in Thursday's edition of the Journal.

GATA believes much of the borrowed gold out on lease will never be returned to the central banks.

"With the demand for gold so strong worldwide, it has become impossible to return much of the leased gold without driving the price to the moon," said GATA's chairman, William J. Murphy III.

"Most observers calculate central bank reserves are supposed to have about 30,000 tons of gold worldwide in their vaults, but we believe the amount of gold actually there may be more like 15,000 tons," Murphy said. "The rest of the gold is gone." go to story

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How does your money measure up?

Dollar at Zero Value Hansadutta das
To determine what the value of the dollar is in relation to gold, or for that matter, what the value of anything might be to anything else, we must first establish what the goal or the "most valuable thing" is, because everything else is only valuable to the extent that it helps us to realise the most valuable possession, "the goal of life".

The goal of life is to be happy, and the opposite of this is to be unhappy or suffering. No one wants suffering. Everyone wants enjoyment.

There are four primary sufferings, which everyone must endure: birth, old age, disease, and death. Therefore, the goal is to get permanent freedom from these four sufferings.

We find those possessing unlimited dollars or gold are not free from these sufferings. Therefore, we can conclude they are not happy, and furthermore conclude that dollars and gold have no real value, because they cannot mitigate these four sufferings. more

Spiritual advancement a gradual process

excerpt from lecture on Bhagavad-gita 16.5, Calcutta, February 23, 1972

GUEST: Bhagavad-gita teaches us that one should treat a piece of gold...

PRABHUPADA: Hm?

GUEST: ...a piece of gold and a piece of stone alike. Is it practically considered?

PRABHUPADA: Where it is stated?

GUEST: One should treat a piece of gold and a piece of stone...

PRABHUPADA: Where it is stated?

GUEST: In the Bhagavad-gita. PRABHUPADA: Where? You recite the shloka [verse].

GUEST: Well I can't...

PRABHUPADA: That's all. This is not question. If you have no clear idea, where the question? Where it is stated? Do you..., are practically can do that—a piece of gold and piece of stone, the same thing? There is a verse, sama-loshtrashma-kan˜chanah. So that is very advanced stage, when one knows that everything is made of matter, so what is the value? Why you can't give more value to the stone, because originally everything is made of matter? There is one thing, panditah sama-darshinah [Bg. 5.18]. But that is when one has attained a very perfectional stage, not for the ordinary man. Ordinary man, you cannot say that "I treat a piece of stone and piece of gold the same way.'' Then why don't you take a piece of stone? Can you say? Suppose if you have gone purchasing to a goldsmith shop. So I say, "Sir, you take this ornament made of stone and you pay me the price of gold.'' Would you agree? Then there is no such... It must be practical. In the practical life that [vision that one thing is equal to another because both are matter] is very higher stage.

Those who do not care either for [anything of this material world]... Just like Sanatana Gosvami. Sanatana Gosvami was in Vrindavana. He was chanting "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna," always. Then, one brahmana, he was very poor—perhaps you know this story—he worshiped Lord Shiva, and when Lord Shiva was pleased, then he wanted to take him, give him some benediction. So, Lord Shiva asked, "What do you want?''
So he [the brahmana] said, "Give me the best thing, so I shall be the greatest of all.''

That he [Lord Shiva] said, "Oh, I haven't got such thing, but if you want, you go to Sanatana Gosvami.''

"Where is Sanatana Gosvami?''

"Vrindavana.''

So he went there. Sanatana Gosvami had a touchstone. The touchstone was kept with the garbage. And he [Sanatana Gosvami] asked the brahmana, "All right, you take that. You are poor man. You take the stone, and if you touch this stone with iron, it will turn into gold. You take this. Find out in that garbage.''

So he took it and went away. So on the street he began to think that "Lord Shiva advised me that 'He has the best thing. You go there.' But he has given me this stone—it is very nice—but why did he keep it with the garbage? He has not delivered me the best thing.'' So he returned back. So when he returned back, then to Sanatana Gosvami he said, "Sir, I, I... this is very nice, but I don't think this is the best thing, because Lord Shiva said to me that you have the best thing. If it is the best thing, why did you keep it with the garbage?''

So Sanatana Gosvami smiled and said, "Yes, it is not the best thing, but for you it was the best thing. You want more than this, more valuable?''

"Yes, sir. For that purpose I came.''

"Then take this stone and throw in the Yamuna.''

So he threw it, and, Sanatana Gosvami said, "Sit down, chant Hare Krishna.''

You see? Those who are actually unattached, sarvopadhi-vinirmuktam tat-paratvena nirmalam [Chaitanya-charitamrita Madhya 19.170: "free from all kinds of material designations, or free from all desires except the desire to render service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead"], for them it is equally valuable. Not for ordinary men. So we cannot jump to the highest position. That is not possible. Therefore we have to go abhayam sattva-samshuddhih [become fearless and undergo purification of one's existence]. This process is recommended. Krishna says, and Krishna says also this. So actually, Krishna says ultimately, sarva-guhyatamam, "The most confidential knowledge I am giving you: sarva dharman parityajya mam ekam sharanam [Bg. 18.66: "Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I shall deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear."]. This is the most confidential.'' So, so long we are not able to come to the platform of thinking the gold and the stone on the equal value, we have to follow these rules and regulations. But that is the highest consideration. Just like Sanatana Gosvami, he didn't care for this touchstone. But this is not for the ordinary man. The ordinary man cannot make that all of a sudden; therefore it is not for him.

Sri Guru and Gauranga

So long we are not able to come to the platform of thinking the gold and the stone on the equal value, we have to follow these rules and regulations.

Where is that most valuable thing?

Half of gold in central banks gone? Watchdog: 'We want to expose and stop the manipulation'

Spiritual advancement a gradual process