Bhakti-yoga at Home

The “Fifty Percent” Puzzle

By Rohiṅīnandana Dāsa

While reading Śrīla Prabhupāda’s books, I’ve often puzzled over passages like this: “Charity is meant for the householders. The householders should earn a livelihood by an honorable means and spend fifty percent of their income to propagate Kṛṣṅa consciousness all over the world” (Bhagavad-gītā 16.3).

When I lived in the temple, I would repeat the phrase “fifty percent of your earnings” rather thoughtlessly. Now that I live outside and have in some ways come out of my ivory tower, I’m a bit more thoughful.

For most people giving fifty percent of their gross income seems too difficult. So I’ve been trying to understand what “fifty percent of one’s income” actually means.

Let’s look at a modest British income of $20,000. After taxes you’re left with $16,200. Then comes the mortgage or rent, and you’re down to $9,000. Fifty percent is already gone. Chalk off another $700 for travel and $1200 for telephone, electricity, and other services. Then maybe $5,000 for food, clothes, repairs and renewals, family recreation, and other expenses. You’ve only got $2,100 left

In speaking about “fifty percent,” Śrīla Prabhupāda cites the example set by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī when he retired from household life. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī allocated half of his accumulated funds for Lord Kṛṣṅa’s direct service, a quarter for his family members, and the rest for personal expenses and emergencies. Note that these were accumulated funds

In commenting on the Gītā (9.27), Śrīla Prabhupāda mentions “surplus money accumulated.” And in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.17.42) he further explains, “One’s accumulated wealth may be divided into three parts for distribution, namely fifty percent for the service of the Lord, twenty-five percent for the family members, and twenty-five percent for personal necessities. Spending fifty percent for the service of the Lord or for propagation of spiritual knowledge in society by way of the saṅkīrtana-yajña is the maximum display of human mercy. … When everyone is taught to sacrifice fifty percent of his accumulated gold for the Lord’s service, certainly austerity, cleanliness, and mercy automatically ensue.”

It’s pretty clear, then, that “fifty percent of one’s accumulated wealth” refers to one’s wealth after essential expenses. When Rūpa Gosvāmī made his contributions, he didn’t include the expenses he had before he took sannyāsa.

When a devotee I know heard this explanation, he suddenly felt that a cloud of confusion, guilt, and apprehension had been lifted. He now felt that it was possible to dedicate fifty percent of his income for Lord Kṛṣṅa’s direct service. Instead of feeling bad about himself and struggling with thoughts like, “If I can’t possibly come up to the mark, why bother at all?” he felt encouraged. In fact, he began to look for ways to cut his expenses to have more for Kṛṣṅa.

Śrīla Prabhupāda didn’t pressure people into giving their hard-earned money. By his pure teaching, people understood what is what and naturally surrendered not only their money but their lives as well.

If anyone has further thoughts on this matter, I’d like to hear them. Please write to me c/o BTG in San Diego.

Rohiṅīnandana Dāsa lives in southern England with his wife and their three children. Please write to him at Woodgate Cottage, Beckley Nr. Rye, E. Sussex TN31 6UH, U.K.