25.205
apane rahe eka paisara cana cabaiya
ara paisa baniya-sthane rakhena dhariya
SYNONYMS
apane—personally; rahe—lives; eka paisara—of one paisa’s worth; cana—fried chick-peas; cabaiya—chewing; ara—the balance; paisa—four or five paise; baniya-sthane—in the custody of a merchant; rakhena—keeps; dhariya—depositing.
Earning his livelihood by selling dry wood, Subuddhi Raya would live on only one paise’s worth of fried chick-peas, and he would deposit whatever other paises he had with some merchant.
PURPORT
In those days there was no banking system like the one now found in Western countries.
If one had excess money, he would deposit it with some merchant, usually a grocer.
That was the banking system.
Subuddhi Raya would deposit his extra money with a mercantile man and spend it when necessary.
When one is in the renounced order, saving money is not recommended.
However, if one saves money for the service of the Lord or a Vaisnava, that is accepted.
These are the dealings of Subuddhi Raya, who is one of the confidential devotees of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
Srila Rupa Gosvami also followed this principle by spending fifty percent of his money in order to serve Krsna through brahmanas and Vaisnavas.
He gave twenty-five percent of his money to relatives, and twenty-five percent he deposited in the custody of a merchant.
These are the approved methods recommended in Caitanya-caritamrta.
Whether in the renounced order or in the grhastha order, a Vaisnava should follow these principles set forth by the previous acaryas.