Omnipotent, Omniscient, All-Attractive, All-Compassionate, All-Mighty, All-Knowing, Supreme, Perfect, Original, Inconceivable, Unlimited, Creator, The Cause of all causes, The Beginning, The End, The Loving Father; these are but some of the countless words that describe God. On the other hand, The American Heritage Dictionary describes Gold as a soft yellow corrosion resistant element, the most malleable and ductile metal, occurring in veins and alluvial deposits and recovered by mining or by panning or sluicing. A good thermal and electrical conductor, Gold is used as international monetary standard, in jewelry, for decoration, and as a plated coating on a wide variety of electrical and mechanical components. Something regarded as having a great value or goodness, as in the Olympic gold medal and a gold record. However, for the godly sages of India, gold is nothing but a yellow stool. Both God and gold are source of power, fame, and happiness.

If we remove the letter “L” in the word “gold’, the word “god” will appear; similarly, if we add the letter “L” in the word “god”, “gold” will appear. Since this article is about that letter in between God and gold, and since God and gold are powerful words, The letter L must be represented by another powerful word. Brightness, brilliance, radiance, splendor, reputation, beauty, are attributes of both God and gold; and those words mentioned are synonyms of the word luster, which is based on the fiery word lust. “It is lust only Arjuna which is born of contact with the material modes of passion and later transformed into wrath and which is the all devouring sinful enemy of this world”, God states in Bagavad Gita (Song of God). These verse prove the power of lust; The Supreme Lord strongly advised us to curb this enemy called lust. Furthermore, let me add briefly that the mode of passion, mentioned here where lust was born, is in between the mode of goodness and ignorance. It is the crossroad of two roads that lead to heaven and hell.

Wealth is a by product of gold; and from wealth comes power, might, control, authority, dominion, command, mastery etc. An axiom states, “Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely”; power need not be absolute to corrupt. The word power alone should be enough for anyone to realized that power is power that can overcome anyone at any given time.  Power corrupts and spoils a person; and like spoiled food destined for garbage, spoiled people are waste basket case.  To become corrupt is to become dishonest, Immoral, pervert, tainted, contaminated, rotten, spoiled etc.; corrupt is to change from its original form. For me, the word corrupt is not necessarily bad and evil. For if it means change, as evil corrupts a person to do bad, the saints are also trying to corrupt the nonbelievers to become saint. Nevertheless, what controls your heart controls your whole being. Power corrupts; because its source: love of money, wealth, gold is the root of all evil.

It is not easy to deal with people who are all wanting to be lord. “When we are in Rome we do what the Romans do.” “The road to Hell is paved with good intention”. The transformation from goodness to ignorance is like the waning of the moon; it was made gradual and unnoticed, thus the prideful is not aware that he is already in hell. Pride, arrogance, hardheartedness, are qualities that separate us from God. God’s desire is to meet us at the lowest point, where there is no false pride, and arrogance. God is not attracted to haughtiness.

Many years ago, I asked a spiritual teacher; “I noticed that people who engaged in business are not advance devotees, but why is it that although you are a businessman, you are spiritually advanced?” (The teacher was at that time the most big time business person in the community of devotees where I somehow belong.) His answer was short, clear, and simple “That is because I donate fifty percent of my income to the mission of my guru; otherwise, I am only doing business for myself.” Karma Yoga, offering the fruits of one’s action; Gold can be a means to reach God. But anyone should not imitate and think that it is that easy. Because only great souls can do that; and for anyone to think that he is a great soul is a proof that he is not.

Another devotee was once into money making scheme that many years later transformed him into a very wealthy man. Definitely, he achieved his goal; but hearing him talk, he certainly has changed. And as I perceived, it was not spiritually better. Seemingly, by his words and action, the once seeker of truth had lost his soul in the process.

Life is a choice, a crossroad, of whether one should go for God or go for gold. It is goldly not godly to pray to God for gold. Love for God is so pure to taint with the impurities of gold. Most of us thought that there is gold in God; although certainly there is, its not what it seems. “No one can serve two masters which are oppose to each other and many miles apart at the same time”. There must be a reason why there are two “L’s” in the word illusion.

NOTE: Love is another powerful word that start with letter L; but love is directly link with God. It is exclusively owned by God. Love, which is often mistook for lust, is a vast subject to deal with. Love for God is a purifying sun that burns out all impurities, it would be a different subject if love, real love not lust, is the letter L in gold. interestingly, love (?) for gold is also lust. Beauty, luster, and fame are also by products of gold. Lust, last, lost; In dealing with gold, my piece of advise is: if there is gold, take it; but if you have to over endeavor for it, just forget it. God is love and love is happiness. Happiness is life; It is far more precious than gold.