What is the goal of money or wealth?

[dattaswami]

What is the goal of money or wealth?

Ans.) The goal of the extra money is only service to God. The goal of the human life itself is service to God. Before death the human life should attain the grace of the Lord. But for such service the maintenance of body and family are essential. When a real devotee spends money for the self and family, even then pleasing the self and family is not the main goal. There also the main goal is maintenance of body and family to serve God. If such is the goal, even if one commits sin, it does not touch the soul. For example Kannapa is maintaining the body and family by hunting soft natured animals like rabbit etc. Such hunting of soft natured animals did not obstruct his salvation. When people spend the same for social service without God, they can reach only temporary haven as per Gita.

Kannapa earned salvation through sin. Dharma Raja gave lot of charity but went up to heaven only and not Brahmaloka. This is very clear from Swargarohana Parva in Mahabharatha. The reason for this is Dharmaraja practiced only dharma but did not fully believe Krishna, since he did not tell a lie when Krishna asked for it.