There is a story about Lord Krishna, or put another way, about Lord Narada, who was going around to visit his disciples on earth.
Narada went with the first disciple, who happened to come by and said, "Can I accompany you?"
Narada said, "Yes, of course."
The first one they went to visit was a great emperor. Lord Krishna had to wait two hours at the gate because the emperor was busy; probably he had his committee meetings, his cabinet meetings, his finance ministers. The Lord could wait.
"Lord is there for ever, you see, what is the hurry? He is not going to run away somewhere, but my finance minister may not be available in the afternoon, my finance minister is going to Baghdad. God can always wait."
So, Lord Krishna waited in the sun. Eventually the secretary came, greeting him in a very, what should I say, casual way.
"Yes, what can I do for you, Lord Krishna?"
You find this in many rich homes. The welcome you receive is not of the heart, it is from the head. Krishna silently blessed him that he should become even greater, emperor of more and more territory, more and more lands, more powerful, greater armies, greater wealth.
Narada was puzzled, and said, "This fellow is so arrogant. He makes the Lord wait for two hours, and receives him as if he is just a friend or perhaps has come to beg from him, and yet Krishna blesses him!"
In this way they went, you know, more and more puzzling for Narada, Krishna smiling more and more broadly. Krishna was always smiling.

Eventually, they rang up at a cowherd's place in the evening at sunset. This cowherd had one cow and that was his sole wealth. He had taken the milk from the cow and was going to drink it. That was his evening meal. Lord Krishna came, and he immediately offered it to Krishna. Krishna drank it. The cowherd had to go hungry that night. And, not being satisfied with taking away his food, Krishna cursed that the cow may die. Narada was very puzzled.

On the way back he said, "Lord, every one of your meetings has confused me more and more."
Krishna smiled at him and said, "Narada, you are supposed to be the triloka sanchari, you are moving through the seven lokhas all the time. How is it that you don't understand?"
He said, "Lord, if I understood, I wouldn't ask you that question."
Krishna said, "Well, start with the first question."

He said, "That emperor, you know, stupid fellow, arrogant and proud by merely worldly success, not understanding that this world is yours, you are the Lord of this universe. He is only holding a particular piece of land, which he calls his empire. He was arrogant. He made you wait. He didn't greet you properly. Yet you blessed him with more and more territory, more and more empire, more and more power, more and more wealth. What is this maya business?"

The Lord said, "You know, I want him to come to me quickly. Even though he is so drunk with power that he falls giddy and senseless into the pit by the roadside like a drunkard. They generally don't wake up until their liver is going or they have to be fished out by another from the trenches. They are so ashamed that they have to become now men of character, give up drinking."

Narada said, "This is a lesson to me." He went on asking questions and said, "Lord, one last question. This poor cowherd, what has he done to you that you don't like him?"
"No, no, I like him very much. He is one of the most devoted abhyasis, my devotees." "No, no, but your behaviour doesn't tally with what you say."
Krishna said, "Who is Narada that you can criticize me?"
"But Lord, you took away his milk. Okay, one evening's food, but you blessed that the cow should die. Is this becoming of you, the Almighty Lord, Master of Creation?" Krishna smiled and said, "Narada, you have indeed much to learn. You know, that cow is the thing which is standing between him and me. He is so attached to that cow. Until that cow is gone he will never come towards me."

So, the rich man must understand that God is giving them more and more because, until they are at the peak of their, shall we say, desires, ambition, power madness, they will not run towards God. And from the beggar, He has to take away his beggary; his begging bowl perhaps has to be smashed, because he thinks he can beg without the Lord's mercy.

The lesson of the story is that God gives to those whom He has to give to change them, and the Lord takes away from those from whom, without taking away, He cannot change them. ……

Truth of the matter is that God is merciful. He loves us whether we are rich or poor, ugly or beautiful, prostitutes or saints - doesn't matter to him. He has his own way of pulling us towards Himself because we are his children - this is the spiritual message.

Source: Heart to Heart, Volume IV, pp. 374-37, P. Rajagopalachari, 2001, Shri Ram Chandra Mission India

Q: Does this story give you a different perspective on why some people are materially successful and others seem to suffer materially?

Q: Should you judge a person's worth on their material success?

Q: What do you think is a good attitude to have towards events in life that bring either worldly success or failure, in the light of Krishna's teachings to Narada?

Q: In Sahaj Marg some of the Maxims relate to the principle of this story. They are:
Maxim Five: "Be truthful. Take miseries as Divine blessings for your own good and be thankful."
Maxim Seven: "Be not revengeful for the wrongs done by others. Take them with gratitude as heavenly gifts."
Maxim Eight: "Be happy to eat in constant Divine thought, whatever you get, with due regard for honest and pious earnings."

O, Master!
Thou art the real goal of human life.
We are yet but slaves of wishes
Putting bar to our advancement,
Thou art the only God and power
To bring us up to that stage.