AND EVERYTHING WILL BE BACK YOURS

Greed tempts us to chase success in every bet, only to find ourselves on the losing side. Always.

By Ashutosh Kumar

The allure to make quick bucks in less time with less effort and with less effort has always captivated the human mind. In historic times, people encashed recreation by predicting the outcomes through the roll of a pebble or dice. Over time, gambling evolved, expanding from sports betting to casino games to online games, where people try to monetize on recreation. What initially began as a form of entertainment deceptively morphed into a behavioral addiction. Studies reveal that 34% of individuals seeking treatment for gambling addiction exhibit symptoms of post traumatic disorder (PTD).

The adverse impact of speculative trading (akin to gambling) in stock market has recently sparked regulatory concern. News report flashed in August 2024, “Everyday Indians are losing huge amounts of money, up to $7.23 billion a year on Futures and Options (F&O market).” Perhaps, the noble purpose of F&O, which was set up to serve as an insurance mechanism for big corporate houses to hedge their risks, has turned disastrously dangerous for millions of individuals.

The low barrier to entry and no or low requirement of technical know-how has impelled both young and old to enter the F&O market, hoping to profit from the directional movements. But these directional movements are highly speculative, making the market even more enticing. This often results in windfall losses for most, if not all, individual participants. As the statutory warning by SEBI across all trading platform reads, “Nine out of ten individual traders in equity Futures and Options Segment incurred net losses.”

The Lure Of Gambling

If there is a prospect of spending a little money and doubling it, what’s the harm? But wherever there is chance, how could it not harm? Isn’t it akin to a double-edged sword? Everyone hopes the profitable side will be sharp. But as it turns out the losing side often cuts. The ancient tale of the dice match in the Mahabharata, though orchestrated under divine will, imparts valuable insights into the pitfalls associated with the lure of gambling.

Cunning Duryodhana, envious of the virtuous Pandavas, invites them for a dice match. As it turns out, he rigged the dice to gain upper hand over the unassuming Pandavas. Imagine a gambling platform where everything is fair, transparent and equitable in its result. If that were the case, it wouldn’t be any less than a charitable ATM that dishes out cash with every punch of a card or tap of a button. The very system is statistically designed for the host to win and majority of the participants to lose.

Gambling thrives on the host’s expertise of profiting from participant’s greed. The Bhagavad-gita identifies greed as a human weakness, as a hindrance to ultimate self-development (Gita 16.21). While the external glamor of luxury possessions — such as sleek cars, exotic trips, private yachts, premium watch collections — might create an illusion of financial prosperity, seldom do we realize the elusive nature of this facade, concealing the true essence of financial freedom.

The Psychology Behind Gambling

Financial freedom is a byproduct of self-development that is solidly based on competence. But where every rule is based on random chance, the gambler eventually ends up as a mute spectator, while losses knock out the slats underneath their imaginary profits, eroding their capital. You start seeing things that do not exist — that’s the power of the anartha (psychological conditionings) of greed.

In the field of neurology, studies posit that dopamine — the pleasure inducing hormone — serve as the reward mechanism in our system. In the world of money making, dopamine is sustained when there is real investment of physical and intellectual resources. Conversely, it drops steeply when there is no such investment. Simply put, with each unit of gambling win, the unit of pleasure drops precipitously. Sustaining the euphoria requires a continuous cycle of similar gambling events. This proves the profound psychological addiction associated with gambling. Individuals who lose money are driven to retrieve the lost capital, while those who make money keep doubling down on risky bets impelled by insatiable greed. This is precisely the reason why there is no last man standing in the arena of gambling, except the organizers who host the match and collect exponential brokerage charges.

The Gambler’s Dilemma

Yudhishthira, despite his initial reluctance to engage in further gambling, succumbed to influence. The invitation of temptation to gamble is irresistible. Duryodhana’s persistent persuasion suggested that if Yudhishthira were to win the next game, all the previously lost stakes would be transferred back.

As the fateful event unfolded, Yudhishthira first staked his wealth in the gamble and lost it. In the hope of regaining what was lost, he then bet on his kingdom (Indraprastha), followed by staking his brothers, himself, and finally his wife. Incrementally, his losses compounded exponentially. It’s the same lure that entices every participant in a gamble — the belief that just one more round of betting will recover all the lost money.

Duryodhana’s neatly woven gambling trap played out productively for him as Yudhishthira walked straight into the trap in a bid to recover his lost stakes at the start of every successive play, but to no avail. Despite his persistent efforts, Yudhishthira found no success in reversing the tide of his accumulating losses.

Even the most ambitious person sees things that no one else sees. Similar is the case with individuals who engage in gambling. However, a crucial distinction emerges: the gambler’s outlook hinges on sheer chance, whereas the ambitious person’s perspective relies more on expertise.

Gambling From A karmic Angle

It is a common assumption that individuals are the sole architects of their lives. However, the Bhagavad-gita asserts a trinity of contributors to our actions: the individual (the one who executes actions), the Supersoul (divinity who approves our actions), and nature (that facilitates the outcome) [BG 5.14-15].

Engaging in gambling entails participating in an activity that seeks the favor of luck. This luck is determined by the Supersoul, who approves our proposals based on our karma (actions) and our desires. If the desire is relentless and karmic accounts are positive, gambling is favorable. But frequent acts of gambling deplete our karmic account, which has a net negative effect on the outcome. It is no wonder the gambler often ends up broke.

As events unfolded, prince Duryodhana successfully manipulated the dice to deceive the Pandavas, resulting in their banishment from the kingdom for thirteen years due to their loss in the gamble. Yudhishthira’s inability to resist the temptation of further gambling came at a high cost, erasing years of effort and diplomacy invested in securing a place within the kingdom by a single gambling event.

The consequences of gambling extend beyond the epic tale of the Mahabharata. Many of us have either heard or witnessed the aftermath of gambling — lives shattered, careers ruined, families torn apart, and, in extreme cases, even suicide and chronic psychological illness. The wisdom of the adage becomes apparent — there is no such thing as a free lunch. Each time one engages in seemingly cost-free gambling pursuits, one unwittingly gambles with themselves, their values, and their character.

Gambling — Subset Of The Dark Quartet

From a theological vantage point, Sukadeva Gosvami, while narrating the onset of Kali-yuga, sheds light on the nature of gambling. King Parikshit after a lot of deliberation had to allow the spirit of Kali (quarrel and hypocrisy) to reside primarily in four places: gambling, illicit connections, meat consumption, and intoxication. Notably, all the four aspects are intricately interconnected, forming a dark quartet. For instance, research indicates that gambling addiction increases by a staggering 23-fold for individuals grappling with alcohol. Involvement in any one of the above is addictive enough to undermine the intrinsic purity of our commitment to lead a virtuous life free from compulsive addictions.

Of the many struggles that cross our path, the following quartet of Kali stands out as a deceptive force, distorting our vision and making it challenging to discern reality from fantasy.

What should raise our concern is that beneath the surface of the above quartet, we see the accelerating erosion of bedrock virtues that form the very foundation of human civilization: truthfulness, cleanliness, austerity & mercy.

One might still wonder, “Why Parikshit accommodated the spirit of Kali in the first place?” The reason is that Kali personified sought shelter, and it is the duty of noble king to provide refuge to those who surrender (SB 1.17.31).

That’s the beauty of Vedic civilization. It is an open society. There is space for everything and everyone because evolution of human consciousness is not linear. It is a gradual process for those who are spiritually ignorant. Nevertheless, scriptures do not confuse the society about the true north; it always tries to guide humanity towards spiritual elevation of consciousness (athato brahma-jijnasa).
 

Orienting Towards True North, Away From Gambling

So how do we mould our lives toward the true north? To start, we must first identify our purpose for earning money—whether it’s to provide for our loved ones, go on vacations, retire comfortably and do charity. These purposes serve as guiding lights on the journey (toward the true north). Next, we can collaborate with others and a finance expert to estimate our financial commitments and goals, arriving at a realistic figure. Without this clarity, fear of financial insecurity can make gambling appealing, driven by overwhelming anxiety. Once we plan out and arrive at the final figure, we are more secure and less tempted by gambling overtures.

However, some would argue that the greed for more never dies. On the contrary, it triggers countless ripples of anxiety distorting the true north of life. This highlights the core issue: are we headed toward the true north—the spiritual north? If our focus is solely on wealth, then we’re trapped in an endless loop of greed. No matter how much we can earn, someone will always have more than us.

We need to acknowledge that unchecked greed for wealth consumes one’s consciousness. Lord Krishna, therefore, cautions against the risk associated with greed for money through his teachings to Uddhava, in verse SB 11.8.15.

na deyam nopabhogyam ca
lubdhair yad duhkha-sancitam
bhunkte tad api tac canyo
madhu-hevarthavin madhu

“A greedy person accumulates a large quantity of money with great struggle and pain, but the person who has struggled so much to acquire this wealth is not always allowed to enjoy it himself or give it in charity to others. The greedy man is like the bee who struggles to produce a large quantity of honey, which is then stolen by a man who will enjoy it personally or sell it to others. No matter how carefully one hides his hard-earned wealth or tries to protect it, there are those who are expert in detecting the whereabouts of valuable things, and they will steal it.”

Therefore, it’s crucial to let go of the craving for wealth by recognizing the consequences of a greedy mindset that lures us into seeking shortcuts for quick bucks. This addiction diverts our focus away from making the necessary efforts and sacrifices that are essential for personal growth and development. Such addiction leads us to a lack of self-discipline and moral restraint, which are critical for living a spiritually conscious and meaningful life. To break this addiction, we need to redirect our energy towards making contributions through professions that align with our natural talents, competence, and inclinations, allowing us to find purpose and fulfilment.

By doing so, our endeavors and wealth become truly fulfilling when dedicated to the Lord’s service. In this spiritually conscious state, our greed to enjoy transforms into greed to serve, pacifying our hearts, intensifying our devotion, and ultimately capturing the Lord’s heart. By embracing this lifestyle, we evolve and rise above the deceptive allure of greed that constantly whispers, “One tap, one more game, and everything will be yours.”