Nowadays there are scarcity of food grains. Even the human being cannot eat sufficiently. But formerly the kings, they used to maintain elephants. They were supplied very nice capatis. Do you know that? Still there are kings, they have elephants. Therefore elephant can be maintained by very rich man. If suppose, if somebody comes, he says, “Take this elephant. I give you free,” will you take? Will you accept? [laughs] You know that elephant will devour you, your all your means of income, all family income, because… You cannot maintain elephant. [laughs]

Therefore in India sometimes, when, a hundred years ago, some students would come in England, especially London, and make a European, English wife… In old days they are doing that. So people would say that “This man is maintaining one white elephant.” Because a European wife means very much expenditure. [laughter] So one Mr. P. R. Das, he was high-court judge, so he was taking bribe on account of maintaining white elephant. He married one European wife. The expenditure very high. In those days for Indian it was a fashion to get a European wife. So this man married one European wife, and his expenditures was very, very heavy. So high-court judge, he was getting only four thousand rupees, and his expenditure was ten thousand rupees, and therefore he was taking bribe. He admitted. So when he was detected by the chief justice, he was dismissed from the post. But this is the position. You should not expend more than your income.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture onSrimad-Bhagavatam 1.10.4 — November 25, 1973, London