Real Success of Life
What is success?
Success is the achievement of a high position in a particular field or a desired/favourable outcome of an endeavour. The word success is very much relevant to all of us in our life. Everyone is hankering for victory, name, fame, wealth and many more. Does it mean that success is related to achieve these material gains in any field of life by hook or crook? Does it give us ultimate happiness and satisfaction? Everything in this material world is trapping us more and more because we fall in misconceptions, like I am born to enjoy, eating, drinking, sleeping and be happy. But can success guarantee happiness?
We Should know in perfect consciousness that human life is bestowed upon the conditioned soul to achieve spiritual success and the easiest possible procedure to attain this end is to chant the holy name of the Lord.
— Srimad Bhagavatam, 02.01.12.Real Success
Real success of life lies in pleasing the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Krishna. Here question arises, why should I please Krishna? We can only be happy by pleasing Krishna because we are part and parcel of Him. What is our real identity? Jivere swarup hai Krishner nitya daas. That living entity is the eternal servant of the Lord. It is evident from Srimad Bhagavatam ( 1.2.13 ) ……….‘samsiddhir hari-tosanam’. The highest perfection is to please the Personality of Godhead. This is also confirmed in Bhagavad-gita ( 4.13 )
Success lies in the beginning of real happiness. Real happiness lies only in spiritual world whereas only it’s reflection is there in the material world. Happiness comes only when the soul is happy. Then how can the soul become happy? According to Srimad Bhagavatam ( 1.2.6 ) The supreme dharma of the soul is devotional service of the Lord. The test of one’s success is how fast one has developed love of God.
Real success also depends in our endless endeavor to please Krishna and not the results. The shastric examples are though Vritrasur was defeated in a war with Indra but this was his great success as he went to Goloka dham. Jatayu who was defeated by Ravana while struggling for the service of the Lord, got mercy of Lord Rama.
What does 'Success' mean to you?
The life of material existence is just like Hard Wood, and if we carve Krishna out of it, that will be success of our life.
— Srila PrabhupadaSrila Prabhupada and his untiring efforts
Success is not a matter of Luck. The rewards one gets in life are usually the results of one’s efforts. No man can hope to have a very easy life and also at the same time a very successful one.
Srila Prabhupada, the founder-acarya of Iskcon is known as the perfect successful as he was the great revolutionary. He had a very clear vision of the world situation, a clear ideology which is taken directly from the Supreme Lord Himself. In 1965 , he sailed to America with only Rs 40/- at the age of seventy to fulfill the order of his spiritual master. In Jaladuta, he had two heart attacks and was suffering with sea sickness. He struggled alone and trained non Indians in strict discipline of vaisnavism and established International Society for Krsna Consciousness. He spread the chanting of the holy names of God through Hare Krsna Mahamantra i.e. Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, which became famous in every corner of the globe. He established 108 Krishna temples and trained his disciples in the process of deity worship. He formally initiated five thousand disciples. He inaugurated the Rath Yatra festival of Lord Jagannatha in major cities around the globe.
It is evident from all the above facts of Srila Prabhupada’s life that he is known as ‘Jagat Guru’ without even accumulating any wealth or hoarding materialistic things. He wasn't rich in the conventional sense of the word but he filled our lives with riches beyond words.We are grateful to Srila Prabhupada for his unparalleled achievements which teach us how to be successful and remain in Krsna Conscious services inspite of being an entity of this materialistic world.
Choose the path & move in direction of Authorised Spiritual Movement. Success is guranteed.
— Srila PrabhupadaHare Krishna Maha Mantra - Chanting by HG Chakrini Mataji | ISKCON
© 2018 Shaloo Walia
Comments
AUTHORYeah Carolyn, all religions preach us to serve God and give the universal message of live and brotherhood. It's sad how people misinterpret the teachings and fight in the name of religion.
When I was in college (many years ago), I took a course on World Religions. After reading about all of them (not a complete list, but certainly the major ones), it occurred to me that there were so many similarities. The proper names are different, but the concepts are universal. Material things on Earth are transitory. Finding peace in your heart, having gratitude, and living a life helping others is lasting.
Thank you for a wonderful article!
- AUTHOR
Well said!
- AUTHOR
I have read many books by srila prabhupada including The Bhagvad Gita AS It Is. Will check out the other book that you mentioned.
Your devotion is inspiring!
All scriptures teach just one thing, and that is devotion to the Supreme Being and by following His word success is guaranteed.
Haha.
I hide my knowledge sometimes. Smile.
Two books gave me spiritual solace in 1982. One was The Path: Autobiography of a Western Yogi and the other was The Bhagavad Gita - As it Is by His Divine Grace A. C Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabupada.
I have read many versions of various Gita's since and studied Vedic Literature.
Even after all this time, I still lay emphasis on practice. On Seva, Meditation ... gratitude ... satsang ... om Shanti!
- AUTHOR
Thank you, Manatita! You are such a sincere seeker. It's amazing to see the depth of your knowledge and understanding.
An excellent Article! His Divine Grace A,C Bhaktivedanta Shrila Prabupada was a very devotional man. Yes, chanting is a great or excellent means for obtaining Happiness.
You explain and relate to success very well in today's world. In Guruji's philosophy, we see it as much an imposter as failure itself. The goal is always progress … always ahead of us … self-transcending, going beyond, beyond, into the ever-transcending beyond.
I saw the famous American Bhakti singer Krishna Das recently. He visited us in NY in August and performed for us. Also, I spent three months in Kenya recently and the Hare Krishna devotees would turn up at the Uni every Thursday with free food. Delicioso! Good to see your spiritual articles. Hari Om Tat Sat!
- AUTHOR
@Eric I know you are deeply religious which reflects in your writings. And what I love most about your sermons is that you practice what you preach.
- AUTHOR
@Bill Priorities change with time
I have prayed in a temple created by Srila Prabhupada. I seem to think outside of Boston USA. This notion of he comes back to love in my view. No better mantra music.
I am a devout Christian and Paul clearly told us to find the Good, and this is good.
Muchas Gracias
My answer to your poll today is much different from what it would have been twenty years ago. Peace be with you, my friend.
- AUTHOR
You are right, Ann. Money can make life easier but it can never guarantee peace and happiness.
Money guarantees nothing; health and happiness are all, whilst helping each other as we go along.
Ann
- AUTHOR
@John Srila Prabhupada's life is indeed very inspiring. Even old age couldn't deter him from fulfiling his life purpose.
I found this very interesting, Shaloo. It doesn't matter what religion we are we can learn many life lessons from spiritual leaders such as Srila Prabhupada.
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