Real success

Expressions researched:
"real success"

SB Canto 1

One who wants to have self-realization must approach and take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master to achieve real success.

SB 1.16.3, Purport: Even for a king like Mahārāja Parīkṣit there was need of a spiritual master for guidance. Without such guidance one cannot make progress in spiritual life. The spiritual master must be bona fide, and one who wants to have self-realization must approach and take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master to achieve real success.

SB Canto 3

One has to surrender unto the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead, Hari, or Kṛṣṇa, in order to achieve real success.

SB 3.21.7, Purport: The Personality of Godhead, Hari, also fulfills the desires of His surrendered devotee. One has to surrender unto the lotus feet of the Personality of Godhead, Hari, or Kṛṣṇa, in order to achieve real success. Devotional service, or engagement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, is the direct method, and all other methods, although recommended, are indirect. In this age of Kali the direct method is especially more feasible than the indirect because people are short-living, their intelligence is poor, and they are poverty-stricken and embarrassed by so many miserable disturbances. Lord Caitanya, therefore, has given the greatest boon: in this age one simply has to chant the holy name of God to attain perfection in spiritual life.

SB Canto 5

The real success in life is to remember the holy name, attributes, activities and form of the Lord at the time of death.

SB 5.3.12, Purport: The real success in life is ante nārāyaṇa-smṛti—remembering the holy name, attributes, activities and form of the Lord at the time of death. Although we may be engaged in the Lord's devotional service in the temple, material conditions are so tough and inevitable that we may forget the Lord at the time of death due to a diseased condition or mental derangement. Therefore we should pray to the Lord to be able to remember His lotus feet without fail at the time of death, when we are in such a precarious condition.

The real success or fulfillment of the mission of human life can be achieved in India.

SB 5.19.10, Purport: The real success or fulfillment of the mission of human life can be achieved in India, Bhārata-varṣa, because in Bhārata-varṣa the purpose of life and the method for achieving success are evident. People should take advantage of the opportunity afforded by Bhārata-varṣa, and this is especially so for those who are following the principles of varṇāśrama-dharma. If we do not take to the principles of varṇāśrama-dharma by accepting the four social orders (brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya and śūdra) and the four orders of spiritual life (brahmacārī, gṛhastha, vānaprastha and sannyāsa), there can be no question of success in life.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Real success of life is that when you learned how to love God.

Lecture on BG 2.9 -- London, August 15, 1973: You may follow any religion. It doesn't matter, either Hindu religion or Christian religion or Mohammedan religion, anything you like. But we have to test. Just like a student who has passed M.A. examination. Nobody inquires, "From which college you have passed your examination? You have passed M.A. examination? That's all right." And we are concerned, whether you are graduate, postgraduate. That's all. Nobody inquires, "From which college, from which country, from which religion, you have passed your M.A. examination?" No. Similarly, nobody should inquire, "To which religion you belong?" One must see whether he has learned this art, how to love God. That's all. That is religion. Because here is the religion: sarva-dharmān parityajya māṁ ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66]. This is religion. Bhāgavata says. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ atra: "All cheating type of religion is kicked out from this Bhāgavatam." Only nirmatsarāṇām, those who are not envious of God... "Why shall I love God? Why shall I worship God? Why shall I accept God?" They are all demons. For them only, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, for them only those who are actually serious to love. Ahaitukī apratihatā yenātmā samprasīdati. So real success of life is that when you learned how to love God. Then your heart will be satisfied. Yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ. If you get Kṛṣṇa or God... Kṛṣṇa means God. If you have got another name of God, that is also accepted. But God, the Supreme Lord, the Supreme Person.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Nobody can become successful unless he satisfies Kṛṣṇa. That is real success.

Lecture on SB 1.7.36-37 -- Vrndavana, September 29, 1976: Nothing is bad provided it is meant for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction. Ataḥ pumbhir dvija-śreṣṭhā varṇāśrama-vibhāgaśaḥ. The varṇāśrama-vibhāga must be there. But what is the aim of varṇāśrama? Simply by becoming a brāhmaṇa he's successful? No. Nobody can become successful unless he satisfies Kṛṣṇa. That is real success. Just like Arjuna did. By the military art, he satisfied Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, by your vaiśya-vṛtti, kṛṣi-go-rakṣya-vāṇijyam [Bg. 18.44], you can satisfy Kṛṣṇa. By your brāhmaṇa-vṛtti you can satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Even by your śūdra-vṛtti you can satisfy Kṛṣṇa. That possibility is here, that Kṛṣṇa says sva-karmaṇā tam abhyarcya. The aim should be how to satisfy Kṛṣṇa. Doesn't matter whether you are a brāhmaṇa or a kṣatriya.

Real success is how one is faithful to his guru. That is real success.

Lecture on SB 1.7.44 -- Vrndavana, October 4, 1976: Caitanya Mahāprabhu was very strict on this point. As soon Vallabhācārya spoke that "I have written a better comment than Śrīdhara Svāmī," immediately Caitanya Mahāprabhu become offended. He said, "Oh, you have become more than Śrīdhara Svāmī? You don't care for Svāmī?" So he remarked immediately, svāmī yei jana na māne veśyara bhitare. That is the system. You cannot overrule ācārya. Ācārya... Ācāryopāsanam. Ācārya should be always worshiped. Even if you, by ABCD, you have become more learned than the ācārya... That is not possible, but if you foolishly think like that, still, you should not exhibit your foolishness, that you know more than the ācārya. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's... By His life example, He has taught us that the more we remain ignorant, foolish before the ācārya, or before the guru, that is more we advance. Real success is how one is faithful to his guru. That is real success. Yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau. It is not by education or grammatical knowledge you can learn anything. No. It is by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And that grace comes down through the grace of guru. That grace also does not come directly. We should not be neglecting this point.

Those who die before Kṛṣṇa, they attain their original position, svarūpa. So that is real success. Otherwise, there is no death.

Lecture on SB 1.16.24 -- Hawaii, January 20, 1974: Bali-mardana: Prabhupāda, you stated that on the Battlefield of Kurukṣetra all the warriors who were dying in the presence of Kṛṣṇa, they all gained liberation. So I'm wondering... Each one of us has within our heart also the representative of Kṛṣṇa. So when we die, why is not everyone liberated? Prabhupāda: But you have no sense of Kṛṣṇa. You have no sense of Kṛṣṇa. Or actually you do not die. That is another thing. This death means in the... That is described in the Bhāgavatam. Those who die before Kṛṣṇa, they attain their original position, svarūpa. So that is real success. Otherwise, there is no death. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre [Bg. 2.20]. It is not death; when our body is destroyed, that does not mean we are dead. You are spirit soul, I am spirit soul, every one of us, but we have no death. That is another illusion. Tathā dehāntara-prāptir dhīras tatra na muhyati [Bg. 2.13]. This so-called death, it is not death. Dhīra, one who knows, one who is sober, he knows that "This man or this boy or this father is dying... He's not dying. Dehāntara-prāptiḥ: he is just changing another body. He's changing an..." So actually we have no death. The change of body. So we are accepting this change of body as death. That is another illusion.

Arrival Addresses and Talks

Real success is to get out of the clutches of māyā, means this material conditional life which comprehends birth, death, old age and disease.

Arrival Lecture -- Miami, February 25, 1975: Out of many thousands, millions people, one is anxious to make his life successful. Nobody is interested. Practically they do not know what is actually success of life. The modern civilization, everyone is thinking, "If I get a good wife and nice motorcar and a nice apartment, that is success." That is not success. That is temporary. Real success is to get out of the clutches of māyā, means this material conditional life which comprehends birth, death, old age and disease. We are passing through many varieties of life, and this human form of life is a good chance to get out of this chain of changing body one after another. The soul is eternal and blissful because part and parcel of Kṛṣṇa, God, sac-cid-ānanda, eternal, full of bliss, full of knowledge.

General Lectures

There are many thoughts and theories, but real success of life is to become a mahātmā, broader, broad-minded.

Conway Hall Lecture -- London, September 15, 1969: So to become mahātmā and liberated... There are so many theories how to become liberated, how to become mahātmā, how to become religionist, how to become philosopher. There are many thoughts and theories, but real success of life is to become a mahātmā, broader, broad-minded. Mahātmā means broader-minded. They are not, I mean to say, short-minded, that "I am this," "I am that"—"I am Hindu," "I am Muslim," "I am Christian," "I am Indian," "I am German," "I am Englishman"—no. Mahātmā is sarvopādhi-vinirmuktam [Cc. Madhya 19.170]. He is freed from all designation. These are all our designations. When I think, "I am Englishman" or "I am Indian," this is my designation. Because as soon as I change this body, I accept another body. Then all my philanthropy as Englishman or Indian—immediately finished.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Whenever there is Kṛṣṇa, there is the real success.

Morning Walks -- October 1-3, 1972, Los Angeles:

Svarūpa Dāmodara: You have said that whenever there is Kṛṣṇa there will be success everywhere, all the time.

Prabhupāda: Eh?

Svarūpa Dāmodara: When there is Kṛṣṇa, there will be success everywhere.

Prabhupāda: That is the real success.

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

Our real business is how we shall be successful to become an obedient servant of Kṛṣṇa. That's all. That is real success.

Morning Walk -- April 5, 1974, Bombay: Prabhupāda: So they are trying to get that siddha, the perfection, by so much yogic process, but another living entity, without understanding any yogic process, can do that. So these things are not very great gains. There are... In different planets there are different living entities. Just like we cannot touch fire, but in the sun globe there are also life, human beings, but their body is made of fire. Just like in the water. I cannot go into the water, but there are so many small fishes, they are living very nicely. So this we do not know. We are trying to gain success in these material activities, but by God's will, there are different living entities. They have already all the successes. So therefore our real business is not to waste our time to get any material success. Our real business is how we shall be successful to become an obedient servant of Kṛṣṇa. That's all. That is real success.

1970 Correspondence

Try and get all our books accepted in the college libraries and classroom courses. That will be our real success.

Letter to Damodara -- Bombay, India 12 November, 1970: I am glad to see that you are working in the universities. They are a good field for spreading our Krishna Consciousness activities. Try and get all our books accepted in the college libraries and classroom courses. That will be our real success. Dr. Cenkner is correct in saying that Sankaracarya's belief is personal. Actually he is a covered personalist. He became impersonalist just to drive away Buddhism. All of India was Buddhist voidism. So, although a personalist, he had to keep pace with voidism by expounding impersonalism. There is very little difference between impersonalism and voidism, but because he had to bring Buddhists back to the Vedic cultural form, he adopted impersonalism. From the Padma Purāṇa, it is learned that Sankaracarya is Lord Siva, and who can be a greater devotee than Lord Siva? Lord Siva is considered to be the foremost Vaisnava.