Secret of life

Expressions researched:
"secret of life" |"secret of success in life"

SB Canto 9

So-called scholars and philosophers do not know the secret of success in life, and therefore they suffer in the hands of prakṛti, nature.

SB 9.15.26, Purport:

In human life, one should be trained to perform yajñas. As we are informed in Bhagavad-gītā (3.9), yajñārthāt karmaṇo 'nyatra loko 'yaṁ karma-bandhanaḥ: if we do not perform yajña, we shall simply work very hard for sense gratification like dogs and hogs. This is not civilization. A human being should be trained to perform yajña. Yajñād bhavati parjanyaḥ (BG 3.14). If yajñas are regularly performed, there will be proper rain from the sky, and when there is regular rainfall, the land will be fertile and suitable for producing all the necessities of life. Yajña, therefore, is essential. For performing yajña, clarified butter is essential, and for clarified butter, cow protection is essential. Therefore, if we neglect the Vedic way of civilization, we shall certainly suffer. So-called scholars and philosophers do not know the secret of success in life, and therefore they suffer in the hands of prakṛti, nature (prakṛteḥ kriyamāṇāni guṇaiḥ karmāṇi sarvaśaḥ (BG 3.27)). Nonetheless, although they are forced to suffer, they think they are advancing in civilization (ahaṅkāra-vimūḍhātmā kartāham iti manyate). The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is therefore meant to revive a mode of civilization in which everyone will be happy. This is the motive of our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Yajñe sukhena bhavantu.

SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13

The body has a relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, just as the soul does. Since both of them are energies of the Lord, neither of them is false, because they come from the reality. One who does not know this secret of life is described as abudhaḥ.

SB 10.3.18, Purport:

Again, there are those who reject the body, regarding it as insubstantial. They are of the same category of fools. One can neither reject the body nor accept it as substantial. The substance is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and both the body and the soul are energies of the Supreme Godhead, as described by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gītā (7.4-5):

bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ

khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca

ahaṅkāra itīyaṁ me

bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭadhā

apareyam itas tv anyāṁ

prakṛtiṁ viddhi me parām

jīva-bhūtāṁ mahā-bāho

yayedaṁ dhāryate jagat

"Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego—all together these eight comprise My separated material energies. But besides this inferior nature, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is a superior energy of Mine, which consists of all living entities who are struggling with material nature and are sustaining the universe."

The body, therefore, has a relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, just as the soul does. Since both of them are energies of the Lord, neither of them is false, because they come from the reality. One who does not know this secret of life is described as abudhaḥ. According to the Vedic injunctions, aitadātmyam idaṁ sarvam, sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma: everything is the Supreme Brahman. Therefore, both the body and the soul are Brahman, since matter and spirit emanate from Brahman.

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

The act which is done for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord, that is immune from all reaction, but anything which is not done for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord, that will oblige me in so many bondage of obligation, and I will have to repay that after many, many continuation of this repetition of births and deaths. That is the secret of life.

Lecture on BG 3.8-13 -- New York, May 20, 1966:

Now, if I am protected from the reaction of my sinful acts, but it does not mean that I shall surrender unto the Supreme Lord at the same time continue to act sinfully, no, not that. Or if I am obliged to continue, the God, or the Supreme Lord will protect me. That is the version. Therefore everyone should act yajña. Yajña means work to satisfy the Supreme Lord. That is called yajña. If we do not do that, then we shall be obliged. Otherwise... "Otherwise" means the act which is done for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord, that is immune from all reaction, but anything which is not done for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord, that will oblige me in so many bondage of obligation, and I will have to repay that after many, many continuation of this repetition of births and deaths. That is the secret of life. So,

devān bhāvayatānena

te devā bhāvayantu vaḥ

parasparaṁ bhāvayantaḥ

śreyaḥ param avāpsyatha

(BG 3.11)

And if you live your life for sacrifice, sacrifice of yajña, then you will never be unhappy. You'll never be in want. We become unhappy for want of things which we require. This is practical. This is practical. Anyone... You will be surprised.

If anyone can understand this secret of life, that nobody is proprietor... Everyone is claiming that "I am proprietor of this house. I am proprietor of this land. I am proprietor of this country." Or "I am proprietor of this planet." You can go on increasing. There are many instances who became proprietor of many other planets also. In the history I have got. Not only this planet, but many other planets. But this is mistake.

Lecture on BG 5.22-29 -- New York, August 31, 1966:

Now, if anyone understands that Kṛṣṇa, or the Supreme Lord, He is the enjoyer of all activities... Now, whatever activities are going on in this world, there is some result of any activity. Especially good activities. Here it is called yajña-tapasām. Yajña and tapasya, that is good. They are pious activities. So Kṛṣṇa says that if anyone can understand that all result of pious activities, the enjoyer is Kṛṣṇa... Bhoktāraṁ yajña-tapasāṁ sarva-loka-maheśvaram (BG 5.29). And He is the proprietor of all planets. Not only this earth, but there are innumerable planets, innumerable universes, and the Lord is the proprietor of all these universes. Then suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām, and He is the only friend of all living entities. Suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānāṁ jñātvā māṁ śāntim ṛcchati. If anyone can understand this secret of life, that nobody is proprietor... Everyone is claiming that "I am proprietor of this house. I am proprietor of this land. I am proprietor of this country." Or "I am proprietor of this planet." You can go on increasing. There are many instances who became proprietor of many other planets also. In the history I have got. Not only this planet, but many other planets. But this is mistake. Actually, the proprietor is the Supreme Lord. We are just guest in His house. We are not proprietor. We must have, we must develop this sense, that Kṛṣṇa is the proprietor, or the Supreme Lord is the proprietor.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

Kṛṣṇa says Arjuna that "I am talking to you most confidential matter." What is that? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam. "This is the secret of life. Don't bother yourself in this way and that way. That is the secret. You simply become surrendered unto Me."

Lecture on CC Madhya-lila 6.154-155 -- Gorakhpur, February 19, 1971 (Krsna Niketan):

Therefore, so long we shall want something for our sense gratification, without serving Kṛṣṇa we shall suffer. That is the proposition. In different ways we shall suffer. Therefore Kṛṣṇa very kindly, most confidential... Sarva-guhyatamam. Kṛṣṇa says Arjuna that "I am talking to you most confidential matter." What is that? Sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇam (BG 18.66). "This is the secret of life. Don't bother yourself in this way and that way. That is the secret. You simply become surrendered unto Me." Ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi: "I am giving you guarantee. You have committed so many sinful activities life after life, and you'll suffer life after life. But if you surrender unto Me, I give you protection, guaranteed." Mā śucaḥ: "Don't be worried." Why don't you take this path? This is the way. Viṣṇu-śakti. We are visnu-śaktis, parā, para-śakti, cit-śakti. But we are not śaktimān. Śaktimān is Kṛṣṇa, and we are śakti. And when we consider that "I am śaktimān; I can do something," that is avidyā. That is avidyā.

1972 Conversations and Morning Walks

Yes. So you try to give them, these foolish men.

Room Conversation -- April 2, 1972, Sydney:

Śyāmasundara: The whole secret of life has been lost when this civilization was lost. Every knowledge.

Prabhupāda: Yes. So you try to give them, these foolish men. They are after dharma artha kāma mokṣa (SB 4.8.41, Cc. Ādi 1.90). Therefore, Bhāgavata begins, dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra: (SB 1.1.2) all this cheating, rascaldom, is thrown away. Dharma artha kāma mokṣa. Dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo 'tra. Śrīdhara Swami explains, kaitavaḥ, these are all cheating. The so-called religion, so-called economic development, so-called sense gratification, so-called liberation, they're all cheating.