View source for Attaining Happiness Through Devotional Service and Spiritual Realization

Every living entity in this world is working hard because he wants to achieve pleasure and avoid misery. This is the real struggle for existence, but because people do not know the science of God, they look for happiness in the wrong place. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the spirit soul is naturally full of bliss, but this bliss is lost as long as we try to satisfy our temporary senses. Material plans, household attachments, and speculative ideas can never stop the uninvited miseries of life. True, unlimited happiness can only be found when we stop our material attempts, follow the authorized scriptures, and engage our lives in the loving devotional service of Lord Kṛṣṇa.

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=== The Material Illusion of Independent Planning ===

The conditioned souls are always making big plans to become happy and to reduce their distress, but they are constantly meeting with failure. A man and a woman marry and work jointly in so many ways to find peace, but because their hearts are full of material desires, their efforts only increase their problems. In explaining these dynamics, Śrīla Prabhupāda highlights how Vidura correctly states that everyone in this world works for material happiness, but no one finds any real satisfaction or relief from suffering. As long as the mind and senses are focused on these temporary material activities, the living entity must continue his hard struggle and remain trapped in the cycle of birth and death.

* [[Vaniquotes:As husband & wife, a man & woman plan together to attain happiness & decrease unhappiness, working jointly in many ways, but because their activities are full of desires, these activities are never a source of happiness, and they never diminish distress|As husband and wife, a man and woman plan together to attain happiness and decrease unhappiness, working jointly in many ways, but because their activities are full of desires, these activities are never a source of happiness, and they never diminish distress.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:As husband and wife plan together to attain happiness and decrease unhappiness, working jointly in many ways, but because their activities are full of desires, these activities are never a source of happiness, and they never diminish distress|As husband and wife plan together to attain happiness and decrease unhappiness, working jointly in many ways, but because their activities are full of desires, these activities are never a source of happiness, and they never diminish distress.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Vidura said: O great sage (Maitreya Rsi), everyone in this world engages in fruitive activities to attain happiness, but one finds neither satiation nor the mitigation of distress|Vidura said: O great sage (Maitreya Rsi), everyone in this world engages in fruitive activities to attain happiness, but one finds neither satiation nor the mitigation of distress.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:When the mind and senses are engaged in material activities, one has to continue his material existence and struggle to attain happiness|When the mind and senses are engaged in material activities, one has to continue his material existence and struggle to attain happiness.]]

=== The Nature of the Spirit and the Need for Purification ===

We must understand that real happiness is not something that we have to manufacture or work for artificially. As Śrīla Prabhupāda points out, the Devotional ''Vedanta-sutra'' says ''ānandamayo bhyasāt'', which means the spirit soul is already full of happiness by its original nature. In the kingdom of God, no one has to struggle to be happy because spiritual life is naturally blissful. However, in our present conditioned state, we have lost this bliss because we are fighting against the laws of nature. To get back our original position, the sage Ṛṣabhadeva teaches that we must purify our existence by undertaking penances and austerities, which connects us to the permanent source of happiness.

* [[Vaniquotes:In the kingdom of God, no one has to endeavor to attain a standard of happiness. Happiness is the nature of the spirit, as stated in the Vedanta-sutras: anandamayo 'bhyasat - the spirit is by nature full of happiness|In the kingdom of God, no one has to endeavor to attain a standard of happiness. Happiness is the nature of the spirit, as stated in the Vedanta-sutras: anandamayo 'bhyasat - the spirit is by nature full of happiness.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:In the present conditioned state of life, he (a living being) is engaged in a struggle against recurring birth and death. Therefore he has attained neither happiness nor immortality|In the present conditioned state of life, he (a living being) is engaged in a struggle against recurring birth and death. Therefore he has attained neither happiness nor immortality.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:The sage Rsabhadeva told his sons that once they purified their existence they would have unlimited happiness. We are all intended to attain peace and happiness, but whatever peace and happiness we find in this material world is limited|The sage Rsabhadeva told his sons that once they purified their existence they would have unlimited happiness. We are all intended to attain peace and happiness, but whatever peace and happiness we find in this material world is limited.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:We should undertake all sorts of penances and austerities to attain the permanent source of happiness|We should undertake all sorts of penances and austerities to attain the permanent source of happiness.]]

=== Following Scriptural Authority and Spiritual Regulation ===

Real happiness cannot be achieved by following our own whimsical or concocted ideas. The ''Bhagavad-gītā'' explicitly warns that anyone who acts without reference to the ''śāstras'' will never achieve success, happiness, or liberation. To correct this mistake, the scriptures give us authorized rules, like the ''cāturmāsya'' vow, which help us regulate our habits and achieve eternal happiness in the higher realms. Even the heads of government must follow these scriptural instructions to properly execute their ruling power. When a leader guides the citizens according to God's laws, he creates a peaceful society and enjoys happiness both in this life and the next.

* [[Vaniquotes:In Bhagavad-gita it is stated that anyone who lives on concocted ideas, without reference to the sastras, never becomes successful and does not attain happiness or liberation after death|In Bhagavad-gita it is stated that anyone who lives on concocted ideas, without reference to the sastras, never becomes successful and does not attain happiness or liberation after death.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:In the Vedas it is said that one who observes the caturmasya vow will attain eternal happiness in the heavenly kingdom|In the Vedas it is said that one who observes the caturmasya vow will attain eternal happiness in the heavenly kingdom.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:Our actual endeavor should be to attain happiness; that is our real struggle for existence. According to the sastras: tal labhyate duhkhavat. The word duhkhavat indicates that although we do not want misery, misery comes anyway|Our actual endeavor should be to attain happiness; that is our real struggle for existence. According to the sastras: tal labhyate duhkhavat. The word duhkhavat indicates that although we do not want misery, misery comes anyway.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:The instructions given herein (in SB 4.14.15) serve as a summary of how the head of government should execute his ruling power and thus attain happiness not only in this life but also in the life after death|The instructions given herein (in SB 4.14.15) serve as a summary of how the head of government should execute his ruling power and thus attain happiness not only in this life but also in the life after death.]]

=== The Perfection of Devotional Service and Surrender ===

The ultimate cure for all our suffering is the path of pure devotional service to Lord Kṛṣṇa. After trying many material plans and repeatedly failing, an intelligent person finally gives up his independent struggle and surrenders completely to the lotus feet of the Lord. By engaging our wealth, possessions, and energy in Kṛṣṇa's service under a proper spiritual master, we get immediate relief from the three kinds of material miseries. This authorized path is completely real and practical, not sentimental. When the devotees work together for Kṛṣṇa's pleasure, their miseries vanish, they attain great happiness, and they enjoy an eternal life filled with jubilant love of God.

* [[Vaniquotes:After repeated attempts and failures, he fully surrenders to the lotus feet of the Lord. The Lord then gives him directions, and, attaining happiness, he forgets all material engagement|After repeated attempts and failures, he fully surrenders to the lotus feet of the Lord. The Lord then gives him directions, and, attaining happiness, he forgets all material engagement.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:If one engages his possessions in the service of the Lord under the guidance of a proper spiritual master. he will attain happiness both in this life and the next|If one engages his possessions in the service of the Lord under the guidance of a proper spiritual master. he will attain happiness both in this life and the next.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:The living entity can attain the transcendental happiness of being freed from the three kinds of material miseries - miseries arising from the body and mind, from other living entities and from natural disturbances|The living entity can attain the transcendental happiness of being freed from the three kinds of material miseries - miseries arising from the body and mind, from other living entities and from natural disturbances.]]
* [[Vaniquotes:They should go on rendering service to Lord Sri Krsna and enjoy life perpetually. In this way all miseries will be diminished, the devotees will attain great happiness, and there will be jubilant love of God|They should go on rendering service to Lord Sri Krsna and enjoy life perpetually. In this way all miseries will be diminished, the devotees will attain great happiness, and there will be jubilant love of God.]]

=== Conclusion ===

The universal problem of suffering can only be solved when the living entity takes to the path of pure devotional service. As Śrīla Prabhupāda clearly explains, material planning and family arrangements can never give us the permanent happiness we are looking for because they are based on passing bodily desires. True, unlimited happiness is already the natural qualities of the soul, but we can only wake up this bliss by purifying our existence through scriptural regulation. By surrendering our mind, possessions, and actions to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa under a bona fide spiritual master, we are completely freed from the three kinds of material miseries. This simple and scientific path destroys our material bondage, grants great spiritual happiness, and safely returns the soul to its eternal, jubilant relationship with the Supreme Lord.

=== Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani ===

Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category [[Vaniquotes:Category:Attaining Happiness|Attaining Happiness]]. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.

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