Success of Human Form of Life

Śrīla Prabhupāda consistently emphasizes that the human form of life is not meant for aimless drifting or mere survival but is a specific facility awarded to the living entity to achieve spiritual perfection. While modern civilization often equates success with economic development or political power, Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that such endeavors, if devoid of God consciousness, result only in a waste of the valuable human asset. The true success of this life lies in utilizing one's higher intelligence to understand the Absolute Truth and end the cycle of repeated birth and death.

Unique Purpose of Human Existence

Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that human life is distinct from animal life because of the capacity for spiritual inquiry. He warns that if humans simply utilize their energy for eating, sleeping, mating, and defending, they remain on the animal platform; true success begins when one strives to elevate their consciousness and rectify the mistakes of conditioned life.

• People simply work like animals, not knowing how to make a success of human life. One's human life is successful when one understands Krsna; otherwise one remains an animal.
• We request that to make your life successful, this human form of life, you practice this Krsna consciousness, or God consciousness. That is the success of life, not to live like animals, simply eating, sleeping, sex intercourse and defense.
• Mistakes there may be, but that should be rectified. In this way one has to elevate to the higher standard of spiritual value. That is the success of human life, not to become like cats and dogs.
• To understand Krsna is not so easy job. First of all, so many millions and millions of living entities are there. They are not interested. They are just like animals: "Eat, drink, be merry and enjoy." Nobody's interested what is the success of life.

Ultimate Goal: Understanding God and Returning Home

According to Śrīla Prabhupāda, the perfection of life is achieved when one understands their eternal relationship with the Supreme Lord. He teaches that the summum bonum of existence is to know the position of Viṣṇu and to direct one's activities toward returning back to home, back to Godhead.

• The success of human form of life is to understand this thing: our relationship with God. And we should act in relationship with God. Then our success of life will be achieved. This is the main purpose of Krsna consciousness movement.
• If we know what is our actual aim of life . . . the actual aim of life should be back to home, back to Godhead. Then this human form of life is successful.
• Human life is meant for understanding position of Visnu, and his position, what is the relationship with Visnu, and how to achieve the highest success of life. Sambandha, abhidheya, prayojana.
• If I take the process, how to get out of this cycle of birth and death, then our human life is successful. This is Krsna consciousness movement.

Path to Success: Authority and Discipline

Śrīla Prabhupāda instructs that success is not found through mental speculation but through the disciplined following of śāstra and the bona fide spiritual master. By accepting the instructions of Bhagavad-gītā and following the regulative principles, one purifies the heart and guarantees spiritual advancement.

• If we become intelligent enough to understand the sastras, then our life is successful, human life.
• In order to know all this transcendental subject matter, it is recommended, "One must approach to the proper guru to understand this subject matter." And that is success of human life.
• By following the regulative principles of human life, one gradually raises himself to the platform of spiritual realization. If one is so fortunate, by such practice, to rise to the platform of Krsna consciousness, then success is guaranteed for him.
• If one wants to achieve the highest success in life, one must accept Bhagavad-gita as spoken by the Supreme Lord. By accepting Bhagavad-gita in this way, all of human society can become perfect and happy.

Practical Engagement in Devotional Service

The theoretical understanding of spiritual life must be realized through practical engagement in yajña or sacrifice for the pleasure of the Lord. Śrīla Prabhupāda encourages all human beings to dovetail their talents, wealth, words, and life itself in the service of Kṛṣṇa, which is the only way to achieve complete fulfillment.

• Human life is meant for yajna, sacrifice for the satisfaction of the Supreme Person. We may perfect our activities, but our success lies in satisfying Krsna by our talents.
• The success of human life is considered when one fully surrenders his life, his wealth, his intelligence and his words for the benefit of the Lord.
• As soon as one is cleansed of the dirty things in the heart, then he can understand that, I am part and parcel of Krsna. My duty is to serve Krsna. So let me be engaged in His service and become successful in this human form of life.
• The person who actually wants perfect fulfillment of the mission of human life should simply worship Lord Krsna, and that will simplify the matter and completely guarantee the success of his human life.

Conclusion

In summary, Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that the success of the human form of life is not a matter of material adjustment but of spiritual revolution. To be successful means to extricate oneself from the material entanglement by reviving one's eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Whether through studying Vedic literature, surrendering to the spiritual master, or simply chanting the holy names, the human being must seize this rare opportunity to attain the supreme destination; otherwise, the precious gift of human life is regrettably wasted.

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 Success of Human Life. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.

(See our Vanipedia:Methodology for AI-Assisted Articles)

This content is a part of Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani Temple. Source: https://vanipedia.org