That Is Success - The Definition of a Perfect Life
What is the definition of a successful life? Is it a high-paying job, a large family, or international fame? According to Śrīla Prabhupāda, all these are temporary and therefore illusory. Real success is eternal. It is the ability to stop the cycle of birth and death and return to one's original consciousness. Whether one is a scientist, a student, or a simple laborer, the formula for success remains the same: connect one's activities to Kṛṣṇa.
The Puppet of the Guru
The foundation of spiritual success is surrender. Śrīla Prabhupāda often described himself as a "puppet" of his Guru Mahārāja, Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. He explained that success does not come from independent endeavor but from strictly following the orders of the spiritual master. By becoming an instrument in the hands of the ācārya, one connects directly to the Supreme Lord.
- As I am puppet of my Guru Maharaja, if you become my puppet, then that is success. Our success is there when we become puppet of the predecessor.
- After receiving an order from the spiritual master, one must strictly try to execute the order. That is the way of success.
- Very simple thing. We are receiving the transcendental knowledge through guru-parampara succession. So we have to simply take instruction from guru, and if we execute that to our heart and soul, that is success. That is practical.
The Final Exam: Death
Life is a preparation for the final exam: death. The Bhagavad-gītā states that whatever state of being one remembers when quitting the body, that state they will attain without fail. Therefore, the ultimate success of human life is to remember Kṛṣṇa at the last moment (ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ). If one lives a life of luxury but forgets God at death, their life is a failure. Conversely, if one struggles all their life but remembers Kṛṣṇa at the end, they are successful.
- Your devotional service will be tested at the time of death. Because yam yam vapi smaram loke tyajaty ante kalevaram (BG 8.6). At the time of death, if we can remember Krsna, narayana-smrtih, that is all success.
- We should be accustomed to chant Hare Krsna that whenever the death point is there, he would chant Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna. Then that is success.
- Everyone will die. So before death one should be complete in Krsna consciousness. That is success of life.
Freedom from Animal Instincts
Human life is distinct from animal life. Animals are engaged in eating, sleeping, mating, and defending. If a human being simply refines these activities—eating on a table instead of the floor, or sleeping on a mattress instead of straw—that is not success. Real success is to become free from the dictation of the senses. Controlling the sex impulse and overcoming the fear of death are the hallmarks of a successful human being.
- This is material life: eating, sleeping, mating, and always afraid of. And human life means to take freedom from these four things: no more afraid, no more sex, no more hankering after eating or sleeping. That is success.
- You have got a tendency for sex life, take for example. This is your tendency. But if you can check it, that is your success.
Scientific and Social Success
Śrīla Prabhupāda challenged scientists and educators to use their positions for the highest purpose. A scientist is successful not by inventing a new gadget, but by proving through their scientific knowledge that God exists. Similarly, society is successful when it is organized around simple living and high thinking—producing one's own food and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa—rather than industrial complexity.
- If you are actually scientist, then prove that there is God. That is your success of education.
- Produce your own food and produce your own cloth. Don't waste time for luxury, and chant Hare Krsna. This is 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.
Conclusion
Śrīla Prabhupāda warns that we must stop chasing the mirage of material happiness and focus on the real goal. Success is not a matter of accumulation, but of purification. By following the instructions of the spiritual master, controlling the senses, and dedicating our specific talents to the service of the Lord, we can achieve the supreme success: going back home, back to Godhead.
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 That Is Success. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.