Why Kṛṣṇa Gives Success to the Surrendered Soul
In the material world, people constantly strive for success in the form of wealth, prestige, and influence, only to find themselves ultimately frustrated by the temporary nature of their achievements. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the only true, everlasting success is found in reestablishing one's eternal relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As confirmed by the Lord Himself in the Bhagavad-gītā 18.66, ultimate perfection is guaranteed not by independent material endeavor, but by complete surrender to His divine will. Whether it is through the chanting of the holy names, meditating on the beautiful form of the Deity, or executing practical missionary work under the guidance of the spiritual master, any action performed for Kṛṣṇa's satisfaction is crowned with spiritual perfection. By studying the lives of great mahājanas and sincere devotees, one can clearly see that Kṛṣṇa personally protects, encourages, and bestows boundless success upon anyone who fully depends on His causeless mercy.
Teachings Overview
This article explores Śrīla Prabhupāda’s teachings regarding the true nature of success and how it is ultimately awarded by Kṛṣṇa. It details the necessity of firm faith in the Lord's protection, the practical execution of unalloyed devotional service, and historical examples of perfect devotees who achieved the ultimate goal of life.
Key Teachings
- Real success requires firm faith that engaging in Kṛṣṇa's transcendental service is the absolute perfection of human life.
- The Supreme Lord makes a firm promise to protect and grant success in equal proportion to a devotee's sincere surrender.
- Practical activities, such as chanting, hearing, maintaining a Kṛṣṇa-centered family, and executing the spiritual master's orders, guarantee spiritual perfection.
- Great historical figures like Hanumān, Akrūra, and Arjuna achieved supreme success simply by perfecting their unique loving relationships with the Lord.
Firm Faith and the Lord's Promise
Success in Kṛṣṇa consciousness begins with unwavering conviction. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that if a devotee maintains firm faith despite apparent difficulties, Kṛṣṇa guarantees their ultimate success and provides perfect, personal protection.
The Absolute Guarantee of Protection
"Faith means firm conviction that "If I become transcendentally engaged in the service of the Lord, then my life becomes successful." This is called faith. And that conviction must be firm, not tottering faith."
"Krsna is the Supreme Person. He knows everything. You take the information, knowledge, from Krsna. Then your life will be successful. That is the propaganda of this Krsna consciousness movement."
"Lord Krsna has made a firm promise for all time. If one renders service unto Him, Krsna correspondingly gives him an equal amount of success in devotional service to the Lord."
"Krsna will surely protect me and give me help for the successful execution of devotional service."
"Sometimes He (Krsna) puts His pure devotees in dangers because in that condition of helplessness the devotee becomes more attached to the Lord. The more the attachment is there for the Lord, the more success is there for the devotee."
"You say that you may be a broken gong, but you will never be broken. You are standing solidly by the grace of Krsna. Have faith in guru and Krsna and your attempt will be successful."
Unalloyed Surrender and Dedication
To attain true perfection, a conditioned soul must learn to depend entirely on the Supreme Lord. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that dedicating all activities to Kṛṣṇa and strictly following His direct orders transforms ordinary life into a spiritually successful endeavor.
Relying Only on the Supreme Authority
"If we remain in that position, that our only protector is Krsna and our only duty is to serve Krsna, then our life is successful."
"If you understand that "Krsna is the supreme authority, and my only duty is to satisfy Krsna," then your life will be successful."
"Krsna's direct order - "Always think of Me and become My devotee" - should be followed. If one is simply convinced of this order and comes to His devotional service, giving up all other engagements, one will undoubtedly attain success."
"Our purpose is to introduce these Krsna pastimes all over the world so that they may take lesson that they are seeking after happiness - the happiness is with Krsna, not in the material world. Then you'll be successful."
"So Krsna consciousness movement means it is the beginning of offering everything to Krsna. Then it is successful. Try to satisfy Krsna."
Practical Execution of Devotional Service
The process of bhakti offers highly practical methods for attaining perfection in any stage of life. Śrīla Prabhupāda highlights how chanting the holy names, meditating on the Deity, and utilizing one's given energy under the spiritual master's direction lead to tangible, ultimate success.
Attaining Perfection in Daily Activities
"Everyone of us has got a certain amount of good energy derived from Krishna, and when that energy is employed under the expert direction of Spiritual Master, one's life becomes successful. That is the secret of Krishna Consciousness."
"I have received one article from Rupanuga entitled, "Officials approve Krishna Ministry". Thank you very much. We have succeeded by Krishna's blessing. Now do it nicely. It is a great stride."
"If one lives a family life following in the footsteps of Lord Krsna's family members, one can achieve all four of these principles of success simultaneously by making Krsna the center of all activities."
"If one simply chants and hears the topics of Krsna, one's life will change; he will see a new light, and his life will be successful."
"Meditation means as you see the form of Krsna, and whenever you go, the impression of the form will be within your eyes, and if you think of Krsna, your life is succesful. Therefore the Deity of Krsna should be seen."
Historical Examples of Supreme Success
The Vedic scriptures are filled with accounts of great souls who attained perfection through pure devotion. Śrīla Prabhupāda illustrates this by citing exalted figures like Hanumān, Akrūra, and Mādhavendra Purī, who all achieved ultimate success through their specific relationships with the Lord.
The Perfection of the Mahājanas
"After returning home, he vividly informed Lord Krsna and Balarama of the actual situation in Hastinapura and the intentions of Dhrtarastra. Akrura was sent to Hastinapura by Krsna to study these, and by the grace of the Lord he was successful."
"Akrura, the charioteer, attained success simply by chanting prayers for the Lord."
"Akrura: The commander in chief of the Vrsni dynasty and a great devotee of Lord Krsna. Akrura attained success in devotional service to the Lord by the one single process of offering prayers."
"Caitanya says, "The Lord is very merciful and attached to His devotees, so when Gopinatha was covered with sandalwood pulp, Madhavendra Puri's labor became successful.""
"Hanuman became successful by rendering personal service to Lord Ramacandra. Arjuna became successful by being a friend of Krsna. And Bali Maharaja became successful simply by offering all of his possessions to Krsna."
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ultimate result of realizing the Absolute Truth?
Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that understanding the Absolute Truth, Lord Kṛṣṇa, grants complete spiritual success and permanent liberation from the material world.
How did Kṛṣṇa examine the love of His pure devotee?
Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that Kṛṣṇa affectionately tested Queen Rukmiṇī, confirming that she passed the examination of strict chastity and love most successfully.
What is the prayer of those who have attained perfection?
Śrīla Prabhupāda reveals that perfect souls acknowledge they became successful only by following in the Lord's footsteps, and they continuously pray for His merciful blessings.
What is the primary motivation of a successful pure devotee?
Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that a properly motivated devotee desires only Kṛṣṇa, gladly giving up all other things to attain the supreme success of His association.
How does the physical presence of the Lord affect a devotee?
Śrīla Prabhupāda illustrates through the demigod Varuṇa that simply receiving the personal presence of Kṛṣṇa renders one's existence entirely successful.
From where should we learn the real path to perfection?
Śrīla Prabhupāda warns against following unauthorized rascals, emphasizing that we must learn directly from authoritative scriptures to awaken our affection for Kṛṣṇa and make our lives successful.
Conclusion
The standard of success in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is absolute and eternal, completely superseding the fragile, temporary victories of the material world. Śrīla Prabhupāda systematically explains that true perfection is not achieved by individual mental speculation or strenuous material endeavor, but by placing unwavering faith in the supreme protection and direction of the Lord. Whether one is engaged as a family person centering their home around Kṛṣṇa, or a preacher spreading His glories worldwide, Kṛṣṇa personally intervenes to ensure the spiritual victory of His surrendered devotees. By studying the historical examples of great souls like Hanumān, Akrūra, and Arjuna, every sincere seeker can be confident that by giving their energy, time, and heart to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, they will undoubtedly achieve the highest success of returning 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 Krsna Gives Success. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.