Pearls of Wisdom

Success

PhalatÐsòÀÒunyena kriyamÀòe karmaòi sattvaÒuddhijÀ jnÀnaprÀptilakÒaòÀ siddhih, tadviparyayajÀ asiddhih

(Ādi ŚakarÀcarya's commentary on Bhagavad GītÀ , Chapter II. Verse 48)

Translation

Success is characterized by the attainment of knowledge from the work done by a purified mind without the craving for result, and the failure is opposite to it.

Note by the Editor

We have different definitions of success and failure for the different works we do. In short, when our desired purpose is fulfilled, we call it success. This success becomes the purpose of our work. What we do not think is, that every purpose of our work itself becomes a means to fulfil other higher purpose. This is a chain of actions and its purposes. No purpose can be a final purpose if the success is transient like money or name and fame or position in the society. Purification of the mind is the purpose of all actions and there by achieving Supreme knowledge about the TRUTH or GOD is the final purpose of life. All relative success is only a steppingstone for the final success.