What Does Success Look Like

“Have you conquered all the obstacles in the way of your practice of austerities? Has your practice of austerity and penance steadily increased? O lady who possesses asceticism for wealth [tapodhane], have you been able to control your anger and your eating? Have you observed all the regulative principles and have you achieved happiness of mind? O lady who speaks beautifully, has your service to your guru been fruitful?” (Lord Rama speaking to Shabari, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 74.8-9)

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कच्चित्ते निर्जिता विघ्नाः कच्चित्ते वर्धते तपः
कच्चित्ते नियतः क्रोध आहारश्च तपोधने
कच्चित्ते नियमाः प्राप्ताः कच्चित्ते मनसः सुखम्
कच्चित्ते गुरुशुश्रूषा सफला चारुभाषिणि

kaccitte nirjitā vighnāḥ kaccitte vardhate tapaḥ
kaccitte niyataḥ krodha āhāraśca tapodhane
kaccitte niyamāḥ prāptāḥ kaccitte manasaḥ sukham
kaccitte guruśuśrūṣā saphalā cārubhāṣiṇi

“Let’s take the example of a person who is familiar with the teachings of the science of self-realization. They are a student in the school of bhakti-yoga. This is the genuine kind of mysticism, incorporating consciousness, action, inaction, right, wrong, dispassion, and everything else you can think of that a person has to deal with on a daily basis.

“This student has been in the game for a while. They try their best to follow the principles. They have accepted an authority figure. It is a person whom they trust. This is not like the case of the snake who speaks softly, who has the perfect words to fit the occasion, but is crooked in the background.

बेष बिसद बोलनि मधुर मन कटु करम मलीन
तुलसी राम न पाइऐ भएँ बिषय जल मीन

beṣa bisada bolani madhura mana kaṭu karama malīna
tulasī rāma na pāiai bhae~ biṣaya jala mīna

“If a person has the dress of a sadhu and speaks sweet words but is bitter and unclean in their mind and deeds, then Tulsi says they have no prayer of attaining Shri Rama, as they are like the fish stuck in the dark ocean of material sense objects.” (Dohavali, 153)

“We are talking about a dedicated follower, a card-carrying member of a specific institution, whether it be worldwide or exclusive to a remote area in the wilderness. The question I have relates to success. How can this student tell if they are on the right path? How do we know that there is progress being made?

“I understand that the ultimate test is at the time of death. Whatever state of being we remember, in that state we continue. That makes sense, but what about right now? How can we tell that we are doing things properly, that there isn’t this egregious mistake that is hindering our progress?”

The question itself reveals a keen awareness of the fleeting nature of the living experience, in the specific iteration. The end can take place at any time. No one is guaranteed even a second longer than they actually have, in the allotment predetermined by destiny.

Shri Hanuman once conducted a similar self-assessment. He wanted to make sure that his past efforts, which were heroic by even the standards of the greatest skeptic, did not go to waste. Everything should end well in that particular mission. The way forward should be determined by considering the amount of effort already sacrificed. We should avoid behaving whimsically, callously, or without regard to the stated objective.

न विनश्येत्कथं कार्यं वैक्लब्यं न कथं भवेत्
लङ्घनं च समुद्रस्य कथं नु न वृथा भवेत्

na vinaśyetkathaṃ kāryaṃ vaiklabyaṃ na kathaṃ bhavet
laṅghanaṃ ca samudrasya kathaṃ nu na vṛthā bhavet

“How can I ensure that the purpose of my task does not get destroyed? How shall I avoid mental disparity, and how do I ensure that my crossing of the ocean does not go for naught?” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 2.41)

Hanuman was in the path of bhakti-yoga through physical exertion and mental deliberation in a dangerous and difficult mission. Arjuna was also in the same path, but he had direct access to the original teacher, the adi-guru. Arjuna could ask about the visible signs. He wanted to know what success looked like at the individual level. How do we identify someone who is truly in knowledge, who has the transcendental consciousness?

Shri Krishna responded with a series of descriptions pivoting off the central focus of detachment. Whether high or low. Whether winning or losing. Whether gaining or decreasing. A person who is steady through the changes, through the extremes, through the constant shifts, is considered to be in knowledge.

The steadiness is due to control over the senses. This is where the knowledge makes an impact. The theoretical, jnana, makes a practical difference, vijnana. The wise person keeps their senses in check and dedicates everything to the Supreme Lord. That is the obvious sign of advancement.

तानि सर्वाणि संयम्य युक्त आसीत मत्परः
वशे हि यस्येन्द्रियाणि तस्य प्रज्ञा प्रतिष्ठिता

tāni sarvāṇi saṁyamya
yukta āsīta mat-paraḥ
vaśe hi yasyendriyāṇi
tasya prajñā pratiṣṭhitā

“One who restrains his senses and fixes his consciousness upon Me is known as a man of steady intelligence.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.61)

That end-goal feels far away. We are not even close to keeping the senses in check. We try our best to sacrifice in favor of the Supreme Lord, but if the senses get the best of us, how can we remain pure in the stated allegiance? In the case of measuring gradual progress, prior to attaining the final objective, we can look to the questions posed by Shri Rama.

This was when meeting the female sage named Shabari. Rama asked the questions more out of formality than inquisitiveness. As antaryami, He already understood the dedication in Shabari. He would not have met her had she not already been at a worthy status.

Rama asked if the eating was under control, if the austerities had been increasing, if the interaction with the spiritual guides had been worth it, and if there was an overall sense of happiness. These are easy steps that any person can take. These are assessments that we can call upon at any time. After all, if we are advancing, then we should know that our guru has been telling the truth. They are genuine because their recommendations have caused a meaningful change. We are not simply following blindly, and neither does all of our hope rest on the supposed paradise of placement in the afterlife. We can feel a change in consciousness, from material to transcendental.

In Closing:

Form lacking tangible though,
A feeling which intrinsically to know.

That previously in fire burning,
But now transcendental turning.

From the recommendations taking,
Words of guru a difference making.

Such that happiness in mind,
Like in Shabari to find.