Fwd: Success And Failure

June 13, 2007

Hare Krsna Success And FailureMany people feel that when they don't fulfill their vrata they havefailed. One practical example to the contrary is Mahatma Gandhi, whotook a vow to be celibate but broke it many times, yet continued theeffort and ultimately conquered his instinctive nature. In taking avrata, at the moment it is heard by priests, elders and all communitymembers, when one hears oneself taking it, and all three worlds rejoice,a balanced scale has been created. Success is on one side, failure onthe other. One or the other will win out. This is where the unreservedworship of Lord Murugan will help overbalance the scale on the successside. But if the scale teeters and wavers, the blessings and knowledgeofthe elders of the community should be sought: the mothers and fathers,the old aunties and uncles, the priests, the pandits and sages, therishis and gurus. This and this

alone will steady the balance. But ifactual failure occurs, Lord Ganesha Himself will catch the fall in Hisfour arms and trunk. He will hold the devotee from going into the abyssof remorse of the darkness of the lower worlds. He will speak softlyinto the right ear and encourage that the vrata be immediately renewed,lest time elapse and the asura of depression take over mind, body andemotion. Yes, the only failure is that experienced by the one who quits,gives up, turns his back on the path and walks the other way, into therealms of darkness, beyond even the reach of the Gods. As Tiruvalluvarsaid, it is better to strive to fulfill great aspirations, even if youfail, than to achieve minor goals in life. Yes, this is very true.On the everyday level there are vratas or contracts made with people ofthe outside world whom you don't even know. Buy a piece of property, andonce you sign the contract you are bound to fulfill

it. But a religiousvrata is a contract between yourself, the religious community, the devasand the Gods and your guru, if you have one, all of whom know that humanfailure is a part of life; but striving is the fulfillment of life,and practice is the strengthening effect that the exercise of the humanand spiritual will have over the baser elements.Vows before the community, such as those of marriage and celibacy andother vows where community support is needed, are very important. Other,more personal vows are taken before the community, a temple priest,pandit, elder, swami, guru, or satguru if help is needed to strengthenthe individual's ability to fulfill them. For a certain type of person,a vow before Lord Ganesha, Lord Murugan, Lord Siva or all three isenough for him to gain strength and fulfill it. A vow is never only tooneself. This is important to remember. A vow is always to God, Godsand guru, community and

respected elders.One cannot make one's vow privately, to one's own individual anava,external personal ego, thinking that no one is listening. This would bemore of a promise to oneself, like a New Year's resolution, a change inattitude based on a new belief, all of which has nothing to do with theyamas and niyamas or religion.In speaking about the yama and niyama vrata, there is no differencein how the family person upholds it and the celibate monastic upholdsit. The families are in their home, the monks are in their matha,monastery. In regards to the vrata of sexual purity, for example, thefamily man vows to be faithful to his wife and to treat all other womenas either a mother or sister and to have no sexual thoughts, feelingsor fantasies toward them. Sadhakas, yogis and swamis vow to look at allwomen as their mothers or sisters, and God and their guru as theirmother and father. There is no

difference.

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