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xviii How I AcHIeved ReAl SucceSS
that the valuable knowledge contained in them would be easily
accessible to everyone. He explained that life was not meant
simply for working hard to have a comfortable standard of
living, but primarily to understand who we are, who God is,
and what our relationship with Him is.
What struck me the most was that Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasized
that spiritual self-realization was not a vague, ‘pie in the sky’
sort of a concept that men sitting in armchairs puffing on
cigars should be debating about, but, in fact, it is real, can be
experienced firsthand by anyone who is sincere, and should
be an essential part of our everyday lives.
As I became more and more interested, I was inspired to
practice sādhana — the regular devotional program — which
would help to further enhance my new understanding. Śrīla
Prabhupāda often used to say that the proof of the pudding is in
the eating. Indeed, as I began to follow the Vedic instructions,
my conviction grew, for I could see that my consciousness was
changing, and overall, I was happier and more serene than I
have ever been.
Yet it wasn’t easy, for it seemed that the ideals of spiritual
life were quite the opposite of the beliefs held dear by most
people, including me. The Vedas exhort people to be humble,
satisfied in all circumstances, noble in their thoughts, and kind
to all living entities. These are, without doubt, praiseworthy
qualities, but actually they are no longer appreciated in the
present society. The message we received while growing up
was to be fiercely competitive and always strive to achieve
more — a better job, a fancier car, and a bigger house. The
implicit message was that it would be nice if this could be
achieved without hurting anyone in the bargain, but if things