Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.36.38
Ūti· What drives us to actRemain Equal in Success and Failure
“Śrī Akrūra said: O King, you have expertly devised a process to free yourself of misfortune. Still, one should be equal in success and failure, since it is certainly destiny that produces the results of one’s work.”
What the purport teaches
- Śrī Akrūra addresses the King courteously, describing his plan as expertly devised to remove misfortune.
- He nevertheless advises remaining equal in success and failure.
- His reason is that destiny produces the results of one’s work. Planning alone does not ensure the desired outcome.
Try this today
Choose one task today and remind yourself before starting: “I can make an effort without demanding success.”
Ask yourself
How could I remain steadier when the result of my work differs from my hopes?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.