Question: Is it not that every service can achieve success. If the service cannot be judged by its result, how to make sure that Kṛṣṇa is pleased?
Answer by Romapda Swami：
Endeavor is the perfection, not the result.
A favorable result is any action intended to please Kṛṣṇa, not necessarily in the practical outcome of some endeavor.
I will give two practical examples.
Prabhupāda was given instruction. He came to America. For one year he struggled with no result.
He did not become discouraged, because he knew his spiritual master was pleased by the effort he was making.
He met many obstacles and hardships. He endured it all for the pleasure of his spiritual master and to fulfill an instruction.
Here is another interesting example.
When Kṛṣṇa visited Hastināpura in order to try to bring a peace settlement before the war, he wanted to stay at the home of Vidura.
Vidura’s wife was so ecstatic at the opportunity to serve a meal to Kṛṣṇa that instead of serving Him bananas she served Him the banana peels. In her ecstasy, she just forgot.
And Kṛṣṇa was very pleased.
One could say, “Serving banana peels to Kṛṣṇa! That is an offense. That is not success in the endeavor of pleasing Kṛṣṇa.“
There are many other examples that teach us that striving with your sincere heart to please Kṛṣṇa. That is the success of your activities.
Let us take the example of book distribution.
Supposing one day you go for book distribution. And everybody says no. Is Kṛṣṇa pleased?
And another day you may go on book distribution and so many people say yes. And you become filled with pride, “Oh. Look what I have accomplished.” Is Kṛṣṇa pleased?
Of course that you went out and many people said yes, Kṛṣṇa is pleased just by that. But He is not so pleased by the result itself as by the consciousness of striving according to your capacity.
We try our best. And we leave the result in Kṛṣṇa’s hands.
Results or very little results — that is Kṛṣṇa’s decision. Our responsibility is to endeavor sincerely to please Him.
