Richard (now Radhanath Swami) and Asim Krishna met a mystical lover of Krishna, Sripad Baba. Sripad Baba was a homeless mendicant and mysteriously wandered in Vrindavan in a God-intoxicated trance. Although Sripad Baba was revered by people in Vrindavan, no one knew his age or his residence. One night Richard saw him standing shoulder high in the frigid waters of the river offering prayers until sunrise. Sripad Baba seemed to know every hill, rock, or grain of dust in all of Vrindavan. In his association, Radhanath Swami began to feel he had no trace of love for Krishna in his own heart. Radhanath Swami once had an overwhelming experience when he longed for the love of God, cried and begged for that love. He suddenly felt everything was irrelevant in the absence of love for God.
Sripad Baba revealed to Radhanath Swami an interesting aspect of Krishna; God is universally worshipped as a great king, but in Vrindavan He is loved as a friend, a child or as a lover. Radhanath Swami often says that God is not simply great but also sweet, and Sripad Baba revealed to him Krishna as the essence of all beauty and sweetness.
Hearing Radhanath Swami’s talks I get a feeling that Krishna as a God is a mesmerizing blend of greatness and sweetness. All religions declare that God is great and Radhanath Swami speaks from the eleventh chapter of Bhagavad Gita and explains how this greatness can be seen even in Krishna. However there is another aspect to Krishna, says Radhanath Swami, and that is the sweetness of his attraction and love. I once heard Radhanath Swami describe Krishna’s stealing of butter from the house of the women in Vrindavan. A thought came across my mind, “Why should God steal and perform mischief?” As if answering my doubt, Radhanath Swami explained, “Krishna as God is self-satisfied as everything belongs to Him. However he likes to reciprocate with the love of His devotees, for Krishna is bound by that love.”
In India Krishna festivals are very popular with millions congregating to hear week long discourses on Krishna’s activities, especially about his childhood play and frolic in Vrindavan. These discourses are given by popular professional speakers, with accompanying kirtan, musical performances. Reading about Krishna fills the hearts of his devotees with incalculable sweetness. Interestingly I have observed Radhanath Swami and many other speakers about Lord Krishna repeat the stories with much excitement and enthusiasm as if they were narrating it for the first time. I understand that repeated speaking and hearing these stories simply increases the joy of the devotees.
Krishna theology is refreshingly different from the stereotyped understanding of God as a great Lord who metes out justice and awards the faithful on the Day of Judgment. Krishna is the same God as understood in all other theistic traditions, but the sweetness aspect of His personality helps devotees relish the path of Bhakti yoga.
The German philosopher Friedrich Nietzche said, “I would believe in a God who could dance.” Krishna is known as an expert dancer, natabara, who dances in rasa lila, the dance of divine love, in the pastures of Vrindavan. Radhanath Swami explains that we can also experience the sweetness of God by sincerely chanting the Holy names of God. The Holy names are also great and sweet, says Radhanath Swami. They are great because they can destroy the negativities from the heart and at the same time the sweetness of the Holy names can also be experienced by spiritualists who chant with great feeling of love.
Table of Contents
Founder-acharya of the International Society For Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)
“Go to India” a sweet but commanding voice; spoke up in the heart of young Richard (later Radhanath Swami) who was immersed in meditation, his search for meaning in life has brought him to the Isle of Crete. Today he was ordered to go to India. Born and raised in the middle class suburbs of Chicago, Radhanath swami grew up in the 1950’s and 60’s era when popular musicians protested war, prejudice and social injustice. Radhanath swami would listen to these songs again and again, but their lyrics referring to God stirred his soul. Peter, Paul and Mary- the folk trio from Greenswich village sang in their debut album
“Early in the morning, about the break of day
I ask the Lord, to help me find my way”
This simple prayer was to guide Radhanath swami in the coming years of his life........
Such a perfect explanation by Radhanath Swami about God’s nature.
View CommentThe greatness of God amazes us but his sweetness captures our heart.
View Commentbeautiful article, haribol, rajesh karia
View CommentThe Lord is both great when it comed to his spiritual form and even sweet when it comes to pleasing his devotees like the stealing of the butter, haribol, bhakti
View CommentRadhanath Swami has nicely explained the greatness & sweetness of Supreme God.
View CommentSweetness and greatness are often incompatible in this world. But God seems to transcend such logic.
View Commentdevotion to God helps us taste the sweetness of God
View CommentRadhanath Swami Maharaj explains Krishna so well!
View CommentKrishna’s sweet pastimes, specially in Vrindavan, are very very pleasing to hear & these pastimes distinguishes him from his other incarnations……
View CommentRadhanath Swami’s understanding of God’s qualities is very profound. He is one of the most learned Vedic scholars who is inspiring tens of thousands of people across the globe to take up God-conscious earnestly.
View CommentIts important to hear about both God’s greatness and sweetness.
View Commentso nice
View CommentStory of Sripad baba is amazing.
View CommentRadhanath Swami can explain Krishna in such detail, its amazing
View CommentVery sweet and true. Thank you Radhanath Swami
View CommentRadhanath Swami Maharaj explains the sweet qualities of Lord so beautifully!
View CommentVery nice blog
View CommentSpiritual topic are ever fresh. Thank you very much for this post.
View CommentMany all over the world know God is great. But hardly they know how great God is. One of the aspects of God’s greatness is His unlimited sweetness. Thanks Radhanath Swami for revealing Lord’s greatness in His sweetness to the whole world.
View CommentRadhanath Swami Maharaj is explaining the supremacy of Lords sweetness over His power!
View CommentThanks swamiji for sharing your beautiful realisations…….
View Commentperfect.
View CommentTo love GOD is the highest manifestation of our spirituality, and most difficult too.
View Commentgreatness & sweetness of the LORD is nicely explained by Radhanath Swami
View CommentThe Holyname of the Lord is the sweetest and is the only way to approach God in this age of quarrel and hypocrisy. Thank you Radhanath Swami for giving us this message.
View CommentRadhanath Swami Maharaj is revealing the beautiful sweetness of the Lord!
View CommentI really liked Nietzche’s desire – a God who dances.
View Commentvery good article
View CommentThanks to H.H Radhnath Swami Maharaf for providing us that Sweetness of Lord
View CommentAll Glories to HH Radhanath Swami maharaj for a good article
View CommentYes, It is indeed very nicely explained by Radhanath Swami that God is ultimately not a judge sitting and monitoring our activities. That is not His prime duty. God has created us (living entities) to enjoy eternally a loving relationship with Him. When we become envious of God’s position, we come to this temporary material world.
Thank you very Radhanath Swami for enlightening us.
View CommentIts so nice to see how Krishna was revealing himself to Radhanath Swami simply reciprocating with his sincerity
View CommentRadhanath Swami has nicely explained the features of God
View CommentVery nice explanation!!
View CommentKrishna’s sweetness pulls us towards his bhakti….as revealed by Radhanath Swami..
View Commentvery nice, thank you very much maharaj
View CommentGreat saints like, Sripad Baba, Radhanath Swami have experienced the sweetness and greatness of the Lord. Radhanath Swami is giving that experience to everyone through his lectures, articles, and many other ways. Tahnk you Radhanath Swami
View CommentPerfect explanation of the sweet & loving nature of God…Thank you for sharing
View CommentI would like to taste the sweetness of the Lord , through chanting His Name, but for that I have to be genuine follower of the spiritual master.
View CommentPAMHO. Radhanath Swami explains the need of sincere chanting to understand sweetness of Krishna is best reminder.
View Commentthank you very much
View CommentThank you for posting this
View CommentMaharaj has described clear understanding of God as great and sweet as well
View CommentThe sound philosophy of devotion helps further our devotion to the Lord.
View CommentLord’s simultaneously being great and also sweet is what attracts us to God.
View Commentnice explanation of the greatness and the sweetness of God (or Krishna!) from the teachings of Radhanath Swami Maharaj.
View CommentThank you very much for sharing. Radhanath Swami gives us the way to experience the sweetness of God that is only by sincerely chanting the Holy names of God. The Holy names are great because they can destroy the negativities from the heart.
View CommentThank you maharaj
View CommentNice article – Thank you so much Maharaj for sharing this wonderful article.
View CommentWonderful article
View Comment