Richard (now Radhanath Swami) soon learnt that one of the most special devotees in Vrindavan was Krishnadas Babaji. Krishnadas Babaji would sing devotional songs with great absorption and often struggled to restrain tears. Although he was seventy years old, he was like an inexhaustible volcano, erupting with ecstasy each time he chanted the Lord’s holy names. Richard learnt that Babaji knew fluent English but never spoke a word of it until it was absolutely required. Richard was particularly impressed by this because he had met many in India who would try to show off even little bit of English they knew. But babaji had no trace of arrogance.
In Krishnadas Babaji’s association, Richard’s misconception that silent meditation is the path of spirituality was shattered. He saw the obvious power of Babaji’s knowledge, detachment and love, and concluded that chanting and dancing is not sentimental but a deep expression of love for the Lord. Babaji spoke with great feeling about Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who descended five hundred years ago and distributed love of God in the easiest possible way.
Radhanath Swami recollects that Krishnadas Babaji was empowered to chant the holy names constantly because he had no trace of pride and sought no adoration. While teaching young Richard (now Radhanath Swami), Babaji revealed the essence of Lord Chaitanya’s philosophy that one should strive to be more humble than a blade of grass, more tolerant than a tree, and to offer all respect to others while expecting none for one’s self. Only in this way one can taste the nectar of the Holy Name.
Humility, sometimes misconstrued as a weakness, is actually a power that few people tap. Radhanath Swami, quoting his guru, says, “Humility means the freedom from the anxiety of having the satisfaction of being honoured by others.” Radhanath Swami also contrasts this by saying that pride, the opposite of humility, makes us crave for honour from others as our source of happiness. When a proud person is disrespected, his lack of freedom becomes appallingly obvious; he is forced by pride to lose his prudence and explode with words and actions, often hurting the other person and even himself far beyond what the situation warrants. Humility, on the contrary, brings freedom from the craving for external honour and empowers us to act for our and everyone’s long-term good. Radhanath Swami’s pearl like wisdom shines forth in his declaration, “Humility doesn’t mean that we let others trample upon us without protesting, but that we don’t let others’ (mis) behaviour determine our decisions and lives. Humility allows us to calmly consider the cause of disrespect and maturely adopt a principled course of action to clarify the situation and rectify the misdemeanour.”
Radhanath Swami gives equal importance to tolerance and considers it to be an underutilized power. A relative behaves unreasonably, a colleague speaks impolitely, a power cut upsets our plans, and another vehicle cuts across our path-such daily situations offer rich premiums for the tolerant. Tolerance empowers us to not let irritating circumstances steal our peace of mind. “Lack of tolerance makes us a victim of our circumstances”, says Radhanath Swami, “whereas tolerance brings the freedom to choose an intelligent response and stay fixed in our values and goals, irrespective of our circumstances.”
Radhanath Swami’s emphasis on humility and tolerance brings to mind an example that one friend gave. Our biceps protect us from physical dangers. Similarly, humility and tolerance protect us from internal over-reactions to externally distasteful situations. Thus they constitute our inner muscles, which we can increase by the spiritual bodybuilding exercise of chanting the holy names of God.
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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........
Building our internal muscles is very important than external muscles.
View CommentNice article……Particularly I liked the statement ‘Chanting and dancing is not sentimental but a deep expression of love for the Lord’…..externally I have been doing the same for years but this statement is very powerful & clarifies the purpose of chanting & dancing……..
View CommentRadhanath Swami is himself a very wonderful example of humility & tolerance.
View CommentRadhanath Swami’s deep realizations on humility and tolerance are something I have never realized from anyone before—-they are simply awesome! It just reflects his own humility and tolerance.
View Commentthank you for wonderful article
View CommentRadhanath Swami, quoting his guru, says, “Humility means the freedom from the anxiety of having the satisfaction of being honoured by others.”
View CommentIf we become humble & tolerant, then we can make rapid progress in our spiritual life. Radhanath Swami is a wonderful role model for all of us in this regards.
View Commentvery nice blog
View CommentJust like Radhanath Swami mentions in this blog, humility & tolerance are two very essential attributes that we need to possess in order maintain good spiritual health!
View CommentAll Glories To H.H Radhanath Swami Maharaj
An excptional piece of wisdom, just price less. Even a small attept to practice will one day make us a sage.
Thank you Maharaj, Thank you so so much.
Hare Krishna
View CommentHumility & tolerance are two essential attributes that we need to possess in order maintain spiritual health. H.H Radhanath Swami is a role model for all of us in this regard. H.H Radhanath Swami Mahraj ki jai.
View Commentvery nice article
View CommentRadhanath Swami learnt this principle of humility & tolerance from many genuine saints on his spiritual quest & he himself teaches his followers to keep these principles in heart at all times.
View CommentIn every lecture of Radhanath Swami these words of humility and tolerance play a major role. Thank you Radhanath Swami for teaching us the highest principles to progress in spirituality.
View CommentOur biceps protect us from physical dangers. Similarly, humility and tolerance protect us from internal over-reactions to externally distasteful situations. Thus they constitute our inner muscles, which we can increase by the spiritual bodybuilding exercise of chanting the holy names of God.
View CommentThis statement about humility, by Radhanath Swami, should become the official definition in the worlds leading dictionaries and books.
View CommentThank you for sharing the experiences by Radhanath Swami about the importance of humility.
View CommentVery wonderful mediation. I pray at the lotus feet of Maharaj that one day I also develop humility and tolerance by which I can overcome all the obstacles in the path of Bhakti. Thanks for sharing this wonderful meditation.
View Commentwonderful,thank you
View CommentHumility is the ornament of the gentleman
View Commentthe results of this spiritual body building exercise we can see in Radhanath Swami’s life which gives us faith to continue the exercise
View CommentAmazing power of Humility which is really underestimated ….thanks to radhanath swami
View CommentMaharaj is teaching us what is real humility.
View Commentwonderful article
View CommentThank you Radhanath Swami for teaching us to become humble servants of Lord
View CommentRadhanath swami’s inner muscles are v powerful and lets try to follow the same.
View CommentThanks to Radhanath Swami.
View CommentHariiii bol. Thanks for sharing.
View CommentRadhanath Swami Maharaj is humility & tolerance personified!
View CommentWe are so grateful to Radhanath swami for presenting these principles so clearly and scientifically.
View CommentThanks for wonderful article.
View CommentHumility means the freedom from the anxiety of having the satisfaction of being honoured by others. What a brilliant quote. Radhanath Swami has the knack of absorbing the most wonderful realisations on the topic of humility.
View CommentNice Blog
View CommentThank you very much for explaining the essense of Teaching of Chaintanya Mahara, Chanting the holyname with great humility.
View CommentKrishnadas Babaji’s story one of the most inspiring story in this book.
View CommentThank you for sharing.
View CommentThese words are so enlightening that I wish to read them again and again. Radhanath Swami is expert at revealing gems of wisdom hidden deep within the mine of ancient wisdom.
View CommentThank you Maharaja for teaching us the valuable principles to lead our life according to
View CommentWho does not want freedom from the anxiety and by following these simple tips from Radhanath Swami we learn to Tolerate which empowers us to not let irritating circumstances steal our peace of mind.
View CommentThis is why Radhanath swami personally in his life follow these principles of being Humility, Tolerance, Giving respect to everyone and Expecting none in return….and he wants his followers to accept the same mood….then one can chant the Holy names of God constantly.
View CommentRadhanath Swami spiritual path has made progress because he always believed on the principles of humility and tolerance. One can get to know about his struggle on the spiritual path from his autiobiography ” The Journey home”.
View CommentA wonderful lesson on tolerance by Radhanath Swami
View CommentExcellent article!!! Radhanath Swami has given real deep meaning of Humility and tolerance. Thank you for sharing…
View Commentthank u maharaj for giving us better vision in life rather having hypocritic way of life
View CommentThank You very much GuruMaharaj
View CommentRadhanath Swami Maharaj stresses on humility and tolerance again and again. These are very essential to taste the nectar of the holy names as shown by Krishnadas Babaji Maharaj.
View Commenthumility and tolerance. deep virtues. worth striving for
View CommentRadhanath swami maharaj always teach us tolerance and humility through his personal example.
View CommentRadhanath swami maharaj helps us to come this level by reminding us of this priciple “amanina manadena…” in each and every lecture and hence helping in strengthen our spiritual muscles…
All glories to HH Radhanath swami maharaj
View CommentThis arcile is amazing..thanks hari bol
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