Radhanath Swami is expert in learning from all. At Kandahar, Radhanath Swami learnt patience from a mongoose; from the hashish addicts, temperance; and from a blind boy, spiritual joy.
Radhanath Swami’s ability to observe the world and learn lessons is very inspiring. This reveals how thoughtful he is and also we get a glimpse of his open mindedness in allowing God to reveal His blessings through different experiences in this world.
He learns and teaches us the example of ocean; if we are full and deep within like the ocean, none of the external forces can disturb us. Radhanath Swami implores us to carefully see the wisdom in water. He says the food grains are born of rain. No rain, no food. No rain, no fortune. Similarly the Holy Name is like water. “Hearing and chanting the glories of Lord are the water that nourishes the dried up heart and allows the seed of love to grow,” reveals Radhanath Swami.
Radhanath Swami also compares modern sophistication that leaves out God to be the trap of a spider. “it’s like a fly that is caught in a spider’s web. Somehow or the other it is entangled, but out of ignorance it thinks that it can get itself out of that situation. The more it moves around to free itself, the more it becomes entangled in the web. The enthusiastic fly moves around, struggling hard to free itself. But after some time we don’t even see the fly; all we see is a little web ball that’s just moving around. The fly is now totally bound and covered.”
Radhanath Swami elaborates on this example by saying that human life is meant for self-realization, not for entangling ourselves like that fly in the spider’s web. The only way a fly can get out is, if somebody comes and takes it off. And for those entangled in ignorance, that help comes from the saintly people.
Radhanath Swami also quotes his spiritual teacher who learnt from a serpent that it is harmless compared to the selfish and envious human being. Radhanath Swami reveals that a serpent bites only if it is threatened and the most it can do is kill only one person at a time. This reaction of the serpent is not out of envy but out of self-protection. It wants to either protect itself or its offspring. “Human beings on the other hand”, says Radhanath Swami, “are building bombs where they can kill millions of people at a time for no reason except to protect their false egos. So who is more dangerous?” questions Radhanath Swami.
Radhanath Swami says human life is a rare opportunity to learn from this world. We shouldn’t be simply thinking of eating, sleeping, sex life or defending ourselves, but rather seek to answer questions to the life’s deepest mysteries. Radhanath Swami reveals interesting examples from nature on living long lives. He points out that there are trees that live for thousands of years; in the Calcutta botanical garden there is a tree that is said to be five thousand years old and in California there are redwood trees, some are said to be seven thousand years old. There are also tortoises and parrots that live over a hundred years old. “The special facility of human life is in its quality, because the human life provides the opportunity to question our existence. There is no other species that has that power to ask who am I? What is the purpose of life? Where am I coming from? Where am I going? Who is God? What is my relationship with God? Why is there suffering? Is there something beyond? All the lower species, be they plants, trees, fish, insects, reptiles, birds, beasts they are simply trying to enjoy the momentary senses , and also trying to create some arrangement for their sustenance.”
This for sure is a hard hitting lesson, and I am reminded of a scriptural statement that says a true saint is expert in cutting the knots of material illusion. Radhanath Swami’s razor sharp intelligence and clarity exposes the hollowness of a life centered on materialistic goals. However he does it through such amazing examples from nature.
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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........
Radhanath swami’s examples really are very very good in making deep impact on the listeners.
View CommentRadhanath Swami has so merciful for us that whatever experience he learnt, he is sharing all the through his instructions. If we sincerely carry out these instructions, our lives would be perfect.
View CommentI want to meet the painter who draws such lovely pieces for this website.
View CommentRadhanath Swami’s deep intellectual messages are so inspiring. Even though the situation may apparently seem to be trivial, He knows to derive transcendental messages from it. This is possible, when we understand that everything is an energy of the Lord and this is how Radhanath Swami uses in His service.
View CommentRadhanath Swami’s amazing journey is really teaching so many priceless lessons to us……thanks swamiji for sharing these realisations with us thru your autobiography……
View CommentIt appears that Krishna has arranged the journey of H.H Radhanath Swami Maharaj to India for the benefit of human kind. We are ever greatful to Maharaj for sharing his valuable realisations.
View CommentRadhanath swami is giving a very important lesson through this part of his book “The Journey Home”
View CommentRadhanath Swami’s ability to observe the world and learn lessons is very inspiring.This shows His open mindedness & sensitivity to see Lord`s hand in every sphere of existence.
View CommentThank you very much Maharaj for revealing such amazing lessons.
Radhanath Swami teaches us by his example that we should always observe and be ready to learn some positive lessons from the happenings around us.
View CommentThank you maharaj
View CommentBeautiful story!
View CommentRadhanath Swami indeed has deep wisdom of seeing things in right perspective.
View CommentThanks Swamiji for your guidance & sharinmg your realisations…
View CommentThanks Swamiji for your guidance & sharing your realisations…
View CommentRadhanath Swami is a tattva darshi, one who sees essence for absolute benefit from every situation
View CommentH H Radhanath Swami is a perfect person who sees An opportunity to learn in every Difficulty and every situation. He is teaching to be grateful to the Lord as the Lord teaches us lesson through such situations. He is amazing…we wish we also could follow on the path of His teachings.
View CommentThat’s a brilliant one….
View CommentRadhanath Swami doesn;t miss out on any opportunity to learn.
View CommentThat an envious man is more poisonous than a venomous snake was one observation that paralyzed me for a moment. Radhanth Swami is great with his analogies.
View CommentThank you Radhanath Swami for this analogy which graphically explains the nature of envy.
View Comment“if we are full and deep within like the ocean, none of the external forces can disturb us”. Thank You for sharing this insightful lesson by HH Radhanath Swami.
View CommentThe example of fly binding itself in spider web is so appropriate. The more we try to get out, the more we are entangled. Only solution is help from saintly people who are not entangled
View CommentThanks for sharing this nectarian blog from Radhanath swami’s auto-biography. My attraction towards Radhanath swami seems to only keep increasing…. 🙂
View CommentAs Radhanath swami has so nicely pointed out, there is so much to learn from nature, if we desire. Its like God has provided us a road map through nature to guide us in our daily approach to situations, but we have not honed our observation skills, like Radhanath Swami, to notice and learn from our observations.
View CommentMaharaj has nicely explained the importance of human form of life.
View CommentRadhanath swami every word touches heart and contains deep meaning within.
View CommentRadhanath Swami Maharaj is expert in his explainations!
View CommentThanks, Maharaj for teaching such sublime truths using such simple stories, anecdotes and personal experiences.
View CommentVery nice lessons to be learnt
View CommentGenerally most people try to enjoy the nature, but only a wise ,inquisitive or suffering person can learn instructive lessons from nature to finally enjoy eternally with the creator of the nature :GOD. thank you swamiji for unfolding the mysterious lessons from the nature.
View CommentThe inquisitive & dedicated student like Richard is always anxiuos to grow furthermore in his God consciousness & so is ready to take lessons from any source……
View CommentThis is the most striking feature I found in Radhanath Swami’s book – The Journey Home. His ability to learn valuable lessona from every situation in life.
View CommentThe observations made by H.H Radhanath Swami Maharaj and his willingness to learn lessons is very inspiring and extrardinary. This clearly shows his open mindedness & sensitivity to see Lord`s hand in every sphere of our existence.
View CommentThank you very much Maharaj.
Thankyou Maharaj.
View CommentA good teacher is always a good learner at first place. That is why Radhanath Swami has such a deep understanind of the God, life and facts around them.
View CommentIts so important to have an open mind towards learning from every experience
View CommentNice one Thanks
View CommentRadhanath Swami Maharaj is expert in his explainations!
View CommentRadhanath Swami’s razor sharp intelligence and clarity exposes the hollowness of a life centered on materialistic goals
View CommentBeautiful example of the spider and its web. The more “free” we feel and act, the more entangled we get just like the spider.
View CommentRarity of human life is beautifully paraphrased in the statement: “The special facility of human life is in its quality, because the human life provides the opportunity to question our existence”.
View Commenteternally grateful to maharaj for teaching us such wonderful lessons!
View CommentBeautiful story!
View CommentRadhanath swami is an expert in learning something useful from all walks of life. Thank you sharing these realisations with us,
View CommentThat’s beautifully put down!!! Even we have to try to understand spirituality and various other morals from the nature around us like Radhanath Maharaj did so!!!
View CommentThank you Radhanath Swami for explaining wonderfully.
View CommentA real revelation.
View CommentThank you very much for sharing
View CommentThank you for sharing Radhanath Swami’s words “Human life is rare opportunity to learn from this world. So, make this life self realized by connecting to Krishna.” are
View CommentWith Radhanath Swami life-experiences, it is easy to realize our relations with nature
View Comment