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A natural resident of Vrindavan
October 13, 2010  |  radhanath-swami

Radhanath Swami ‘accidentally’ (or so, it appears to my ordinary vision) lands up at Mathura, on his way to Amarnath.  Promising Gary he’d meet him a few days later, Richard (now Radhanath Swami) then goes alone to Vrindavan.

I find it somewhat amusing to read Radhanath Swami’s first experiences in Vrindavan. He meets friendly and loving people, especially a farmer, who gets desperate and insists on offering his loving service to him. I can’t help feeling humbled on reading Radhanath Swami’s description of Vrindavan and its residents. I too visited Vrindavan many years ago with my family. During this first visit, I thought I met some unfriendly men, and in some temples felt the priests aggressively soliciting for money.  As the saying goes, ‘beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder’. Since Radhanath Swami is very charming, humble and sweet, he feels all vrajwasis (residents of Vrindavan) are same. I am sure that’s the way they are, but my hard heart sees with a material vision. Even at other places, the sweetness of the culture and love and warmth Radhanath Swami received from the locals has left an indelible impression in his heart. Radhanath Swami writes in ‘Journey Home’ that seeing the natural beauty of Vrindavan, temple bells resounding and children singing Krishna’s names, he felt finally after more than a year of wandering, he’s found home again.

I once heard Radhesh Lal Goswami, the head priest of Radha Vallabh temple, one of the prominent temples of Vrindavan say that Radhanath Swami should have been born in Vrindavan, but somehow he took birth in Chicago. With a mischievous smile the head priest said, “Maybe God also makes a mistake sometimes, that he puts his loving devotees in a different place than He intends to.” I cautioned myself not to subscribe to his opinion about God making a mistake, but I could appreciate his sentiment. He found Radhanath Swami’s character and traits as natural as any Vrajwasi that he couldn’t fathom how such a soul as Radhanath Swami could be not born and raised in Vrindavan.  At another place I chanced to see Radhanath Swami’s exchanges with other vrajwasis, some elderly and not knowing English. But Radhanath Swami is completely at home with them as they too feel at ease sharing love and laughter joyfully.

Externally Vrindavan appears no different from other North Indian villages. I guess it requires a divine vision (which I am sure Radhanath Swami has) to see Vrindavan the way he perceives it. I once heard that we see and perceive everything in this world according to our limited senses. If we have an ordinary vision, we will find the most spiritual place as ordinary, whereas one whose eyes are anointed with the salve of love will see God even in the most ordinary place.  What then to speak of the holy place of Vrindavan being perceived by a holy person, Radhanath Swami. This powerful combination can be spiritually exhilarating.

That’s why the mauni sadhu, one who has taken a vow never to speak, communicated to Radhanath Swami by scratching on a slate that people of Vrindavan are crazy for Krishna and if Richard (now Radhanath Swami) stayed there, he too would soon become crazy. Holy places carry spiritual energy, and one whose consciousness is fine tuned with a prayerful attitude, quickly catches these vibrations. Richard was now all set to experience the spiritually electrifying vibrations of Vrindavan.

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156 Comments


  1. Krishna is always with pure devotees like Radhanath Swami in the form of his Holy Name

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  2. Beautiful picture to go with the article. Truly Vrindavana drives us crazy in a wonderful way. And being in Vrindavana in the association of a great saint like Radhanath Swami is most wonderful.

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  3. wonderful,thank you

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  4. Wonderful!!!!!!!! Thank you very much.

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  5. Vrindavan – To be there is receiving mercy and to be there under the guidance of Radhanath Swami is receiving a double dose of mercy, one’s vision of the holy Dham (place) changes and as he makes you see the real Vrindavan with a spiritual vision which makes one wonder, being there so many times never gave me this sort of blissful experience.
    Radhanath Swamis ‘The Journey Home’ gives us a glimpse of our eternal home where we eternally belong.

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  6. Yes, Vrindavan is real resident of Radhanath swami and he creates it wherever he goes.

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  7. absolutely true, radhanath swami is a resident of vrindavan but somehow came from chicago,

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  8. thank you for sharing

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  9. I have heard that Radhanath Swami and Radheshlal share a very amazing level of friendship

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  10. Radhanath Swami is a born pure devotee and He is naturally attached to Vrindavan. However, Radhanath Swami always creates a Vrindavan atmosphere wherever He goes.

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  11. Beautiful. Thanks for sharing.

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  12. Radhanath Swami Maharaj carries Vrindavan in his heart!

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  13. we have always seen radhanath swami feeling completely at home when he is in vrindavan

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  14. Krishna personally takes care of pure devotees like Radhanath Swami

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  15. Radhnath Swami is truly a vrajawasi.

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  16. thank you for post

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  17. Srila Prabhupada spread the glories of Vrindavan all over the world.

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  18. Because his heart is full of love for God and God’s abode, wherever he goes Radhanath Swami creates the Vrindavan atmosphere.

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  19. Maharaj from very begning was the lover of Vrindavan.

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  20. Radhanath Swami has lived his part of life in Vrindavan and that too in his youth, now, when Radhanath Swami takes his students on pilgrimage to these places, he has very deep knowledge and understanding of God’s land – Vrindavan.

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  21. Looking through the glasses of selfishness and greed, one sees everybody as greedy and selfish.

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  22. Very nice blog. Thanks for sharing

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  23. Radhanath swami has spent early days in Vrindavan and naturally his love errupted from his heart to serve and glorify Lord there

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  24. Radhanath swami has that divine vision and divine qualities that he creates everyplace as vrindavan and sees Krishna in everyplace.

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  25. Thank You Radhanath Swami for sharing your great experience.

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  26. nice good article

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  27. Yogita Jagannathan

    What realisations and spiritual connection Radhanath Swami has with Vrndavan. I really pray that I too would get the spiritual vision which he has to see the true nature of a holy place.

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  28. this website is amazing, such deep insite on radhanath swami

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  29. Krishna guided Radhanath Swami maharaj on his each step while his journey home.

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  30. Thats why HH Radhanath swami maharaj takes us to yatras every year

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  31. Rightly Said, Radhanath Swami is a true Vrajavasi and he always creates the Vrindavan atmosphere where ever he goes.

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  32. How fortunate can one be to have personal association of such a sadhu as Radhanath Swami!

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  33. Radhanath Swami even after 40 years describes his memories & glories of Vrindavan as if it was a story of yesterdays’. Once one devotee asked him after a talk if how He could remember and describe about Vrindavan even after 40 years with so much perfect detail. At that Radhanath Swami said, “Vrindavan is my home”.

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  34. radhanath maharaj teaches us how to see vrindavan spiritually with his own example

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  35. Maharaj’s pure state of consciousness gets reflected everywhere around him hence his proximity makes everything sweet and desirable.

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  36. Jagdish Majethiya

    Very nice article – Thanks for sharing these wonderful thoughts.

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  37. Thanks for sharing.

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  38. hari hari

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  39. radhanath maharaj has so much love for God , he sees Vrindavan as his home and he could meet such saints of vrindavana during his stay which further solidified his love for God .

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  40. This is wonderful. H.H Radhanath Swami takes Vrindavan in his heart wherever he is.

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  41. Mitali kallianpur

    Very nice article.Thank you for sharing this article.

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  42. The epitome of spiritual life is to become crazy for Krishna as the mauni baba very nicely shared with Radhanath Swami.

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  43. HH Radhanath Swami always carries the selfless service mood of Vrajvasis in his heart and thus he inspires in every one he meets with by his words and example.

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  44. hare krishna
    what a beautiful post… loved it… waiting to the holy dham, all glories to HH RNS

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  45. Holy places carry spiritual energy, and one whose consciousness is fine tuned with a prayerful attitude, quickly catches these vibrations.Wonderful.

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  46. Nice Article!!! Thank you very much for sharing

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  47. The word spoken and written by Radhanath Swami about vrindavan has such potency that the conditioned soul experience the mood of vrindavan though appearanly the holy dham of vrindavan is thousands miles away from him.

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