Radhanath Swami writes his realization that a guru or a spiritual master with the stick of knowledge cleans the dirty wax of egotism accumulated in the heart of the disciple. This wax of ego prevents us from clearly hearing God’s voice within. But the guru lovingly cleans us. Another lesson that young Richard learnt was just like the man demanded money to clean the other ear, similarly in spiritual life, we get a free sample of religious experiences. However for more we must a pay a price of sincerity and dedication.
Radhanath Swami explains that advancing in spiritual life is not a cheap thing. Therefore Krishna, God first gives us a ‘free sample’- initial ecstasies and joy in executing spiritual practises. Radhanath Swami compares God with an expert marketing manager. He reasons if you want to get people hooked on your product, you first give them a free sample. Then after the first dose of free samples, we have to pay for the product. Similarly happiness in spiritual practices is free in the initial days. However, to sustain and grow in our spiritual lives, we have to work hard and pay the price of sincerely endeavouring to clean our hearts from all the unwanted, dirty, egoistic tendencies. And this is quite an expensive affair. This only proves that connection to God requires hard work because the result of connection is supreme bliss. To get ordinary pleasures of this world we pay a price, many times exorbitant rates. Similarly to get spiritual pleasures, we should be willing to pay the price of giving our time and energy to God.
In one talk Radhanath Swami compares God to a drug pusher. A drug pusher may never charge you the first time. Once we are hooked, you have to pay. Similarly Krishna or God gives us the highest drug and intoxication and that is love of God. There is no intoxication that can come closer to the experience of loving God. But for the ecstasies and pleasures of God intoxication, we have to pull out the weeds of negativities from the heart. That may appear painful, but that is the price for genuine spiritual ecstasy.
At the beginning or the neophyte stage, Radhanath Swami says, we may not be able to see the weeds in our hearts. Through careful devotional service and practice of Bhakti yoga we get purified and begin to see the anarthas or unwanted things in our hearts. Then comes the time to pay the price for spiritual taste- are we willing to let go off our negativities or do we hold on to them as dear objects and possessions. To the extent we are honestly introspective and willing to pluck out the weeds of false pride, God gives us the strength to pull them out. Although plucking them out is a painful business, God Himself arranges these weeds to disappear and then He plants in the hearts, pure love. “We have to be willing to pay the price of having pure aspirations in spiritual life”, says Radhanath Swami, “then everything in spiritual life appears ecstatic and blissful.
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........
Thank you for sharing this nice article
View CommentVery true. The price to pay is in putting our freewill in service of Krsna.
View CommentMind Blowing…
View CommentThis meditation by HH Radhanath Swami to pay a price of sincerity and dedication for getting the audience of God is really heart touching.
View CommentHeart Touching and very inspiring article. Thank you very much.
View CommentI have experience of this. Now I am trying to pay the price to get that bliss again.
View Comment“Happiness in spiritual practices is free in the initial days. However, to sustain and grow in our spiritual lives, we have to work hard and pay the price of sincerely endeavouring to clean our hearts from all the unwanted, dirty, egoistic tendencies. And this is quite an expensive affair. This only proves that connection to God requires hard work because the result of connection is supreme bliss. To get ordinary pleasures of this world we pay a price, many times exorbitant rates. Similarly to get spiritual pleasures, we should be willing to pay the price of giving our time and energy to God.” Very true. Sustaining in spiritual life requires deligent endeavour.
View CommentVery nice story about Radhanath Swami. Thanks for sharing it!
View CommentThis wax of ego prevents us from clearly hearing God’s voice within. Real disease, why cant even I feel so far of from God
View Commentwow!!!true inspiring article…
View CommentYes, it is true that the spiritual master helps the disciple to become free from ego without him even knowing it.
View CommentAs HH Radhanath Swami says in this nice meditation, we have to pay the price of sincerity and dedication to advance in the spiritual path.
View Commentnice article
View CommentRadhanath Swami’s use of analogy of God as a drug-pusher was very interesting & relevant. It effectively depicts God’s causeless mercy to save the ignorant people who are diseased with desire to indulge in material sense gratification.
View CommentSo true-everything comes with a price.
View CommentVery instuctive article…..
View CommentVery true Radhanath Swami. It is very painful to get rid of these unwanted desires.
View CommentBeautiful Article. Thank you.
View CommentLord is like a drug pusher or marketing manager who don’t charge us initially but we have to pay the price later on.
View Commentv inspiring realization ..Thank u so much Maharaj Ji..
View CommentRadhanath swami is expert in explaining deep truths of spiritual life through simple examples as he does here by connecting his experience with ear cleaner to Krishna giving us initial free samples.
View CommentThanks for sharing deep truths in such simple examples.
View CommentBrilliant analogy.
View CommentRadhanath Swami sees eternal principles of truth even in day-to-day obvious instances. Scriptures say that only realized person can do this.
View Commentwonderful article.thank you so much maharaj.
View CommentNice article. Thanks for sharing
View CommentRadhanath Swami Ki Jai !
View CommentAdvancing in spiritual life is not a cheap thing. Therefore Krishna, God first gives us a ‘free sample’- initial ecstasies and joy in executing spiritual practices..
View Comment-Very true…
In the same manner Maya also gives allurement, makes us addicted and then we have to pay the price.
View CommentInspiring..
View CommentFree samples increases our eagerness for more!!
View CommentGood
View Commentgood analogy
View CommentAlthough advancing in spiritual life is not a cheap thing, yet Radhanath Swami is making things easier for souls like us by sharing such important lessons that he has learnt by virtue of his sincere dedication towards the spiritual path. For that, we’d be eternally grateful to him.
View CommentThe analogies from Radhanath Swami are so simple to understand and has such a profound impact. Many thanks for sharing this wisdom.
View CommentVery wonderful article. Thank you so much Radhanath Swami for sharing this.
View CommentHaribool , amazing article
View CommentNothing comes for free
View CommentI can only keep wondering how adeptly gurudev gives ample examples of this world to explain to us the way of the spiritual world.
View CommentThanks for sharing
View Commentexcellent article from radhanath swami maharaj
View Commentwhat a classic anecdote by H.H.Radhanath swami for progressing on the path of spiritual life—sincerity and devotion..
View CommentThank you Radhanath Swami. You derive such meaningful and rich lessons from so many so called trivial incidents. Thank you for explaining that we need to introspect and be grateful when the Lord facilitates the painful removal of the weeds in our heart.
View Commentsuch a grave and important reality. due to which some of us get shocked after a certain stage that why has the bliss stopped. we should realize this article and start to work to earn it now. thanks to the author.
View CommentThank you Radhanath Swami for explaining so well the process for GOD experience.
View Commentjai…… a excellent by radhanath swami
View Commentwonderful article!
View CommentHH Radhanath Swami’s this meditation is very though provoking and we can ask ourselves whether are we ready to pay the price and go through the pains for removal of weeds of our hearts. Nice meditation to ponder about and initiate conscious effort to remove these unwanted negative qualities.
View Commentthank u guru maharaj for sharing it.
View CommentIndeed, one cannot take spirituality so lightly or cheaply. We have to undergo some painful but desirable transformations before we can attract the Lord’s mercy. Thank you Radhanath Swami for the wonderful article.
View Comment