Gary and Richard (now Radhanath Swami) boarded a train at Varanasi, and were compressed in an overcrowded compartment. The sweltering heat suffocated the two friends. Besides, the monsoon storm had forced the train to stop at a place for two days. Finally, seeking relief Gary and Richard got down when the train halted at Mathura. When Richard enquired from a local sadhu about the place, he replied, “This is Mathura, Lord Krishna’s birthplace. And today is Janmastami, Krishna’s birthday.” The sadhu also revealed that Krishna is their name for that one Supreme Lord who appears in this world to remove suffering and give us spiritual happiness.
Gary and Richard (now Radhanath Swami) then went to the birthplace of Krishna to witness the festivities. Hundreds danced and chanted to live music played with drums, flutes and cymbals. Both of them spent the whole day absorbing the wonderful sights and sounds of the birthday celebration. According to the scriptures, it was at midnight that Lord Krishna appeared in the city of Mathura. Now everybody waited for that moment. Although the temple was already packed with thousands, a steady flow of thousands more managed to stream through the door. The police tried to control the crowds in vain with long bamboo sticks.
Neither Gary nor Richard had ever seen such massive crowds. When the clock struck midnight, the doors of the inner sanctum swung open to reveal the altar of Krishna. A tumult of joy rose like a tidal wave. Enthralled, the people in the crowd were oblivious to being shoved and crushed. Old and young, male and female, rich and poor, all merged together with palms joined in prayer and eyes glossed with devotion. Small circles of villagers sang their own special songs, while everyone else laughed, cried, danced, and exuberantly called out Krishna’s holy names. For Gary and Richard who had clung on to pillars, the eagerness of these pilgrims was astounding.
The birthday of Krishna is known to Indians as Janmashtami, and I have been fortunate to hear Radhanath Swami’s talks on this special day. The different scriptures throughout the world address the Supreme Being variously as Jehovah, Alllah, Buddha, Rama and so on. Radhanath Swami says that the Supreme Person is full of extraordinary attributes, which make Him universally attractive. The name Krishna, meaning ‘the all-attractive one’ describes this all-attractiveness of the Supreme Lord.
Radhanath Swami explains that Krishna descends not just to maintain law, but to awaken love. The love that our heart longs for through relationships with various persons finds fulfilment when it is reposed in the Supreme Person God. “Because when we love Krishna, our love is never interrupted, never betrayed, never let down, and never disappointed”, says Radhanath Swami.
Quoting scriptures, Radhanath Swami reveals that over 5000 years ago on Janmashtami, the Lord appeared at mid-night. This historical fact also has a deeper significance, according to Radhanath Swami. He says, “Midnight is the time of maximum darkness and from the moment the Lord appeared the darkness started diminishing. Similarly our heart is dark being afflicted by multiple anxieties and miseries. But in the darkest hour of our life, when we turn to the Lord and He appears in our heart, all the darkness recedes and the light of eternal hope starts streaming in.”
Radhanath Swami gives a beautiful purport to Krishna appearing in a prison cell amidst shackles. “Krishna appeared in the prison and freed His parents from the shackles of the prison. This indicates that all of us who are shackled by our own self-destructive desires can be freed by the Lord who appears in our heart, which is like a prison house.”
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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........
It is only by the mercy of Radhanatha Swami that we can realize that we are Krishna’s servants and He is our only saviour.
View CommentIts touching to hear about the love for God that people in Mathura have. This proves that God is a very real person for them, not just a concept.
View CommentSo wonderfully has Radhanath Swami explained the significance of the Lords birth at midnight and his birth in the prison cell. Thankyou for this valuable insight.
View CommentRadhanath Swami gives hope to all of us
“Krishna appeared in the prison and freed His parents from the shackles of the prison. This indicates that all of us who are shackled by our own self-destructive desires can be freed by the Lord who appears in our heart, which is like a prison house.”
View Comment“Midnight is the time of maximum darkness and from the moment the Lord appeared the darkness started diminishing. Similarly our heart is dark being afflicted by multiple anxieties and miseries. But in the darkest hour of our life, when we turn to the Lord and He appears in our heart, all the darkness recedes and the light of eternal hope starts streaming in.”
What an amazing explanation by Radhanath Swami.
View CommentThank you for sharing this wonderful meditation
View CommentRadhanath Swami Maharaj speaks so eloquently….
View CommentThe discription is so real that you feel being there.
View CommentThis kind of enthusiasm is all over india during janmashtami. It shows the all attractive feature of the lord.
The devotion in the heart of Radhanath Swami towards Krishna is so that it has the potency to illuminate hundreds and millions of people all over the world from darkest ignorance. thank you Radhanath Swami for making us understand what is real Janmstami.
View CommentRadhanath Swami explanation about appearance of Lord convinces us to worship Lord with full heart
View CommentThe British, while ruling India, never could make out the mystery behind these apparently crazy celebrations! Many times they even criticized.
But interestingly, now Janmashtami is celebrated in the British Parliament.
View CommentAll Glories To H.H Radhanath Swami Maharaj
What an beautiful anecdote. All experiences of Maharaj are so beautiful, that they keep us awed, with the message of God at the end.
Hare Krishna
View CommentThank you Maharaj for showing light to millions of people all over the world.
View CommentThanks for this wonderful insight. Midnight is the time of maximum darkness and from the moment the Lord appeared the darkness started diminishing. Similarly in the darkest hour of our life, when we turn to the Lord and He appears in our heart, all the darkness diminishes and appears the light of eternal happiness. So true.
View CommentRadhanath Swami has nicely madea point that Krishna is our only shelter
View CommentRadhanath Swami is so clear about how the material man is shackled by his own self-destructive desires can be freed by the Lord.
View CommentWonderful…thanks for sharing
View CommentRadhanath Swami says with so much conviction
View Comment. “Because when we love Krishna, our love is never interrupted, never betrayed, never let down, and never disappointed”.
but in our conditioned lives we are so stubborn, we don’t fully turn to him.
The REAL India is a land with millions of believers, who have unshaken faith in the Lord.
View CommentRadhanath Swami gives such an applicable explanation of the appearance of Lord Krishna.
View CommentRadhanath Swami has such deep love and faith in God that he can actually share it with others.
View CommentWe see that Lord Krishna has always and continues to attract people from all walks of life. He must truely be “all attractive” as this article describes. I am so grateful to and admire Radhanath Swami who encourages people to take to the traditional and time tested path of devotion to God very seriously.
View Commentbeautiful article.
View CommentRadhanath Swami’s explaination of Krishna’s appearance at midnight during darkness & in a prison cell is very beautiful…….
View Commentnice, isn’t it?
View CommentGod Conciousness is solution to all the problems and which opens the door of ever lasting happiness … it is Krishna’s appearance in our heart… thanks to Radhanaath Swami for very wonderful teachings in very lucid way.
View Commentwhat a coincidennce that Radhanath swami exactly was in Mathura on the day of Janmashtami.
View CommentIt was such a wonderful experience to read about how Richard and Gary got the chance to be in vrindavan exactly on the day of Janmashtami. It is really the hand of God! How God directs the devotees to his lotus feet. We should be grateful to krishna for that.
View CommentRadhanath Swami’s ideas seem to be so crystal clear. Every statement of his echos his firm faith and true love for God.
View CommentNice explaination by Radhanath Swami.I liked the last paragraph.
View CommentThank you very much for telling us that KRISHNA is our real shelter.
View CommentBefore Srila Prabhupada, janamashtami was celebrated in India. This year janamashtami was celebrated in a big way in 126 countries all over the world. Jai Srila Prabhupada. Jai Rdhanath swami Maharaj.
View CommentRadhanath Swami reveals the purpose of Krishna’s descend to this world.Intelligent person does devotional service guided by authority like Radhanath Swami and makes this purposed served. All glories to Radhanath Swami
View CommentFor milleniums, people of India have been celebrating appearances of Lord with great faith. Even today millions are attracted to Lord – That’s God.
View CommentYet again we are taken on a spiritual journey with the book ‘The Journey Home’ by Radhanath Swami. The only ticket one requires is “BHAKTI” and one is onboard, these experiences are simply enriching.
View Comment“Krishna appeared in the prison and freed His parents from the shackles of the prison. This indicates that all of us who are shackled by our own self-destructive desires can be freed by the Lord who appears in our heart, which is like a prison house.”- tremendous Explanation
View Commentmahraj has given such beautiful understanding of krishna appearance in the prison to His appearing in our heart
View CommentKrishna descends not just to maintain law, but to awaken love this is the perfact teaching of Radhanath swami on Janmashtmi.
View CommentHH Radhanath Swami although apparently appears to be non-Indian in Origin with regards to birth, his understanding of Festivals and Supreme Lord Krishna as God of Law and God of Love far far exceeds that of even a staunch Indian ritualist well versed in Vedic Knowledge. So much so that Krishna has given him the potential to make atheists into devotees of Lord. This clarifies the universality of God and the fact that superficial appearances and nothing to do with the relationship of the soul with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Radhanath Swami’s words are filled with conviction of Krishna as Supreme Personality of Godhead that can inspire so many of us.
View CommentGOD is a person and has a name, and He is the one actually in control. Now doesn’t that make us more comfortable while dealing with the adversities of life since we know about GOD who is always there to protect us as His very dear children.
View CommentRadhanath Swami is one such child, very special though and a cynosure of GOD, for he has taken upon himself to educate countless humans about their true nature and help them in returning to a place where they real belong to- the spiritual world. And, boy, how much GOD loves to be reunited with His long-lost sons!!!
In the ancient scripture Bhagavad Gita,Lord Krishna says that if one understands His birth and activities in principle, one is released from the cycle of birth and death.Radhanath Swami’s analysis of reasons for Lords birth are very enlightening and help us understand about God’s birth and activities as it is,in truth,in principle.
View CommentThank you Radhanath Swami for making us understand that we cannot make God fit into ‘our’ concept of what God should be. Thank you for telling us the importance of His appearance day.
View Comment” in the darkest hour of our life, when we turn to the Lord and He appears in our heart, all the darkness recedes and the light of eternal hope starts streaming in” so much hope giving statement by Radhanath Swami
View Comment“Where there is will GOD provides the way !”
View CommentRadhanath Swami was in search of truth & GOD made this arrangement for him.
I like the last paragraph. Thank you for sharing
View CommentMost often, we know the history, but not its significance. Radhanath Swami reveals the spirit of the history, and not just the historical event.
View Commentwhen you desire something fervently ,the Lord fulfills your desires.
View Comment“Krishna appeared in the prison and freed His parents from the shackles of the prison. This indicates that all of us who are shackled by our own self-destructive desires can be freed by the Lord who appears in our heart, which is like a prison house.”
What a wonderful analogy!
View Commentnice post…. read it again today
View CommentNice article !
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