Richard (now Radhanath Swami) continued to be a wandering pilgrim; he wished to learn from many paths and teachers before he committed himself to one. He asked himself why he was leaving Maharshi Mahesh Yogi’s ashram. On three occasions Maharshi Mahesh yogi had appeared in Richard’s dream and Richard had enlightening spiritual experiences in this ashram. Yet he was leaving and moving from one place to another. As his search was getting intense, one can see his prayers becoming desperate.
Richard is growing in his spiritual quest and maturing with time. Radhanath Swami says unless we have this desperation to grow in our spiritual lives, advancement on the spiritual path is difficult. Radhanath Swami assures that as we seek to grow in our spiritual lives, we become mature in our realizations. And this will happen if we invest our time and energy in spiritual activities of hearing and chanting God’s names and serving selflessly. For a seeker of divinity, his search helps him mature. This can be understood with an example of a young, immature boy and girl. When they become physically mature, they see each other in a different light. Previously they had thought members of the opposite sex to be foolish, uninteresting and no good for playing with. Upon physical maturity they develop a different outlook—they become attracted, even infatuated. New, previously unknown desires arise in them. The same is true for a seeker of God who becomes mature. He or she will find new or previously unknown desires enter his or her mind: “Oh I wish to really serve God! Oh I really wish to satisfy Him and when, oh when, will I develop my relationship, my loving fulfilling relationship with the Lord?” Often God helps His devotee to mature by sending him a challenging situation which all of a sudden changes his perspective on life. At such a time new perspectives and desires arise in the mind. Radhanath Swami went through challenging situations and tests that helped him take shelter of God desperately. His realizations grew and prayers matured.
Radhanath Swami tells an interesting story to drive home the point of being intense in searching after truth. One day Socrates was wading into the public bath in Athens. Following him, a young man tapped Socrates on the shoulder and said, “Socrates, can I be your disciple?” Socrates continued walking, giving no response. “Socrates, can I be your disciple?” the young man repeated. Again Socrates gave no response. A third time the young man pleaded, “Socrates, can I please be your disciple?” Suddenly, Socrates wheeled him around, grabbed the young man’s head and thrust it under the water. He held the struggling man under until the bubbles started surfacing. Finally, when there was virtually no hope left, Socrates pulled the young man up out of the water and said to him, “Young man, when you desire truth as much as you desired air, then you can be my disciple.”
It is this kind of desperation that Richard was now developing in his quest. And when he would get to that level of desperation, ‘The Journey Home’ reveals, he meets his master and his path is revealed to him. Until then he continues to wander…
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........
thats very difficult…
View Commentwhen you desire truth as much as you desire air, then you can be my disciple…
Good article. Radhanath Swami’s meditations are pretty deep.
View CommentRadhanath Swami’s Socrates’s Example is a real eye opner
View CommentThanks for posting this eye opener! I realized how much desperate i need to be in my search for god after reading about what socrates expected of his disciples!
View CommentMaharaj has perfectly explained the crux, of how to advance in spiritual life
View CommentThe Socrates story has an amazing effect , thanks very much to Maharaj
View Commentto be desperate for service and chanting is the take away from this nice post , thanks very much Maharaj
View CommentAmazing post.. We are always greedy to get the material success but while practicing spiritual process the greed to advance is very week. The attitude of developing greed to advance in spiritual life is also stressed in Vedic literature’s. Thank you very much Radhanath Swami for stressing this with such a nice story.
View CommentThank you very much Maharaj for giving us such an amazing understanding of “How to advance very swiftly in Spiritual life”.Really Greed or desperateness for absolute truth (Laulyam)is a prime factor for advancement in spiritual life.Haribol!
View CommentUnless we become disparate in hearing and chanting of gods name and thereby grow in spiritual lives,we can not become mature in realization……….thank you radhanath swami..
View CommentVery nice article…..the desperation displayed by Swamiji to understand spiritual knowledge & to get a spiritual master is truly amazing……I stongly recommend everyone to read this holy autobiography of Swamiji ‘Journey Home’
View CommentThank you maharaj for sharing this
View CommentRadhanath Swami has met so many spiritualists. Rest of us can only dream of such a life. With all this experience I feel safe to just follow his teachings.
View CommentThank you Maharajah for reminding us to have realization we must
View Commenthear,chant and serve selflessly.
very difficult,thankyou for realization.
View CommentYes, the desperation of Radhanath Swami for the truth is evident in his book.
View CommentA very nice read. The story of Socrates as narrated by Radhanath Swami is very nice….only if we truly desire to render selfless service and hear, chant the holy names of the Lord, only then will the Lord reciprocate with our sincerity. Thank you, Radhanath Swami, for this very wonderful post.
View CommentThe example of Socrates is really profound. Thank you Maharaj.
View CommentEverybody wants to get what he wants but the unknown fact is how to get it. Radhanatha Swami is an expert to reveal how to get it. All glories to Radhantha Swami.
View CommentExcellent article. we are desperate in life about so many things, need to become more desperate for Krishna
View Commentthanx for sharing
View CommentRadhanath Swami’s book is a book of sweet desperation – on that inspires us to become desperate for God.
View CommentAmazing article. Thank you very much for this wonderful post.
View CommentRadhanath Swami gives a profound example-Socrates story,to show one’s desire has to be strong to search out truth. His own life story is more profound to prove this point.
View CommentIt is simply astounding to see Radhanath Swami’s intense desire for spiritual knowledge.
View CommentOne of the most important things Radhanath Swami has mentioned here is “Unless we have this desperation to grow in our spiritual lives, advancement on the spiritual path is difficult”. This is something which everyone of us must consider seriously. Thank you very much Radhanath Swami for this great message.
View CommentMaharaj has deep realization of Absolute truth, it is so enlightening thank you maharaj
View CommentI have read Radhanath Swami’s book thrice and each time I was taken aback by his desperation for truth. Hats off to Radhanath Swami.
View CommentInspiring article. Thanks for sharing.
View CommentThis desire is sometimes strong , sometimes weak. But by reading such articles , it again becomes strong.
View CommentThank you so much for posting this. A real eye opener…
View CommentExcellent article. Thank you radhanath swami
View CommentWith same desperation, Radhanath Swami is now doing the selfless service of giving others real happiness. Jai.
View CommentIts simply amazing.
View CommentH.H.Radhanath Swami Maharaj ki Jay!!!
Thank you so much Radhanath Swamiji for giving us the Truth always.
View CommentWonderful artcile.
View CommentI pray that someday I maybe as desperate for truth as HH Radhanath Swami.
View CommentI love the artwork on Radhanath Swami’s website.
View CommentIt takes life times to become so keen to have this desire of searching Him.
View CommentH.H Radhanath Swami Maharaj has given us such an amazing understanding of “How to advance very swiftly in Spiritual life”. Real greed or desperateness for absolute truth is the prime factor for advancing in spiritual life.
View Commentyes to become mature in spiritual life ,we must serve ,chant and hear more and more.Thanks for this knowledge.
View Commentunless we have desperation to grow in our spiritual lives, advancement on the spiritual path is difficult.Thankyou Radhanath Swami.
View Commentgreat article. thank u.
View Commentdesperate to seek truth – Radhanath Swami’s questis unending
View Commentso true…as we grow we become mature!
View CommentIts really nice lesson from story of socretis…Thank you for sharing this realisation.
View CommentMany thanks to Radhanath swami for sharing this experience
View Commenti am thinking when will i be desperate to seek the absolute truth…
View CommentSome of the incidents from Radhanath Swami’s book are hair-raising!
View CommentRadhanath Swami’s book Journey Home tells us what kind of Price one should be ready to pay to know the Absolute Truth!
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