Kailash Baba taught Richard to live in harmony with Mother Nature. Richard learnt to use neem twigs to brush his teeth and riverbed mud to wash his skin. Besides, Kailash Baba also taught Richard to respect sacred rivers, temples, trees, the sun, moon, and also snakes, scorpions, and wild animals. Richard learnt to see the soul within a deadly cobra. Over the course of days, Richard saw a leopard intently hunting through the foliage. He saw cobras and mongoose, and respecting these animals, and remembering the instructions of Kailash Baba, Richard prayed to develop fearlessness. As he saw different animals struggle for survival, he reflected that human life is not meant for struggling like these various species; it’s meant for a greater pursuit.
Roaming in jungles has always been a fearful prospect for me. I once asked a travelling monk who roams in the Amazon jungles, if he wasn’t afraid of the wild animals there. He replied with a cheerful grin, “Of course not, because the most dangerous animal is nowhere to be seen in these jungles.” I realized he meant the humans. Humans are distinct from animals in their ability to quest for enlightenment, for the basic needs of eating, sleeping, mating and defending are fulfilled in all life, but seeking God is a rare privilege of mankind. Not pursuing this sublime goal, humans become victim of selfishness, and slowly degenerate to less than animals. Today we see humans are the biggest threat to the security of life on planet earth. With their advanced intelligence humans have subjugated all species, but strangely with the same intelligence man has created weapons of mass destruction, which threaten to destroy all life on this planet. The irony of modern times is that the greatest strength of humans-their advanced intelligence-is also their weakness, because it isn’t used for a spiritual purpose. Hence human beings live in constant fear. Richard however was learning to become fearless.
Radhanath Swami advises, “Our fear should not be death. Our fear should be that we may forget God. Because if we remember God, when death comes, we may go back to the kingdom of God. It’s better to die remembering God than to live a fearful life in this temporary world.”
Richard’s desire to pursue spiritual life became more intense in the Himalayas:
“A spark of spiritual longing, ignited in my childhood, had been fanned into a flame while praying in a cathedral of Florence. It was kindled into a blaze while meditating on the Isle of Crete and fueled higher and hotter by my challenges in the Middle East. Roaming the Himalayas in the company of holy men, that sacred fire in me now blazed furiously. Resigning my life to this purpose alone, I prayed to the Lord to help me.”
Observing a black bee drifting from flower to flower, seeking nectar, Richard too was moving from place to place, seeking to collect the nectar of spiritual wisdom and inspiration. Suddenly he heard in a distance, a baby cry for its mother and he too felt like a baby spiritually, and wondered when the day will come when he will cry like that baby for his beloved Lord.
Radhanath Swami emphasises that chanting of God’s names should not be performed mechanically. “Even a parrot can learn the art of chanting. But that’s not our goal. Our goal is to chant like a child for its mother.” His stunning analysis on the need to take shelter of God leaves me amazed. In his intense voice, choked with spiritual emotion, Radhanath Swami appeals to all of us, “When the baby is in danger he doesn’t go to the internet, he doesn’t analyze his strengths and his weaknesses’ and neither does he philosophize. He simply spontaneously and instantly cries from the core of his heart for mother’s help. We also have to give up our own endeavours and rather beg for shelter, and cry for mercy from God.”
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........
Simply awesome. If we take this seriously we will come out of the miseries & go back to Godhead & attain the pure bhakti.
View CommentThis analogy with child is really so appropriate. It’s interesting to watch where we find shelter in difficult times…
View CommentForgetfulness is one of the greatest curses on a mortal being. Let our only prayer be to never forget God.
View CommentWho could see the soul in cobra? one who has the vision of equality for everyone. Radhanath Swami had that vision. Truly Radhanath swami maharaj is an empowered person.
View CommentI find this statement of Radhanath swami maharaj very very profound and fundamental: “Our fear should not be death. Our fear should be that we may forget God. Because if we remember God, when death comes, we may go back to the kingdom of God. It’s better to die remembering God than to live a fearful life in this temporary world”
View CommentThis is truely and amazing experience. I am very grateful for sharing this wonderful meditation. Thanks,
View CommentHare Krishna. This book can be an eye opener to the modern youth who are generally trying to seek happiness in this material world which is a place of misery. We can find a direction for eternal truth.
View CommentWonderful! A real eye opener on how to view our life! Thank You Radhanath Swami:)Radhanath Maharaj clearly explains the purpose of human life and the goal of life.One should chant in a helpless state like a child crying for its mother.If we take total shelter of God we become fearless.
View CommentGreat inspiration on how we should remember and take shelter of God. Many Thanks.
View CommentThe power of holy name can be perceived through intensely calling it. Here, Radhanath swami very nicely explaining how to chant the holy name. This is very good lesson for all.
View Commentreally an amazing way of looking at life and also showing the right way to approach life…..thank you maharaj
View CommentVery much inspiring. Radhanath swami Maharaj’s advise of being fearless and makes us dependent on God. Thank you very much Radhanath Swami Maharaj.
View CommentRadhanath Swami-” to forget the Lord is worse than death.”
By always remembering the Lord and never forgetting the Lord will help us to remain fearless.
View CommentRadhanath Swami’s realization in dealing with all living entities, having respect for deadly species like the cobra, seeing the soul within such species is something very inspiring. It gives me something to work upon, especially my fear towards such species.
View CommentRadhanath Swami says that we should not fear death but rather our fear should be that we may forget God. Death is the greatest kind of fear that everyone has, but, as Srila Radhanath Swami Maharaj explains, we must always try to remember God, Krishna, and be engaged in His loving devotional service.
View Comment“Our fear should not be death. Our fear should be that we may forget God”. What a wonderful statement! Truly, if we follow Radhanath Swami’s teachings of Bhakti, of how to love God, and how to remember him at the time of death, there should be no fear of death since we will attain kingdom of God as Krishna promises in the Bhagavad Gita:
View Commentanta-kale ca mam eva
smaran muktva kalevaram
yah prayati sa mad-bhavam
yati nasty atra samsayah
Very amazing article. It really explains very clearly what one should be affraid of and how to call out for God’s name.
View CommentHare Krishna, thanks very much for this post.
View CommentThat’s a birds eye view the larger picture made visible by Radhanath Swami. No point fearing at every step. Better remember God.
View Comment“Our fear should not be death. Our fear should be that we may forget God. Because if we remember God, when death comes, we may go back to the kingdom of God. It’s better to die remembering God than to live a fearful life in this temporary world”
View Commentvery instractive statement by Radhanath swami if we simply practice this we can go back to godhead.
Radhanath Swami very clearly defined fear should be of what..simply nice article
View Comment‘Tell me not how much you have read but how much you have travelled’ one of Prophet Muhammad’s quotes run on these lines & by that logic Radhanath Swami would defiitely be a very learned & insightful person, what with such colourful life-experiences..Please post on!
View CommentWonderful article ! Our fear should not be death, but fear should be that we should not forget God. If we sincerely follow Maharaj’s instruction we are sure to make a great progress in our spiritual life. Thanks maharaj for you guidance.
View CommentOur goal is to chant like a child for its mother. Thanks to Radhanath Swami Maharaj for reminding about the need to intensify chanting of Lord’s holy names.
View Commentthanks for giving us the right track.
View CommentVery interesting connections made and very important message to be learnt. Thanks
View Commentradhanath swamis inspiring life and his experiences with life are very inspiring to have an improvement in ourself also … thank u
View CommentTruly if humans are mis-directed they cause so much harm to other humans, animals and themselves..
View CommentWonderful !!!
View CommentRadhanath Swami’s life reveals how he genuinely and spontenously sees God in the every living beings’ heart – bird, beast or human. With him its practical and not theoritical.
View CommentH. H. Radhanath Swami uncovers the greatest fear one can encounter “Not remembering God when death comes!”, which largely not realised by human society.
View CommentTruly an amazing story.
View Commenti love this
View Commenttooo insprining…Hari bol
View Commentvery inspiring and beautiful article.
View CommentThe book, ‘the Journey Home’ by Radhanath Swami was a great gift and these meditations on the book are a bonus. Thank you for writing such in-depth articles.
View CommentI enjoy your article – nice job!
View CommentThe more I read about Guru Maharaj, the more I get inspired. I am really most fortunate person to have met Guru Maharaj.
View Commentthanks
View CommentThank you very much HH Radhanath swami Maharaj for sharing such a wonderful passtime.
View CommentHare Krishna. Thanks for sharing. Forgetfulness of Krishna is the real cause for ones material conditioning.
View CommentA true sage is one who practices what he preaches. Reading the extracts from his book, The Journey Home, plus the various interactions with Radhanath Swami…you’ll find many at http://www.itsohappened.com, immediately increases my desire to take up spirituality & become a God-conscious person.
View CommentIt is very true that a Human being has greatest fear form another human being, we don’t see this in other species but Human specie. But we all should try to change this,We need to help each other in devloping loving relationships.Thanks to Radhanath swami for writing this point here.
View CommentBillions of Thanks to Radhanath Swami for showing us the real way to enlightenment ! Radhanath Swami is showing the power of prayers by His example !
View CommentThis the true understanding of dualities of the material world of which fear is one aspect.
View CommentWonderful realization!
View CommentThank you for sharing this insprining article…Hari bol
View CommentThank you for sharing this inspiring article…Hari bol
View CommentAmazing article. Thankyou so much. Radhanath Swamis experiences are so wonderful.
View CommentRadhanath swami’s words are very inspiring.Our fear should not be death but we must remember God when death comes so that we may go back to Godhead. One should follow it.
View Comment