Radhanath Swami writes that his parents Gerald and Idelle Slavin were emblems of gratitude, kindness, generosity and dedication to the family. While they gave the best to their children, they were also careful not to spoil them, and always encouraged Richie and his brothers to be always thankful for all that was given to them. Radhanath Swami’s grandfather William Bill Slavin in particular left a deep impression in little Richie’s life; his unassuming and quiet way of harmonizing his old-world traditions with life in America fascinated little Richard (now Radhanath Swami)
The values and principles that parents live by has an effect in molding the character and personality of the children. One can see this principle wonderfully exhibited in Radhanath Swami’s character. Radhanath Swami, following the footsteps of his parents has repeatedly emphasized on gratitude, both in his talks as well as in his personal life.
In one brilliant talk, Radhanath Swami offers a penetrating analysis on the importance of cultivating gratitude. He reasoned that we can be happy only if we are simple and grateful. “We can be simple and grateful only if we don’t expect anything from anybody” says Radhanath Swami. We may find this difficult, but this seems to be the only way we can be happy. What happens when we expect something from somebody? Either the expectations will be met or the expectations may not be fulfilled. What happens if the expectations are fulfilled? Radhanath Swami reveals, “If you are a sincere spiritual practitioner you will be grateful for some time but the nature of this world is that the more expectations are fulfilled, more our expectations increase and eventually a gap between expectations and reality arises and it increases; we then remain forever dissatisfied. And when the expectations are not fulfilled, we go through negative emotions; we become angry, defiant, depressed and artificially indifferent to things and people around us.” Radhanath Swami then spoke on the virtue of being grateful and not expecting favors from others, “When we don’t expect anything from anybody we will be grateful for anything we get. Naturally then we will be simple and satisfied. Therefore just be simple.” Radhanath Swami went on to further analyze the word ‘just’. He said, “If I ask you, ‘sir please give me just one million dollars’ wouldn’t you be shocked? You would because you intuitively know that the prefix ‘just’ is incongruent with the amount of one million dollars. But if I say ‘give me just one dollar’ you won’t be shocked. This means the word ‘just’ is used to indicate that which is very easily available. Therefore when great saints and wisdom books implore us to ‘just’ be simple, we should know that they are not asking for something big but that which is very easy to cultivate.”
Reflecting on Radhanath Swami’s words of wisdom, I feel how unfortunate that most often we complicate our lives so much that we find it difficult to be simple and grateful. I hope to imbibe this quality of simplicity and gratitude that Radhanath Swami holds sacred.
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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........
The values and leasons one learns from his family are one of the major factors in making an individual’s character and personality
View CommentVery nice thought.
View CommentRadhanath Swami is the epitome of simplicity and gratitude. Thanks to his parents for producing such a gem.
View CommentWhether expectations are met or not, the nature of this material world is such that we end up being a loser, unless we deliberately give-up expecting altogether.
View CommentExpectations do lead to ingratitude. I agree.
View CommentThe attitude of gratitude, not expecting anything in return is the most sublime principle, HH Radhanath Swami practices in his personal life and extensively preach. However, this simple principle taught by HH Radhanath Swami seems very difficult for me. Hope, with the blessings of HH Radhanath Swami, one day I will imbibe this simple attitude of gratitude without any expectations from others (very important).
View CommentRadhanath Swami has given a very nice and important instruction of being simple and grateful. Being simple is also complicated, sometimes !! I need to learn how to develop these qualities.
View CommentThank you maharaj for your instructions
View CommentThank you maharaj for the wonderful explanation.
View CommentRadhanath Swami is thus grateful even for any insignificant act we perform.
View CommentTranscendental science is so mystical and intangible unless one has had a higher realized experience. Can one convince someone to have faith simply by logic and argument? Is it possible to convince a faithless person about a higher reality beyond the physical laws of material nature? Only one with faith understands how pleasure and inner fulfillment can being a by-product of unadulterated selflessness. Isn’t this counterintuitive? How can one achieve happiness which is experienced by the self, by being utterly selfless and grateful? This is the magical reality of transcendental science.
View CommentMaharaja makes these concepts seem so easily attainable. If we are simple they are but the more we complicate our lives the harder they are. So we must strive to live simply and honestly.
View CommentCertainly attitude of gratitude is essential to advance in spiritual life.
View CommentThank you Maharaj…spiritual life is simple for the simple …you are such a wonderful example.
View CommentThank you for sharing Maharaja’s explanation of the word ‘just’.
View Comment‘Just be simple’ is in fact an easy thing according to the acaryas and this gives me hope to begin cultivate simplicity.
I too would like to imbibe the qualities of simplicity and gratitude within me with HH Radhanath swami’s blessings.
View CommentBeing simple and grateful is possible by following the examples of devotees around us who actually ARE simple and grateful.
View CommentOne must inculcate this quality of gratitude for every small thing someone has done for us.
View CommentRadhanath Swami underscores the importance of the family in raising a child.
View CommentThis is a treatise – every word is a gem. Just be simple and grateful – the perfect doable formula for happiness.
View CommentWe become unhappy when our expectations are not met and if we live a simple life with a greatful heart we can experience the happiness.
View CommentBeing grateful is such an important quality and Radhanath Swami is so nicely teaching us on how to be grateful.
View CommentRadhanath Swami tells us very simply and lucidly how expectations make us ungrateful. Gratitude is such an important aspect of accepting the spiritual path.
View CommentThank you Maharaj for elaborating such wonderful topic. Maharaj give nice explanation on how to live our life happily without any expectation from any body.
View Commentso practical meaning being simple and grateful, which he himself posses.
View CommentBrilliant article…..the small talk by Radhanath Swami added in the article is very inspiring……thanks
View Commentvery practical stuff from swamiji
View Commentthank u for nice article
View CommentThanks Maharaj. very simple and inspiring instruction of not having any expectation and how can one be happy. Praying at your lotus feet to have me the strength so that can imbide this quality
View Commentgreat instructions! but we need to be constantly reminded about them.
View CommentThank for sharing this wonderful thought
View CommentThere is a phrase” If we are not greatful for what we are getting we are great fools” Thanks to this article on Radhanath swami which helped me to strengthen need to be really greatful.
View CommentVery nice quote. Thank you very much for sharing
View CommentThank you so much.
View CommentVery Wonderfully presented article on HH Radhanath Swami’s book Journey Home.
View CommentThe values and principles one learns from his family is very true. so as a parents we should very concious all the time because our children always observe us. very nice article.
View CommentVery nice blog
View CommentThis is so true. if we have expectations then we are most frustrated
View Commentvery beautiful.
View Commentradhanath swami is the best example in expressing gratitude to others,
View CommentRadhanath Swami has unlimited gratitude towards his parents for all they did for him
View CommentWe are grateful to Swamiji for his divine teachings…….
View CommentRadhanath Swami teaches us lessons of gratitude whcih play a crucial role in our spiritual life
View CommentAs Radhanath Swami says good trees have good fruits we can see in his own life how much difference his parents made in his life. Parents play a very imp. role in cultivating good habits in children
View CommentThere is so much to learn from Radhanath Swamis life
View CommentRadhanath Swamis parents have given one of the great gifts to this world in form of Radhanath Swami
View CommentRadhanath Swami Maharaj is revealing the glories of gratitude & simplicity!
View CommentAnother example of a person who only wants to go back home to our original position.
View CommentBeing simple and grateful is something we seem to have lost out in today’s rat race. Oh yeah! think that’s not so, well then what we are seeing around us in malls, parties, restaurants practically in every aspect goes against this very concept, for we just want to ‘Do it’, cause every one is in it and we don’t want to be left out.
View CommentRadhanath Swami’s life style is exemplary when it comes to being simple and grateful.
Radhanath Swami lives by the principles of gratitude and humility.
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