Radhanath Swami is expert in learning from all. At Kandahar, Radhanath Swami learnt patience from a mongoose; from the hashish addicts, temperance; and from a blind boy, spiritual joy.
Radhanath Swami’s ability to observe the world and learn lessons is very inspiring. This reveals how thoughtful he is and also we get a glimpse of his open mindedness in allowing God to reveal His blessings through different experiences in this world.
He learns and teaches us the example of ocean; if we are full and deep within like the ocean, none of the external forces can disturb us. Radhanath Swami implores us to carefully see the wisdom in water. He says the food grains are born of rain. No rain, no food. No rain, no fortune. Similarly the Holy Name is like water. “Hearing and chanting the glories of Lord are the water that nourishes the dried up heart and allows the seed of love to grow,” reveals Radhanath Swami.
Radhanath Swami also compares modern sophistication that leaves out God to be the trap of a spider. “it’s like a fly that is caught in a spider’s web. Somehow or the other it is entangled, but out of ignorance it thinks that it can get itself out of that situation. The more it moves around to free itself, the more it becomes entangled in the web. The enthusiastic fly moves around, struggling hard to free itself. But after some time we don’t even see the fly; all we see is a little web ball that’s just moving around. The fly is now totally bound and covered.”
Radhanath Swami elaborates on this example by saying that human life is meant for self-realization, not for entangling ourselves like that fly in the spider’s web. The only way a fly can get out is, if somebody comes and takes it off. And for those entangled in ignorance, that help comes from the saintly people.
Radhanath Swami also quotes his spiritual teacher who learnt from a serpent that it is harmless compared to the selfish and envious human being. Radhanath Swami reveals that a serpent bites only if it is threatened and the most it can do is kill only one person at a time. This reaction of the serpent is not out of envy but out of self-protection. It wants to either protect itself or its offspring. “Human beings on the other hand”, says Radhanath Swami, “are building bombs where they can kill millions of people at a time for no reason except to protect their false egos. So who is more dangerous?” questions Radhanath Swami.
Radhanath Swami says human life is a rare opportunity to learn from this world. We shouldn’t be simply thinking of eating, sleeping, sex life or defending ourselves, but rather seek to answer questions to the life’s deepest mysteries. Radhanath Swami reveals interesting examples from nature on living long lives. He points out that there are trees that live for thousands of years; in the Calcutta botanical garden there is a tree that is said to be five thousand years old and in California there are redwood trees, some are said to be seven thousand years old. There are also tortoises and parrots that live over a hundred years old. “The special facility of human life is in its quality, because the human life provides the opportunity to question our existence. There is no other species that has that power to ask who am I? What is the purpose of life? Where am I coming from? Where am I going? Who is God? What is my relationship with God? Why is there suffering? Is there something beyond? All the lower species, be they plants, trees, fish, insects, reptiles, birds, beasts they are simply trying to enjoy the momentary senses , and also trying to create some arrangement for their sustenance.”
This for sure is a hard hitting lesson, and I am reminded of a scriptural statement that says a true saint is expert in cutting the knots of material illusion. Radhanath Swami’s razor sharp intelligence and clarity exposes the hollowness of a life centered on materialistic goals. However he does it through such amazing examples from nature.
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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........
His Holiness Radhanath Swami’s narrations touches our heart and soul. Coming closer to nature means coming closer to Krsna.
View CommentThis is brilliant. All Glories to Radhanath Swami.
View Commentthank u for this…
View CommentRadhanath Swami is empowered by God to be a true saint who is expert in cutting the knots of material illusion
View CommentRadhanath Swami is a true leader.
View CommentAmazing article with superb amazing examples. Very much applicable to our lives.
View CommentAmazing …!!!
View CommentRadhanath Swami’s razor sharp intelligence and clarity exposes the hollowness of a life centered on materialistic goals.
View CommentRadhanath Swami is empowered by God to be a true saint who is expert in cutting the knots of material illusion.
View CommentAmazing …!!!
Human life is for seek to answer questions to the life’s deepest mysteries.
View CommentThanks Radhanath Swami for this !!
View CommentRadhanath swami has learnt so much from all his experiences. However one must know it requires intelligence to know how to learn from all our experiences.
View CommentThank you Radhanath Swami for teaching us how to learn valuable lessons from our environment.
View CommentAmazing article providing great insights on how we can learn valuable lessons from our surrondings – Thanks a lot Maharaj for the wonderful instructions.
View CommentI fortunate to have a teacher like swamiji , who can expertly reveal the message of the Lord through the amazing as well as common features of the nature.
View CommentRadhanath Swamy’s instruction are straight which touches everyone’s heart.
View CommentWonderful Article
View CommentWonderful lesson which we can learn from the nature
View Commentthank you maharaj
Nice thoughts from the work of Radhanath Swami.
View CommentInspiring indeed.
View Commentthanks
View CommentThank you very much maharaj for explaining the importance of human life.
View CommentAmazing…thank you very much maharaj.
View CommentRadhanath Swami’s razor sharp intelligence and clarity exposes the hollowness of a life centered on materialistic goals.
View Commentit’s really thought provoking – concept of learning lessons from observation.
View CommentRadhanath swami is greatly concern with nature and our relation to this nature
View CommentRadhanath Maharaj is a ‘Excellent student’ who never left any opportunity to learn from the surroundings. He is a ‘True saint’ who cuts the knots of material illusion. He is a ‘Excellent Guru’ who teaches us how to learn from nature & every situation, with his own example.
View CommentRadhanath swami says ‘Human life is a rare opportunity to learn from this world’….’The special facility of human life is in its quality, because the human life provides the opportunity to question our existence.’…
View Comment…From this we can learn that for us how important this human life is? And we must utilize this opportunity to achieve aim of our life ie. “Going back to Godhead”. Thank you Maharaj for inspiring us at every moment.
Its a very nice article.Thank you Maharaj
View CommentIt requires deep God Consciousness to derive spiritual lessons from the mature. That is why HH RSM is special…
View CommentRadhanath Swami’s ability to observe the world and learn lessons is very inspiring.
View CommentThank you maharaj for wonderful articles.
View CommentAmazing Realizations !
View CommentThank you Radhanath Swami for sharing this amazing teaching with us.
View CommentAmazing article.Haribol!Thank you so much,Maharaj.
View CommentVERY VERY well said “selfish and envious human being are more dangerous that a poisonous serpent”
View CommentRadhanath Swami is saint from within and without. Hence he educates people to become like a true saint. He has profuse Love for God and tries to tell everyone how they can achieve that also. Thank You very much Radhanath Swami.
View Comment“it’s like a fly that is caught in a spider’s web. Somehow or the other it is entangled, but out of ignorance it thinks that it can get itself out of that situation. The more it moves around to free itself, the more it becomes entangled in the web. The enthusiastic fly moves around, struggling hard to free itself.
View CommentVery graphical explanation of the truth . thank you very much
Amazing inspiring thoughts
View CommentMaharaj insists us to think deep down & force us to know about ourself haribol…………
View CommentTruly Radhanath swami has a saint’s vision!!!
View CommentRadhanath swami’s articles touches my heart and soul.
View Commentvery inspiring…Thank you maharaj for the wonderful articles.
Amazing the way Radhanath Swami learns lessons from seemingly insignificant incidents of daily life. It is an art that he has mastered. Thank you for sharing these lessons with us.
View CommentThanks to Radhanath swami for coming up with such wonderful lessons from nature.
View CommentTHank you very very much for inspiration maharaj.
View Comment“Radhanath Swami’s razor sharp intelligence and clarity exposes the hollowness of a life centered on materialistic goals”- Very striking.
View CommentVery inspiring article. Thanks a lot Maharaj !!
View CommentVery insightful and deep lessons from mother nature. Thank you Maharaj
View Commentthanks you soo much for such a wonderful article..
View CommentThanks for the nice article. Yes, we should make use of this rare oppoprtunity and see everything as a lesson from God and improve our quality and consciousness
View Comment